Changes in brain metabolites in experimental cerebral malaria infection with plasmodium berghei ANKA: a literature review

In this paper, we have collected the findings of available literature focusing on brain metabolites by spectroscopy in the murine model of cerebral malaria disease. The literature search for experimental cerebral malaria (ECM) and spectroscopy using National Institute of Health's PubMed database provided us with 9 peer-reviewed publications. These publications have used mice infected with Plasmodium Berghei (PbA) Antwerpen-Kasapa (ANKA) strain to mimic the human infection with Plasmodium falciparum. Brain ischaemia, as depicted by increased lactate and alanine concentrations, as well as decreased aspartate and adenosine triphosphate levels, play a key role in ECM. Lowering the lactate levels by using dichloroacetate has been shown to improve survival. Significant cellular injury has also been documented through decreased N-acetylaspartate and glycerophosphocholine levels. The advantage of using spectroscopic technique provide important functional information which helps determine the aetiology, pathogenesis, progression, and monitoring of treatment as well as predicting prognosis in the clinical setting of cerebral malaria.