In vivo studies of brain metabolism in animal models of Hepatic Encephalopathy using 1H Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a common and severe neuropsychiatric complication present in acute and chronic liver disease. The unique advantages of high field H-1 MRS provide a method for assessing pathogenic mechanism, diagnosis and monitoring of HE, as well as for treatment assessment or recovery after liver transplantation, in a reproducible and reliable non-invasive way. The purpose of the present review is to present some new features of in vivo proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (H-1 MRS) at high magnetic fields combined with some basic requirements for reliable metabolic profiling. Finally, in vivo applications of H-1 MRS in different HE animal models are presented.