Decreased Anterior Cingulate Cortex γ-Aminobutyric Acid in Youth With Tourette's Disorder. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • BACKGROUND: γ-Aminobutyric acid has been implicated in the pathophysiology of Tourette's disorder. The present study primarily sought to examine in vivo γ-aminobutyric acid levels in the anterior cingulate cortex in psychotropic medication-free adolescents and young adults. Secondarily, we sought to determine associations between γ-aminobutyric acid in the anterior cingulate cortex and measures of tic severity, tic-related impairment, and anxiety and depression symptoms. METHODS: γ-Aminobutyric acid levels were measured using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Analysis of covariance compared γ-aminobutyric acid levels in 15 youth with Tourette's disorder (mean age = 15.0, S.D. = 2.7) and 36 healthy comparison subjects (mean age = 15.9, S.D. = 2.1). Within the Tourette disorder group, we examined correlations between γ-aminobutyric acid levels and tic severity and tic-related impairment, as well as anxiety and depression severity. RESULTS: Anterior cingulate cortex γ-aminobutyric acid levels were lower in participants with Tourette's disorder compared with control subjects. Within the Tourette disorder group, γ-aminobutyric acid levels did not correlate with any clinical measures. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings support a role for γ-aminobutyric acid in Tourette's disorder. Larger prospective studies will further elucidate this role.

publication date

  • September 12, 2016

Research

keywords

  • Gyrus Cinguli
  • Tourette Syndrome
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 84997124384

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2016.08.017

PubMed ID

  • 27743746

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 65