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| |  Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Documents Effects of Risperidone in Treatment of Asperger Syndrome: Presented at APA By Paula Moyer SAN DIEGO, CA -- May 28, 2007 -- Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) shows that treatment with risperidone (Risperdal) is associated with normalisation of choline symmetry in the brains of subjects with Asperger syndrome, according to research presented here at the American Psychiatric Association 2007 Annual Meeting (APA). "Before treatment, we observed higher choline ratios in the right prefrontal cortex compared with the left," said principal investigator Donna L. Londino, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, Georgia, United States. "After treatment, the choline concentrations were nearly identical on the right and left prefrontal cortexes," she said during her presentation on May 21st. The asymmetry of choline ratios is thought to be associated with the poor social function that is the hallmark of Asperger syndrome. Previous research had shown a benefit to treatment with risperidone in individuals with Asperger syndrome, so Dr. Londino's team wanted to see if treatment was associated with decreased concentrations of choline in the prefrontal cortex. For the study, the research team enrolled 18 subjects, who underwent MRS imaging before receiving a 12-week course of risperidone therapy. The investigators obtained measures of the concentrations and ratios of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine, and choline in the subjects' left and right hemispheres. The investigators wanted to know if treatment affected scores on the Scale for the Assessment of Negative Symptoms (SANS). They also wanted to know if treatment affected subjects' scores on the modified Asperger Syndrome Diagnostic Scale (ASDS). After the 12 weeks of treatment, each subject underwent MRS a second time, and the investigators obtained measures of NAA, creatine, and choline. These were compared posttreatment measures with SANS and ASDS scores. In 13 study completers, the investigators observed significant improvements after treatment with risperidone on SANS scores and in social functioning as measured by the ASDS (P =.025). In addition to the increased symmetry of prefrontal choline after treatment, posttreatment choline concentrations on the right correlated significantly with posttreatment SANS ratings, according to the investigators (P <.05). Reductions in the right choline concentrations were associated with lower negative symptom scores. The data confirm the theory that right brain choline concentrations could be linked to greater negative symptoms. Conversely, decreases in prefrontal choline after risperidone treatment are linked to negative symptom improvement, Dr. Londino concluded. Risperdal is manufactured by Janssen, which funded the study.
[Presentation title: Decreased Prefrontal Choline As Determined By Magnetic Spectroscopy Associated With Improved Negative Symptoms in Individuals With Asperger's Syndrome Treated With Risperidone. Abstract NR387]
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