Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in Social Anxiety Disorder

• Published in: The journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences Vol. 28; no. 2; pp. 138 - 142
• Main Authors: Tükel, Raşit, Aydın, Kubilay, Yüksel, Çağrı, Ertekin, Erhan, Koyuncu, Ahmet
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Psychiatric Association 01-04-2016
• Subjects: Adult; Aspartic Acid - analogs & derivatives; Aspartic Acid - metabolism; Brain - diagnostic imaging; Brain - metabolism; Choline - metabolism; Creatine - metabolism; Female; Humans; Male; Phobia, Social - diagnostic imaging; Phobia, Social - metabolism; Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0895-0172; 1545-7222
• DOI: 10.1176/appi.neuropsych.15050115

In the present study, 24 nonmedicated patients with social anxiety disorder (SAD) were compared with 24 healthy control subjects to assess metabolite levels in the anterior cingulate, insula, caudate, and putamen using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The ratio of N-acetylaspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr) was significantly higher in patients with SAD than in healthy control subjects in the anterior cingulate and insula. NAA/Cr ratios in the insula correlated positively with the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale total scores in patients with SAD. Our results support the significance and biochemical involvement of the anterior cingulate and insula in the pathophysiology of SAD.