Objective: In the present study, we measured hippocampal N-acetyl-l-aspartate (NAA), choline (CHO) and creatine (CRE) values in patients with panic disorder and healthy control subjects using in vivo(1)H MRS.
Methods: We scanned 20 patients meeting Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-IV (DSM-IV) criteria for panic disorder and 20 matched healthy controls with a 1.5 Tesla GE Signa Imaging System and measured of NAA, CHO, and CRE in hippocampal regions.
Results: When NAA, CHO and CRE values were compared between groups, statistically significant lower levels for all ones were detected for both sides.
Conclusion: Consequently, in the present study we found that NAA, CHO and CRE values of the patients with panic disorder were lower than those healthy controls. Future studies involving a large number of panic patients may shed further light on the generalizability of the current findings to persons with panic disorder.
Keywords: 1H MRS; Choline; Creatine; N-acetylaspartate; Panic disorder.