Reduced N-acetylaspartate to creatine ratio in the posterior cingulate correlates with cognition in Alzheimer's disease following four months of rivastigmine treatment

Dement Geriatr Cogn Disord. 2015;39(1-2):68-80. doi: 10.1159/000367685. Epub 2014 Oct 24.

Abstract

Aim: To determine whether 4 months of rivastigmine treatment would result in metabolic changes and whether metabolic changes correlate with changes in cognition in people with Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Methods: Magnetic resonance spectra were acquired from the posterior cingulate cortex of subjects with AD at 3 T. Magnetic resonance imaging scans and cognitive tests were performed before and 4 months after the beginning of the treatment. Metabolite concentrations were quantified and used to calculate the metabolite ratios.

Results: On average, the N-acetylaspartate/creatine (NAA/Cr) ratio decreased by 12.7% following 4 months of rivastigmine treatment, but changes in the NAA/Cr ratio correlated positively with changes in Mini-Mental State Examination scores.

Conclusion: This positive correlation between changes in NAA/Cr and changes in cognitive performance suggests that the NAA/Cr ratio could be an objective indicator of a response to rivastigmine treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Alzheimer Disease / drug therapy*
  • Alzheimer Disease / metabolism
  • Aspartic Acid / analogs & derivatives*
  • Aspartic Acid / metabolism
  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Cognition Disorders / drug therapy*
  • Cognition Disorders / metabolism
  • Creatine / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Gyrus Cinguli / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Neuropsychological Tests
  • Phenylcarbamates / therapeutic use*
  • Rivastigmine

Substances

  • Cholinesterase Inhibitors
  • Phenylcarbamates
  • Aspartic Acid
  • N-acetylaspartate
  • Creatine
  • Rivastigmine