Abstract: Objective Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy(MRS) can be used to study metabolite abnormalities in the brains of patients with stroke. We have used it to approach aphasia pathogenesis by observing metabolic changes of language areas on functional magnetic resonance in order to provide theoratic instruction to language rehabilitation of aphasia patients. Methods Between May 2003 and February 2005, 58 in-patients in the Neurology Ward of Beijing Tiantan Hospital, who had been diagnosed with cerebral ischemic by CT or MRI and had language disorders were enrolled for this study. We classified the aphasia types according to by the Western Aphasia Battery, Broca's aphasia and Wernicke's aphasia patients were examin with magnetic resonance spectroscopy(MRS). We measured the Broca's or Wernicke's areas macromolecules and micro molecules, in such as N-acetylaspartate(NAA), choline(Cho), creatine(Cr) and lactate(Lac), and compared the results with that of the mirror hemisphere. Results Of 58 cases, there were 39 male and 19 female. The average age was (64.02±3.87) years. There were 12 Broca's aphasia cases and 21 Wernicke's aphasia cases, rest the other were aphasia types. The results of NAA, Cr, Cho, Lac showed that there were statistically significant differences in the amount of NAA and Cho between Broca's or Wernicke's areas and the mirror hemisphere, but there were no significant differences in Cr. Lactate peak appeared in Broca's or Wernicke's areas, but not appeared in the mirror hemisphere, with significant differences between them. Conclusion Language areas of patients with aphasia are in a state of hypometabolism which may be one of the mechanisms of aphasia.

Key words: proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy, aphasia, language area, hypometabolism, mechanisms