Abstract We performed multivariate analysis of regional differences and normal age-related changes in metabolites in the lentiform nucleus and frontal lobe, as measured by proton MRS. The cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in the measurement area was estimated and the metabolite concentration adjusted. The concentration of N-acetylaspartate (NAA) in the lentiform nucleus decreased with ageing (F = 4.11, P < 0.01), but that in the frontal lobe did not change (F = 0.93, P = 0.45). This is in marked contrast with pathological dementia, such as Alzheimer's disease. In this multivariate analysis, the normal change in metabolism with ageing differed depending on the cerebral region, suggesting that metabolite concentrations, especially that of NAA may be useful metabolic indices for discriminate normal ageing from pathological dementia.