Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy of vascular- and Alzheimer-type dementia.

To identify biochemical differences in brain tissue between patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type and vascular dementia. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy was used to compare 10 patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type and 8 age-matched patients with vascular dementia. The ratios of N-acetyl groups to creatine and N-acetyl groups to choline were lower in regions of subcortical white matter in patients with vascular dementia than in patients with dementia of the Alzheimer type (P < .02). Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy may be useful in distinguishing between dementia of the Alzheimer type and vascular dementia.