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Proton T2 relaxation times of metabolites in the human brain were measured using point resolved spectroscopy at 3T in vivo. Four echo times (54, 112, 246 and 374 ms) were selected from numerical and phantom analyses for effective detection of the glutamate multiplet at ~ 2.35 ppm. In vivo data were obtained from medial and left occipital cortices of five healthy volunteers. The cortices contained predominantly gray and white matter, respectively. Spectra were analyzed with LCModel software using volume-localized calculated spectra of brain metabolites. The estimate of the signal strength vs. TE was fitted to a monoexponential function for estimation of apparent T2 (T2†). T2† was estimated to be similar between the brain regions for creatine, choline, glutamate and myo-inositol, but significantly different for N-acetylaspartate singlet and multiplet. T2†s of glutamate and myo-inositol were measured as 181 ± 16 and 197 ± 14 ms (mean ± SD, N = 5) for medial occipital cortices, and 180 ± 12 and 196 ± 17 ms for left occipital cortices, respectively. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Impulsivity is a component of bipolar disorder, substance-related disorders, and antisocial personality disorder. Method: Barratt Impulsiveness Scale nonplanning subscale (BIS-11-NP) scores were assessed from 2001-2003 in 37 outpatients in Dallas, Texas with bipolar disorder and cocaine or amphetamine dependence during therapy with lamotrigine. Results: Baseline BIS-11-NP scores correlated positively with baseline suicidality. BIS-11-NP scores decreased significantly from baseline to exit. Baseline to exit change on the BIS-11-NP correlated with change in some psychiatric symptom measures, drug craving, and days of drug use. A limitation of the study is the small sample size. Conclusion: The results suggest that lamotrigine is associated with decreased impulsivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]