Neurochemical differences between bipolar disorder type I and II in superior temporal cortices: A proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study

• Published in: Journal of affective disorders 2018-08, Vol.235, p.15-19
• Main Authors: Atagün, Murat İlhan, Şıkoğlu, Elif Muazzez, Can, Serdar Süleyman, Uğurlu, Görkem Karakaş, Kaymak, Semra Ulusoy, Çayköylü, Ali, Algın, Oktay, Phillips, Mary L, Moore, Constance M, Öngür, Dost
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Bipolar disorder; Bipolar Disorder - diagnostic imaging; Bipolar Disorder - metabolism; Creatine - analysis; Cross-Sectional Studies; Cyclothymic Disorder - diagnostic imaging; Cyclothymic Disorder - metabolism; Female; Glutamic Acid - analysis; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - methods; Magnetic resonance spectroscopy; Male; Phosphocreatine - analysis; Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy - methods; Superior temporal gyrus; Temporal Lobe - diagnostic imaging; Temporal Lobe - metabolism; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0165-0327; 1573-2517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2018.04.010

•Despite the diagnostic challenges in categorizing bipolar disorder subtypes, bipolar I and II disorders are valid categorical indices.•However, neurobiology studies failed to identify underpinnings of the clinical differences between bipolar spectrum disorders.•We compared neurochemical levels measured with proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in superior temporal cortices in bipolar disorder type I and II.•Bipolar disorder type I group had significantly lower metabolite levels in comparison to the bipolar disorder type II and the healthy control group in the left hemisphere.•Superior temporal cortices (particularly left hemispheric) may play a critical role, whose pathology may be related to subtyping bipolar disorder. Despite the diagnostic challenges in categorizing bipolar disorder subtypes, bipolar I and II disorders (BD-I and BD-II respectively) are valid indices for researchers. Subtle neurobiological differences may underlie clinical differences between mood disorder subtypes. The aims of this study were to investigate neurochemical differences between bipolar disorder subtypes. Euthymic BD-II patients (n = 21) are compared with BD-I (n = 28) and healthy comparison subjects (HCs, n = 30). Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and proton spectroscopy (1H MRS) were performed on a 3T Siemens Tim Trio system. MRS voxels were located in the left/right superior temporal cortices, and spectra acquired with the single voxel Point REsolved Spectroscopy Sequence (PRESS). The spectroscopic data were analyzed with LCModel (Version 6.3.0) software. There were significant differences between groups in terms of glutamate [F = 6.27, p = 0.003], glutamate + glutamine [F = 6.08, p = 0.004], inositol containing compounds (Ino) (F = 9.25, p