Abstract #3152

Babb J, Inglese M, Rigotti D, Gonen O, Rovaris M, Filippi M, Benedetti B, Grossman R

Our aim is to quantify the normal temporal variations over typical clinical-trial periods of the global concentration of the neuronal marker N-acetylaspartate (WBNAA) in healthy young adults. WBNAA was obtained in a group of 14 healthy subjects (5M 9F, 29.68.6 years old). Temporal variations were determined with a second and third WBNAA measurement 206 and 413 months after the first, respectively. The distribution of WBNAA levels at all time points were not different with respect to the mean 12.81.3mM (p>0.5) or between-subject variance (p>0.3). Within subject variance was not significantly different either within 28 months or seperated by at least 33 months (p>0.7). The WBNAA in this cohort was statistically stable over the time period of most clinical trials, this rendering the metric a good surrogate marker for neurodegeneration.