Meeting Banner
Abstract #2403

1H MRS Profiling at 9.4T in Prefrontal Cortex and Hippocampus of Ethanol Dependent Rats During Intoxication, Withdrawal and Protracted Abstinence

Wolfgang Weber-Fahr1, Gabriele Ende1, Alexander Sartorius1, Rainer Spanagel2, Claudia Falfan-Melgoza1, Dirk Cleppien1, Wolfgang H. Sommer2

1Neuroimaging, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, NA, Germany; 2Dept. Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim, NA, Germany


Out of a group of 17 animals eight were made dependent by 7 weeks ethanol vapor exposure with peak levels up to 4 g/l blood alcohol concentration. We assessed metabolic profiles in two brain regions with functional importance for dependence, i.e. medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, using in vivo single-voxel 1H magnetic resonance spectroscopy at TE=10 ms on a 9.4T scanner. Animals were measured up to 5 times before during and after ethanol exposure. Reduced myoinositol and N-acetylaspartate levels as well as increased choline-containing compounds were found during intoxication. Raised glutamate levels were found during early withdrawal.