| Title |
Reduced glutamate in white matter of male neonates exposed to alcohol in utero: a 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy study
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
Metabolic Brain Disease, June 2016
|
| DOI | 10.1007/s11011-016-9850-x |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
F. M. Howells, K. A. Donald, A. Roos, R. P. Woods, H. J. Zar, K. L. Narr, D. J. Stein |
| Abstract |
In utero exposure to alcohol leads to a spectrum of fetal alcohol related disorders (FASD). However, few studies used have used proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy ((1)H-MRS) to understand how neurochemical disturbances relate to the pathophysiology of FASD. Further, no studies to date have assessed brain metabolites in infants exposed to alcohol in utero. We hypothesize that neonates exposed to alcohol in utero will show decreased glutamatergic activity, pre-emptive of their clinical diagnosis or behavioural phenotype. Single voxel (1)H-MRS data, sampled in parietal white and gray matter, were acquired from 36 neonates exposed to alcohol in utero, and 31 control unexposed healthy neonates, in their 2nd-4th week of life. Metabolites relative to creatine with phosophocreatine and metabolites absolute concentrations using a water reference are reported. Male infants exposed to alcohol in utero were found to have reduced concentration of glutamate with glutamine (Glx) in their parietal white matter (PWM), compared to healthy male infants (p = 0.02). Further, male infants exposed to alcohol in utero had reduced concentration and ratio for glutamate (Glu) in their PWM (p = 0.02), compared to healthy male infants and female infants exposed to alcohol in utero. Female infants showed higher relative Glx and Glu ratios for parietal gray matter (PGM, p < 0.01), compared to male infants. We speculate that the decreased Glx and Glu concentrations in PWM are a result of delayed oligodendrocyte maturation, which may be a result of dysfunctional thyroid hormone activity in males exposed to alcohol in utero. Further study is required to elucidate the relationship between Glx and Glu, thyroid hormone activity, and oligodendrocyte maturation in infants exposure to alcohol in utero. |
X Demographics
The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 2 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 1 | 50% |
| United States | 1 | 50% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the public | 2 | 100% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 44 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 44 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 6 | 14% |
| Student > Master | 5 | 11% |
| Professor | 5 | 11% |
| Researcher | 4 | 9% |
| Student > Bachelor | 2 | 5% |
| Other | 8 | 18% |
| Unknown | 14 | 32% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Medicine and Dentistry | 8 | 18% |
| Neuroscience | 4 | 9% |
| Psychology | 4 | 9% |
| Nursing and Health Professions | 3 | 7% |
| Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 3 | 7% |
| Other | 5 | 11% |
| Unknown | 17 | 39% |
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 2. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 26 September 2016.
All research outputs
#13,983,915
of 22,877,793 outputs
Outputs from Metabolic Brain Disease
#493
of 1,054 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#181,898
of 326,206 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Metabolic Brain Disease
#11
of 22 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 22,877,793 research outputs across all sources so far. This one is in the 37th percentile – i.e., 37% of other outputs scored the same or lower than it.
So far Altmetric has tracked 1,054 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 5.3. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 51% of its peers.
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We're also able to compare this research output to 22 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has gotten more attention than average, scoring higher than 50% of its contemporaries.