Cortical inhibitory deficits in Huntington's disease are not influenced by gender.
Huntington's disease (HD) affects GABA-mediated inhibitory circuitry in the cortex. As there is evidence that sex hormones affect GABAergic function, we investigated whether gender modulates GABA-related pathophysiological changes in HD. Fifteen premanifest HD, 11 symptomatic HD and 16 healthy control participants were assessed with paired-pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation applied to the primary motor cortex. Cortical inhibition was significantly reduced in symptomatic HD, compared with premanifest HD and controls. There was reduced inhibition in females overall, but no Group-by-Sex interaction. These findings suggest that sex hormones do not exert a direct influence on the mechanisms underpinning cortical inhibitory deficits in HD.
School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
April L
AL
Philpott
School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
Tarrant D R
TD
Cummins
Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Central Clinical School, Monash University and the Alfred, Melbourn, VIC, Australia.
Neil W
NW
Bailey
Department of Neurology, Monash Medical Centre, Clayton, VIC, Australia.
Andrew
A
Churchyard
Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Central Clinical School, Monash University and the Alfred, Melbourn, VIC, Australia.
Paul B
PB
Fitzgerald
School of Psychological Sciences and Monash Institute of Cognitive and Clinical Neurosciences, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia. Electronic address: nellie.georgiou-karistianis@monash.edu.
Nellie
N
Georgiou-Karistianis
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006816:Huntington Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009044:Motor Cortex / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009433:Neural Inhibition / Q000502:physiology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D050781:Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation
GABA; Sex difference; Transcranial magnetic stimulation