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ARS Home » Plains Area » Grand Forks, North Dakota » Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center » Healthy Body Weight Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #251426

Title: Noninvasive quantification of human brain antioxidant concentrations after an intravenous bolus of vitamin C

Author
item TERPSTRA, MELISSA - University Of Minnesota
item TORKELSON, CAROLYN - University Of Minnesota
item EMIER, UZAY - University Of Minnesota
item HODGES, JAMES - University Of Minnesota
item Raatz, Susan

Submitted to: NMR in Biomedicine
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/13/2010
Publication Date: 12/10/2010
Citation: Terpstra, M., Torkelson, C., Emier, U., Hodges, J.S., Raatz, S.K. 2010. Noninvasive quantification of human brain antioxidant concentrations after an intravenous bolus of vitamin C. NMR in Biomedicine. doi:10.1002/nbm.1619.

Interpretive Summary: Background: Until now, antioxidant uses for preventing dementia have lacked a means to detect deficiency or measure levels in the human brain in situ. Objective: Our objective was to measure key human brain antioxidant concentrations throughout the course of an aggressive antioxidant based intervention. Design: The concentrations of the two most abundant central nervous system (CNS) chemical antioxidants, vitamin C and glutathione (GSH), were measured noninvasively in the human brain (occipital cortex) prior to and at 2, 6, 10 and 24 hours after bolus intravenous (IV) delivery of 3 g vitamin C. Vitamin C and GSH concentrations were quantified using an MRI scanner on which technology for double edited proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) was developed. Healthy subjects (age 19 – 63) with typical dietary consumption who did not take vitamin supplements fasted overnight then reported for measurement of baseline antioxidant concentrations. After receiving IV delivery of 3 g vitamin C, they began controlled feeding which they adhered to until after antioxidant concentrations were measured. Two of the twelve studies were controls in which no vitamin C was administered. Results: Human brain Vitamin C and GSH concentrations did not change significantly (p > 0.2) throughout 24 hours after bolus delivery of vitamin C. Conclusions: This newly emergent method is ready to measure baseline antioxidant levels and response to treatment in the living human brain. It has potential to accelerate development of antioxidant based interventions against dementia.

Technical Abstract: Background: Until now, antioxidant based initiatives for preventing dementia have lacked a means to detect deficiency or measure pharmacologic effect in the human brain in situ. Objective: Our objective was to apply a novel method to measure key human brain antioxidant concentrations throughout the course of an aggressive antioxidant based intervention. Design: The concentrations of the two most abundant central nervous system (CNS) chemical antioxidants, vitamin C and glutathione (GSH), were quantified noninvasively in the human occipital cortex prior to and at 2, 6, 10 and 24 hours after bolus intravenous (IV) delivery of 3 g vitamin C. Vitamin C and GSH concentrations were quantified using an MRI scanner on which technology for double edited proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) was developed. Healthy subjects (age 19 – 63) with typical dietary consumption who did not take vitamin supplements fasted overnight then reported for measurement of baseline antioxidant concentrations. After receiving bolus IV delivery of 3 g vitamin C, they began controlled feeding which they adhered to until after antioxidant concentrations were measured. Two of the twelve studies were sham controls in which no vitamin C was administered. Results: Human brain Asc and GSH concentrations did not change significantly (p > 0.2) throughout 24 hours after bolus delivery of vitamin C. Conclusions: This newly emergent method is ready to measure baseline antioxidant concentrations and response to treatment in the living human brain. It has potential to accelerate development of effectual antioxidant based interventions against dementia.