N-ACETYL-ASPARTATE

   Two recent studies emplying magnetic resonance spectography (MRS) show decreased N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) levels in the brain in autism (Chugani et al,1999;Otsuka et al, 1999).

  Sugie et al (1990) - using the same method (MRS) has shown identical decrease in neonatal hypothyroidism.

   Hypothyrodism suppresses brain energy status (Sugie et al, 1990).

   Analysis of individual metabolites revealed decreased contents of GABA, NAA  and phosphocreatine and increased contents of taurine in hypothyroid rat (Sugie et al, 1990).

see also: glutamate, glutamine,

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Chugani DC, Sundram BS, Behen M, Lee ML, Moore GJ - "Evidence of altered energy metabolism in autistic children" Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 23(4):635-41 (1999) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?uid=10390722&form=6&db=m&Dopt=r

Otsuka H, Harada M, Mori K, Hisaoka S, Nishitani H - "Brain metabolites in the hippocampus-amygdala region and cerebellum in autism: an 1H-MR spectroscopy study" Neuroradiology 41(7):517-9 (1999) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?uid=10450847&form=6&db=m&Dopt=r

Sugie H, Tsurui S, Ishikawa A, Matsuda F, Sugie Y, Igarashi Y, Fujise Y - "Effects of neonatal hypothyroidism on brain development: analysis of brain metabolites using high resolution phosphorus and proton magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy" No To Hattatsu 22(2):166-72 (1990) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/htbin-post/Entrez/query?uid=2331398&form=6&db=m&Dopt=r