Sex differences in brain metabolite concentrations in healthy children – proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy study (¹ HMRS)

Purpose
The aim of this 1HMRS study was to define sex-related differences in metabolic spectrum between healthy children. Forty-nine girls and boys aged 6-15 years were examined.

Material and methods
Volume of interest was located in seven brain regions: frontal lobes, basal ganglia, hippocampi, and cerebellum.

Results
Statistical analysis of the results showed significantly higher (p < 0.05) myo-inositol concentrations relative to the total concentrations in the boys than the girls, as well as higher absolute N-acetyl aspartate concentrations in the left frontal lobes in girls. No other significant differences were shown, except for trends in differences.

Conclusions
In clinical practice the diagnostic process first of all focuses on assessing concentrations of metabolites to relative cerebellum concentration. Thus, the findings of the present study allow the conclusion that when analysing the results of 1HMRS studies in children it is not necessary to take into account the child’s gender.