In vivo Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy and its Applications in Autistic Disorder

Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (1H MRS) of the brain is a versatile technique for the study of brain metabolism and brain function and has found wide applications in biomedical research and clinical diagnosis. Proton MRS is capable of measuring concentrations of brain chemicals, probing cellular energetic mechanism, membrane metabolism, and mitochondrial function, thus allowing us to understand the neuro-pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders including autistic spectrum disorders. The aim of this article is to introduce the MRS techniques and review the recent advances of their applications in autistic disorders. Emphasis is given to the practical use of these techniques and the most important and challenging brain chemicals for autistic disorder including N-acetyleaspartate, glutamate and glutamine, gamma-Aminobutyric acid, and lactate.