Changes in the serum metabolite profile correlate with decreased brain gray matter volume in moderate-to-heavy drinking young adults

Abstract Our aim was to analyse metabolite profile changes in serum associated with moderate-to-heavy consumption of alcohol in young adults and to evaluate if these changes are connected to reduced brain grey matter volumes. Study population consisted of young adults with a ten-year history of moderate-to-heavy alcohol consumption (n = 35) and light-drinking controls (n = 27). We used targeted liquid chromatography mass spectrometry method to measure concentrations of metabolites in serum and 3.0 T magnetic resonance imaging to assess brain grey matter volumes. Alterations in amino acid and energy metabolism were observed in the moderate-to-heavy drinking young adults when compared to the controls. After correction for multiple testing, the group of moderate-to-heavy drinking young adults had increased serum concentrations of 1-methylhistamine (p = 0.001, d = 0.82) when compared to the controls. Furthermore, concentrations of 1-methylhistamine (r = -0.48, p = 0.004) and creatine (r = -0.52, p = 0.001) were negatively correlated with the brain grey matter volumes in the females. Overall, our results show association between moderate-to-heavy use of alcohol and altered metabolite profile in young adults as well as suggest that some of these changes could be associated with the reduced brain grey matter volume.