Localized proton MRS of cerebral metabolite profiles in different mouse strains

Localized proton MR spectroscopy (MRS) was used to quantify cerebral metabolite concentrations in NMRI (n = 8), BALB/c (n = 7), and C57BL/6 (n = 8) mice in vivo and 1 hr after global irreversible ischemia (2.35 T, STEAM, TR/TE/TM = 6000/20/10 ms, 4 × 3 × 4 mm3 volume, corrections for cerebrospinal fluid). Anatomical MRI and proton MRS revealed significant differences of the C57BL/6 strain in comparison with both BALB/c and NMRI mice. While MRI volumetry yielded larger ventricular spaces of the C57BL/6 strain, proton MRS resulted in elevated concentrations of N‐acetylaspartate (tNAA), creatine and phosphocreatine (tCr), choline‐containing compounds (Cho), glucose (Glc), and lactate (Lac) relative to BALB/c mice and elevated Glc relative to NMRI mice. Apart from the expected decrease of Glc and increase of Lac 1 hr post mortem, C57BL/6 mice presented with significant reductions of tNAA, tCr, and Cho, whereas these metabolites remained unchanged in BALB/c and NMRI mice. The results support the hypothesis that the more pronounced vulnerability of C57BL/6 mice to brain ischemia is linked to strain‐dependent differences of the cerebral energy metabolism. Magn Reson Med 49:822–827, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.