Forelimb Akinesia and Metabolic Alteration in the Striatum
Following Unilateral 6-Hydroxydopamine Lesion in Rats:
An in vivo Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Study¹

S. Y. Kim^a, B. Y. Choe^a, H. S. Lee^b, D. W. Lee^a, K. N. Ryu^c, J. S. Park^c, C. S. Yin^d,
K. S. Hong^b, C. H. Lee^b, and C. B. Choi^e,2

^aDepartment of Biomedical Engineering and Research Institute of Biomedical Engineering, College of Medicine,
The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Republic of Korea

^bDivision of Magnetic Resonance Research, Korea Basic Science Institute, Choongbuk, Korea

^cDepartment of Radiology, Kyung Hee University Medical Center, Seoul, Korea

^dAcupuncture and Meridian Science Research Center, Kyung, Seoul, Republic of Korea

^eDepartment of Veterinary Diagnostic Radiology, Dr. PET Animal Medical Center, Seoul, Korea

Received May 25, 2011

Abstract—The 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions of the nigrostriatal dopamine system in rat can develop
neuropathological and neurochemcial changes similar to those seen in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD).
The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that the N-acetylaspartate level (NAA), regarded as neuronal
marker would be decreased after 6-OHDA lesions in rat brain and to determine whether metabolic alteration are
correlated with behavioral deficit. The animals were undergone adjusting stepping test and proton magnetic reso-
nance spectroscopy (¹H-MRS). In vivo ¹H-NMR spectra (TR/TE = 2500/144 ms) were acquired from both left
(contralateral region) and right striatum (ipsillateral region). There was a highly significant impairment in left
forepaw performance and significant reductions in NAA/total creatine (tCr) ratios were observed in the ipsil-
lateral striatum of rat (P < 0.05). Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between left forepaw perfor-
mance and NAA/tCr level on the whole sample (Spearman correlation test, = 0.634, P = 0.011). Our results
suggest that the NAA/tCr ratio may be a valuable criterion for evaluation of functional impairment of the stri-
atum in 6-OHDA rat model of PD.

Keywords: Parkinson’s disease (PD), 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA), proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy
(¹H-MRS), striatum, N-acetylaspartate (NAA)

DOI: 10.1134/S1819712411040088

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