Background
Prior work reported elevated gray matter (GM) lactate and Glx (glutamate + glutamine
+ GABA) concentrations in unmedicated patients with bipolar disorder (BP) compared
with healthy controls (HC). This study examined whether lithium (Li) and valproic
acid (VPA) treatment modulated these chemicals.
Methods
A subset of previously reported BP patients were treated with Li (n = 12, 3.6 ± 1.9 months) or VPA (n = 9, 1.4 ± 1.7 months) and compared untreated HC subjects (n = 12, 2.9 ± 2.4 months) using proton echo-planar spectroscopic imaging. Regression
analyses (voxel gray/white composition by chemistry) were performed at each time point,
and change scores computed. Metabolite relaxation and regions of interest (ROI) were
also examined.
Results
Across treatment, Li-treated BP subjects demonstrated GM Glx decreases (Li–HC, p = .08; Li–VPA p = .04) and GM myo-inositol increases (Li–HC p = .07; Li–VPA p = .12). Other measures were not significant. Serum Li levels were positively correlated
with Glx decreases at the trend level.
Conclusions
Li treatment of BP was associated with specific GM Glx decreases and myo-inositol
increases. Findings are discussed in the context of cellular mechanisms postulated
to underlie Li and VPA therapeutic efficacy.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: August 19, 2004
Accepted:
June 14,
2004
Received in revised form:
May 26,
2004
Received:
January 27,
2004
Identification
Copyright
© 2004 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
