Preliminary evidence of low cortical GABA levels in localized 1H-MR spectra of alcohol-dependent and hepatic encephalopathy patients.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the study was to compare levels of neuroactive amino acids in the cerebral cortex of healthy subjects, recently detoxified alcohol-dependent patients, and patients with hepatic encephalopathy.


METHODS
Metabolite levels were measured in the occipital cortex by using spatially localized 1H-MRS. Five recently detoxified alcohol-dependent and five hepatic encephalopathy patients with alcohol and non-alcohol-related disease were compared with 10 healthy subjects.


RESULTS
The combined level of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) plus homocarnosine was lower in the alcohol-dependent and hepatic encephalopathy patients than in the healthy subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings suggest that GABA-ergic systems are altered in both alcohol-dependent and hepatic encephalopathy patients.
Behar
K L
KL
Department of Neurology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06520-8043, USA. kevin.behar@yale.edu
Rothman
D L
DL
Petersen
K F
KF
Hooten
M
M
Delaney
R
R
Petroff
O A
OA
Shulman
G I
GI
Navarro
V
V
Petrakis
I L
IL
Charney
D S
DS
Krystal
J H
JH
D000328:Adult; D017668:Age of Onset; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002336:Carnosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006501:Hepatic Encephalopathy / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011522:Protons; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000032:analysis*
D011522:Protons; C005038:homocarnosine; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D002336:Carnosine