Altered Excitation-inhibition Balance in the Brain of Patients with Diabetic Neuropathy

作者：Petrou Myria^*; Pop Busui Rodica; Foerster Bradley R; Edden Richard A; Callaghan Brian C; Harte Steve E; Harris Richard E; Clauw Daniel J; Feldman Eva L

来源：Academic Radiology, 2012, 19(5): 607-612.

DOI：10.1016/j.acra.2012.02.004

• Diabetes
• neuropathy
• MR spectroscopy
• pain

Rationale and Objectives: To assess differences in excitatory (glutamate/glutamine or Glx) and inhibitory (gamma-Aminobutyric acid or GABA) neurotransmitter levels using MR spectroscopy in pain processing regions of the brain in patients diabetic neuropathy (DN) and positive sensory symptoms and age-matched healthy control (HO) subjects.
Materials and Methods: Seven diabetic patients (5 males, 2 females, mean age = 57.0 +/- 8.5 years) with confirmed ON and positive sensory symptoms and 7 age and sex matched HC subjects (mean age = 57.7 +/- 3.2 years) underwent 3 Tesla MR spectroscopy. Glx and GABA levels were quantified in the right anterior and posterior insula, anterior cingulate cortex and right thalamus.
Results: Mean Glx levels were significantly higher and mean GABA levels were significantly lower within the posterior insula in the ON patients compared to HC (P = 0.005 and 0.012 respectively).
Conclusions: This pilot data demonstrates an excitatory/inhibitory neurotransmitter imbalance in the brain of in patients with DN and positive sensory symptoms compared to pain free HC subjects.

• 出版日期2012-5