Abstract
A dysfunction of the orexin (hypocretin) system in the hypothalamus has recently been linked to the pathogenesis of narcolepsy. The authors used in vivo proton MR spectroscopy to assess the N-acetylaspartate (NAA) content in the hypothalamus of narcoleptic patients. Hypothalamic NAA/creatine-phosphocreatine was reduced in narcoleptic patients compared with control subjects (p < 0.01). Hypothalamic neuronal loss/damage is a central pathogenetic feature in narcolepsy.
MeSH terms
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Adolescent
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Adult
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Aged
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Aspartic Acid / analogs & derivatives
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Aspartic Acid / analysis
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Aspartic Acid / deficiency
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Aspartic Acid / metabolism
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Atrophy / diagnosis*
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Atrophy / metabolism
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Atrophy / physiopathology
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Cataplexy / etiology
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Cataplexy / pathology
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Cataplexy / physiopathology
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Creatine / metabolism
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Female
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Humans
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Hypothalamus / metabolism
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Hypothalamus / pathology*
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Hypothalamus / physiopathology
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Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / deficiency
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Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
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Male
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Middle Aged
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Narcolepsy / diagnosis*
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Narcolepsy / metabolism
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Narcolepsy / physiopathology
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Nerve Degeneration / diagnosis*
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Nerve Degeneration / metabolism
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Nerve Degeneration / physiopathology
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Neurons / metabolism
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Neurons / pathology*
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Neuropeptides / deficiency
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Orexins
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Polysomnography
Substances
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Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
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Neuropeptides
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Orexins
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Aspartic Acid
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N-acetylaspartate
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Creatine