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A non-invasive imaging technique, 1H-MRS, can detect chemicals in different parts of the brain. Choline is represented by "Cho" in the above graph. Credit: UC Regents
People with anxiety disorders have lower levels of choline in their brains, according to research from UC Davis Health.
The study, published in the journal Molecular Psychiatry, analyzed data from 25 studies. The researchers compared the levels of neurometabolites—chemicals produced during brain metabolism—in 370 people with anxiety disorders to 342 people without anxiety.
They found the level of choline—an essential nutrient—was about 8% lower in those with anxiety disorders. The evidence for low choline was especially consistent in the prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that helps control thinking, emotions and behavior.
"This is the first meta-analysis to show a chemical pattern in the brain in anxiety disorders," said Jason Smucny, co-author and an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. "It suggests nutritional approaches—like appropriate choline supplementation—may help restore brain chemistry and improve outcomes for patients."
Choline (pronounced KOE lean) is vital for cell membranes and brain functions like memory, mood regulation and muscle control. The body makes a small amount, but most must come from food.
Anxiety disorders affect about 30% of adults
Richard Maddock, senior author of the study, is a psychiatrist and research professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences. He is also a researcher at the UC Davis Imaging Research Center, which uses magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques to study brain health.
Maddock spent decades in clinical practice treating patients with anxiety disorders and conducting research on these conditions.
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