GABA, Glx, and GSH in the cerebellum: their role in motor performance and learning across age groups.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

The cerebellum is essential for motor control and learning, relying on structural and functional integrity. Age-related atrophy leads to Purkinje cell loss, but subtle neurochemical changes in GABA, Glx (glutamate + glutamine), and glutathione (GSH) may precede degeneration and contribute to motor decline.

Methods

25 younger (YA) and 25 older adults (OA) were included in this study. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), using the MEGA-PRESS sequence, was used to investigate how age affects GABA, Glx and GSH levels in the right cerebellar hemisphere, and their relationship with motor performance, measured using a visuomotor bimanual tracking task (BTT).

Results

In line with previous work YA outperformed OA on both the simple and complex task variants of t

SUBMITTER: Van Malderen S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12267199 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature