Elevated cortical glutamate in young people at increased familial risk of depression.

Journal article

Using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), we have demonstrated regional abnormalities in cortical γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate in medication-free recovered depressed patients. It is unclear whether these changes represent an underlying trait vulnerability to depression, or an after-effect of episodes of illness or its treatment. We sought to examine this question by examining a group of high-risk, never-depressed, individuals. We used MRS to measure GABA and glutamate in parieto-occipital cortex in young people (ages 16-21 yr) with a family history of parental depression (n=24) but no personal history of illness and a control group without a history of depression in any first-degree relative (n=28). Participants with a parental history of depression had significantly higher levels of glutamate than controls in parieto-occipital cortex (F₁,₄₇=5.5, p=0.02). These findings suggest that abnormalities in glutamate neurotransmission may reflect a trait marker of vulnerability to depression.

Authors: Taylor, M; Mannie, Z; Norbury, R; Near, J; Cowen, P

• Publication status: Published
• Journal: international journal of neuropsychopharmacology / official scientific journal of the Collegium Internationale Neuropsychopharmacologicum (CINP)
• Volume: 14
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 255-259
• Publication date: 2011-03-01
• DOI: 10.1017/s1461145710001094
• EISSN: 1469-5111
• ISSN: 1461-1457
• Language: English
• Keywords: Adolescent; Cerebral Cortex; Male; Female; Depressive Disorder, Major; Depression; Occipital Lobe; Glutamine; Depressive Disorder; Glutamic Acid; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; Young Adult; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; Family; Risk Factors