Monitoring glutamate levels in the posterior cingulate cortex of thyroid dysfunction patients with TE-averaged PRESS at 3T

Patients with thyroid dysfunction frequently have neuropsychiatric complaints such as lack of concentration, poor memory, depression, anxiety and mania, which suggest brain dysfunction. However, the underlying process of this dysfunction remains unclear. Recent studies of the glutamatergic system have offered important insight into the neuropsychiatric process. Thus, this study investigates changes in glutamate concentration in patients with thyroid dysfunction. It also clarifies whether Glu levels are related to thyroid hormones via proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. 36 untreated patients with thyroid dysfunction (18 hyperthyroidism patients and 18 hypothyroidism patients) and 18 age- and gender-matched controls were included in this study. The posterior cingulate cortex was examined by MRS with TE-averaged PRESS at 3 T. The intensity of glutamate, choline, N-acetylaspartate, and creatine was assessed using jMRUI v4.0 software. We found a significant difference among hyper-/hypo- and control groups in Glu (P = 0.003) and Cho (P = 0.015). The concentrations of glutamate increased (P = 0.006) in the posterior cingulate cortex in patients with hypothyroidism and significantly decreased (P = 0.002) in hyperthyroidism patients relative to controls. There were no difference in the concentrations of choline between hyperthyroidism patients and controls (P = 0.679). Versus the hyperthyroidism group, the hypothyroidism group showed increased glutamate (P = 0.018) and choline (P = 0.001) in the posterior cingulate cortex. There was no significant difference in the concentrations of NAA or creatine across the three groups (P > 0.05). The Glu level correlates with TT3 (P = 0.000) and FT3 (P = 0.022). The signal intensity of glutamate shows significant differences in the region of the posterior cingulate cortex in patients with thyroid dysfunction. This change indicates a potential role of glutamate in the brain dysfunction experience by patients with thyroid hormone disorders.