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. 2019 Dec;50(6):1866-1872.
doi: 10.1002/jmri.26769. Epub 2019 Apr 29.

Cerebral mapping of glutamate using chemical exchange saturation transfer imaging in a rat model of stress-induced sleep disturbance at 7.0T

Dong-Hoon Lee  1 , Chul-Woong Woo  2 , Jae-Im Kwon  2 , Yeon Ji Chae  3 , Su Jung Ham  4 , Ji-Yeon Suh  5 , Sang-Tae Kim  2 , Jeong Kon Kim  6 , Kyung Won Kim  6 , Dong-Cheol Woo  2   3 , Do-Wan Lee  2   4
Affiliations

Cerebral mapping of glutamate using chemical exchange saturation transfer imaging in a rat model of stress-induced sleep disturbance at 7.0T

Dong-Hoon Lee et al. J Magn Reson Imaging. 2019 Dec.

Abstract

Background: Glutamate chemical exchange saturation transfer (GluCEST) imaging has been widely used in brain psychiatric disorders. Glutamate signal changes may help to evaluate the sleep-related disorders, and could be useful in diagnosis.

Purpose: To evaluate signal changes in the hippocampus and cortex of a rat model of stress-induced sleep disturbance using GluCEST.

Study type: Prospective animal study.

Animal model: Fourteen male Sprague-Dawley rats.

Field strength/sequence: 7.0T small bore MRI / fat-suppressed, turbo-rapid acquisition with relaxation enhancement (RARE) for CEST, and spin-echo, point-resolved proton MR spectroscopy (1 H MRS).

Assessment: Rats were divided into two groups: the stress-induced sleep-disturbance group (SSD, n = 7) and the control group (CTRL, n = 7), to evaluate and compare the cerebral glutamate signal changes. GluCEST data were quantified using a conventional magnetization transfer ratio asymmetry in the left- and right-side hippocampus and cortex. The correlation between GluCEST signal and glutamate concentrations, derived from 1 H MRS, was evaluated.

Statistical analysis: Wilcoxon rank-sum test between CEST signals and multiparametric MR signals, Wilcoxon signed-rank test between CEST signals on the left and right hemispheres, and a correlation test between CEST signals and glutamate concentrations derived from 1 H MRS.

Results: Measured GluCEST signals showed significant differences between the two groups (left hippocampus; 4.23 ± 0.27% / 5.27 ± 0.42% [SSD / CTRL, P = 0.002], right hippocampus; 4.50 ± 0.44% / 5.04 ± 0.34% [P = 0.035], left cortex; 2.81 ± 0.38% / 3.56 ± 0.41% [P = 0.004], and right cortex; 2.95 ± 0.47% / 3.82 ± 0.26% [P = 0.003]). GluCEST signals showed positive correlation with glutamate concentrations (R2 = 0.312; P = 0.038).

Data conclusion: GluCEST allowed the visualization of cerebral glutamate changes in rats subjected to sleep disturbance, and may yield valuable insights for interpreting alterations in cerebral biochemical information.

Level of evidence: 2 Technical Efficacy: Stage 2 J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2019;50:1866-1872.

Keywords: chemical exchange saturation transfer; glutamate; proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy; sleep disturbance.

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