Low single dose gabapentin does not affect prefrontal and occipital gamma-aminobutyric acid concentrations.
The γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) system has been proposed as a target for novel antidepressant and anxiolytic treatments. Emerging evidence suggests that gabapentin (GBP), an anticonvulsant drug that significantly increases brain GABA levels, is effective in the treatment of anxiety disorders. The current study was designed to measure prefrontal and occipital GABA levels in medication-free healthy subjects after taking 0mg, 150mg and 300mg GBP. Subjects were scanned on a 3T scanner using a transmit-receive head coil that provided a relatively homogenous radiofrequency field to obtain spectroscopy measurement in the medial prefrontal (MPFC) and occipital cortex (OCC). There was no dose-dependent effect of GBP on GABA levels in the OCC or MPFC. There was also no effect on Glx, choline or N-acetyl-aspartate concentrations. The previously reported finding of increased GABA levels after GBP treatment is not evident for healthy subjects at the dose of 150 and 300mg. As a result, if subjects are scanned on a 3T scanner, low dose GPB is not useful as an experimental challenge agent on the GABA system.
Department of Psychology, University of Bern, 3000 Bern, Switzerland.
Nora
N
Preuss
Jan Willem
JW
van der Veen
Paul J
PJ
Carlson
Jun
J
Shen
Gregor
G
Hasler
D000328:Adult; D000588:Amines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001224:Aspartic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism; D002794:Choline / Q000378:metabolism; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D000077206:Gabapentin; D018698:Glutamic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009778:Occipital Lobe / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D055815:Young Adult; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology
D000588:Amines; D000927:Anticonvulsants; D003509:Cyclohexanecarboxylic Acids; D001224:Aspartic Acid; D018698:Glutamic Acid; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D000077206:Gabapentin; C000179:N-acetylaspartate; D002794:Choline
Anxiety; Epilepsy; Gabapentin; Gamma-aminobutyric acid; Magnetic resonance spectroscopy; Mood disorders