Concentrations of Cortical GABA and Glutamate in Young Adults With Autism Spectrum Disorder.

ABSTRACT: The balance of excitation and inhibition in neural circuits is hypothesized to be increased in autism spectrum disorder, possibly mediated by altered signaling of the inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), yet empirical evidence in humans is inconsistent. We used edited magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to quantify signals associated with both GABA and the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate in multiple regions of the sensory and sensorimotor cortex, including primary visual, auditory, and motor areas in adult individuals with autism and in neurotypical controls. Despite the strong a priori hypothesis of reduced GABA in autism spectrum disorder, we found no group differences in neurometabolite concentrations in any of the examined regions and no correlations of MRS m

SUBMITTER: Kolodny T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7387217 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature