Mona Adel Mohamed1, Margaret R. Lentz2, Vallent Lee2, Mahaveer Degaonkar1, Elkan Halpern2, Ned Sacktor3, Peter B. Barker1, Martin G. Pomper1
1Russell H. Morgan Department of Radiology and Radiological Science, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA; 2Neuroradiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA; 3Neurology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD, USA
Through factor analysis of proton MR spectroscopic imaging data in HIV infection, metabolite patterns can reveal differences between HIV status and severity of HIV-associated dementia, and provide information on the spatial distribution of metabolic changes within these subjects. A choline (Cho) factor was found to differentiate subjects by serostatus (elevated Cho scores across white and deep gray matter regions). An NAA factor (decreased NAA score across white matter regions) could differentiate subjects by dementia status. These results suggest early white matter involvement (glial cell proliferation, Cho increase) in HIV infection, and later neuronal dysfunction (NAA decreases) associated with dementia.
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