A Study Of Correlation Between Brain Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Characteristics And Autism Behavior Checklist Score In Children With Autism.

ObjectiveThe aim of the present study is to use ~1H proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (~1H-MRS) to investigate the correlation between brain metabolism and autism behavior checklist(ABC scale) score in children with autism.So as to find some clue for the diagnosis of autistic disorder.Methods1.Autism children,Mental Retardation(MR) children and normal children underwent normal MRI and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy(~1H-MRS).The MRS region-of-interest(ROI) were selected on the double sides of the frontal subcortical whiter matter and double sides of the hippocampus region.NAA,total choline and total creatine peaks were quantitated.2.The Cr peaks was looked upon as internal standard to calculate relative ratio of NAA and Cho:NAA/Cr,Cho/Cr.The NAA/Cr and Cho/Cr ratio of corresponding regions of the three groups and double sides of each group were analyzed.Correlation between MRS ration of autism children and ABC scales or age were analyzed,too..Results1.The NAA/Cr ration in the left frontal subcortical white matter of Autism were lower than normal children(p=0.039);There was no brain MRS ration difference in Autism and MR children.2.The NAA/Cr ration in the left frontal subcortical white matter and the Cho/Cr ratio in the right hippocampus of MR children were lower than normal children (p=0.024,p=0.041).3.There was a negative correlation between NAA/Cr ratio of the left hippocampus and ABC scales(r=-0.698,p=0.025) in autism children.Conclusions1.Autism children have neuronal loss or functional impairment in the left frontal subcortical white matter comparing to normal children;There is no difference in neuronal quantity or function of bilateral frontal lobe and hippocampus between autism and MR children;2.MR children may have neuronal loss or functional impairment in left frontal subcortical white matter,and there maybe exist an energy metabolism abnormality of cell membrane or depressed excitability of acetylcholine system in right hippocampus.3.There maybe exist a negative correlation between neuronal quantity or function of right hippocampus and clinical symptoms in autism children.