Neuroscience 2000 Abstract
| Presentation Number: | 867.21 |
|---|---|
| Abstract Title: | Pharmacological increase in human brain gray matter. |
| Authors: |
Moore, G. J.*1
; Bebchuk, J. M.1
; Wilds, I. B.1
; Chen, G.1
; Manji, H. K.1
1Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI |
| Primary Theme and Topics |
J. Disorders of the Nervous System and Aging - 140. Neuropsychiatric disorders |
| Secondary Theme and Topics | J. Disorders of the Nervous System and Aging<br />- 147. Neuropsychiatric disorders: pharmacological agents |
| Session: |
867. Neuropsychiatric disorders: depression Poster |
| Presentation Time: | Thursday, November 9, 2000 8:00 AM-9:00 AM |
| Location: | Hall G-J |
| Keywords: | MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING, NEUROTROPHIC, LITHIUM, BIPOLAR DISORDER |
Lithium (Li) robustly upregulates the cytoprotective protein bcl-2 in rodent brain, and exerts potent neurotrophic/neuroprotective effects in several preclinical models. Utilizing high resolution 3-D MRI and validated quantitative brain tissue segmentation methodology, Li’s potential neurotrophic effects were investigated in Bipolar Disorder (BD) patients (n=10). MRI scans were conducted at baseline (medication free), and after 4 weeks of Li. Chronic Li significantly increased total gray matter content, with 8/10 patients showing an increase; the mean change was ~ 3%, representing an ~ 24cc increase in total brain gray matter. No changes were observed in brain white matter volume or in quantitative measures of regional cerebral water content (measured using MR spectroscopy). This provides strong evidence that the observed increases in gray matter content are due to neurotrophic effects, rather than cell swelling, osmotic effects, or changes in MRI contrast associated with Li. A finer grained sub-regional analysis of this brain imaging data and correlations with clinical data is ongoing. In conclusion, we have demonstrated a pharmacologically induced increase in human gray matter volume following 4 weeks of Li treatment. This observation provides the first direct human evidence that medications with neurotrophic effects are capable of increasing gray matter volumes in the adult human brain and suggests that mood stabilizers such as Li may have utility in the long term treatment of certain neurodegenerative disorders.
Supported by NIMH, NARSAD and the Stanley Foundation.
Sample Citation:
[Authors]. [Abstract Title]. Program No. XXX.XX. 2000 Neuroscience Meeting Planner. New Orleans, LA: Society for Neuroscience, 2000. Online.
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