Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS)
Aim of This Study
GABA, the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, orchestrates the coordinated activity across populations of neurons that is required for organized brain activity and cognition.
One of the most developed theories on the neural origins of schizophrenia proposes that a deficit in GABA production results in GABAergic dysfunction and cognitive deficits associated with this disorder.
In contrast to the consistent post-mortem evidence of impairments in GABA production, in vivo evidence of GABA deficiency has been inconsistent, raising questions about the validity of the GABA deficit hypothesis of schizophrenia.
This project seeks to establish a novel in vivo approach for assessing the functional capacity of the GABA system in schizophrenia. Whereas the established method measures GABA while the subject is at rest or unengaged with a task, we will measure GABA while subjects are engaged in a cognitive task.
Thus, the main variable of interest will be how much GABA is mobilized during a cognitive challenge compared to at rest. Our pilot data suggest that this new approach will reveal more robust deficits in schizophrenia and could prove to be a biomarker of illness.
Study collaborators include Meng Gu, PhD, Daniel Speilman, PhD, Richard Maddock, M.D., M.S, Jacob Ballon, M.D., M.P.H., and Kate Hardy, Clin.Psych.D.
This study is being supported by a NIH/NIMH R21 grant.
Past GABA Publications
Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex GABA Concentration in Humans Predicts Working Memory Load Processing Capacity JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE Yoon, J. H., Grandelis, A., Maddock, R. J. 2016; 36 (46): 11788-11794
Participating in This Study
Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Phase 1 - Telephone Screening
To assess your eligibility to participate in this study, we will ask that you speak with us on the phone for about 20 minutes.
Phase 2 - In-Person Meeting
If you are eligible to participate, we will schedule a time to meet in person to review the study consent form and complete some clinical and safety assessments. This visit will take no longer than four hours to complete. You will be compensated for your time.
Phase 3 - Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Scan
Once all of the necessary research paperwork is completed, study participants will undergo an magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) scan either at Stanford Lucas Center or Stanford Center for Cognitive and Neurobiological Imaging (click here and scroll down for directions). Participants will be engaged in a cognitive task during the scan. This visit will last 1 to 2 hours, and participants will be compensated for their time.