Longitudinal proton spectroscopy study of the prefrontal cortex in youth at risk for bipolar disorder before and after their first mood episode.

We found no evidence for abnormal proton spectroscopy metabolite levels in the VLPFC and ACC of at-risk youth, prior and after the development of their first mood episode. Preliminary findings of association between baseline PCr + Cr levels in the left VLPFC and risk to develop a mood episode warrant further investigation.