Study Report
Reference
| Citation | Sanacora, 2004 PubMed |
| Full Info | Sanacora, G., Gueorguieva, R., Epperson, C.N., Wu, Y.T., Appel, M., Rothman, D.L., Krystal, J.H. and Mason, G.F. (2004) Subtype-specific alterations of gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate in patients with major depression. Arch Gen Psychiatry, 61, 705-713.
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Study
| Hypothesis or Background |
Measurement of cortical gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate concentrations is possible using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. An initial report, using this technique, suggested that occipital cortex GABA concentrations are reduced in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) relative to healthy comparison subjects.
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| Sample Information | 38 healthy control subjects and 33 depressed subjects. |
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| Method Detail | The GABA measurements were made on 38 healthy control subjects and 33 depressed subjects. The levels of occipital cortex GABA, glutamate, N-acetylaspartate, aspartate, creatine, and choline-containing compounds, along with several measures of tissue composition, were compared between the 2 groups. |
| Method Keywords | spectrophotometric analysis |
| Result | Depressed subjects had significantly lower occipital cortex GABA concentrations compared with healthy controls (P =.01). In addition, mean glutamate levels were significantly increased in depressed subjects compared with healthy controls (P<.001). Significant reductions in the percentage of solid tissue (P =.009) and the percentage of white matter (P =.04) in the voxel were also observed. An examination of a combined database including subjects from the original study suggests that GABA and glutamate concentrations differ among MDD subtypes. |
| Conclusions | The study replicates the findings of decreased GABA concentrations in the occipital cortex of subjects with MDD. It also demonstrates that there is a change in the ratio of excitatory-inhibitory neurotransmitter levels in the cortex of depressed subjects that may be related to altered brain function. Last, the combined data set suggests that magnetic resonance spectroscopy GABA measures may serve as a biological marker for a subtype of MDD. |
| Remark | DESIGN: Study for association. SETTING: Academic clinical research program.
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Relationships reported by
Sanacora, 2004
| Component A Approved Name (Name in Paper) |
Component A Type |
Component B Approved Name (Name in Paper) |
Component B Type |
Statistical Result |
Relationship Description |
Result Category (Positive/Negative)) |
|
MDD
|
syndrome |
gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)) |
molecule |
P-value=0.01 |
Depressed subjects had significantly lower occipital cortex GABA concentrations compared with healthy controls (P =.01). |
Positive
|
|
MDD
|
syndrome |
Occipital Lobe (occipital cortex) |
brain morphology and function |
P-value = 0.01 |
Depressed subjects had significantly lower occipital cortex GABA concentrations compared with healthy controls (P =.01). |
Positive
|
|
MDD
|
syndrome |
Glutamates (glutamate) |
molecule |
P-value<0.01 |
mean glutamate levels were significantly increased in depressed subjects compared with healthy controls (P<.001). |
Positive
|
