Increased brain GABA concentrations following acute administration of a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor.
OBJECTIVE
The authors used magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to assess the effect of acute administration of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) citalopram on cortical levels of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).


METHODS
Ten healthy volunteers received either intravenous citalopram (10 mg) or saline in a randomized, double-blind, crossover design. The occipital GABA/creatine ratio was measured with a proton MR spectral editing technique.


RESULTS
In comparison with saline, citalopram produced a mean increase of 35% in relative brain GABA concentration in the occipital cortex.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings extend previous work showing that SSRI treatment increases cortical GABA in depressed patients and suggest that this results from an action of SSRIs on GABA neurons rather than as a secondary consequence of mood improvement.
Bhagwagar
Zubin
Z
University Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK.
Wylezinska
Marzena
M
Taylor
Matthew
M
Jezzard
Peter
P
Matthews
Paul M
PM
Cowen
Philip J
PJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D015283:Citalopram / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009778:Occipital Lobe / Q000378:metabolism; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism*
D015283:Citalopram; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid