Archives of General Psychiatry. 2004 Jul;61(7):705-713.

La depresin mayor se asocia a una reduccin del GABA cortical y a un aumento del glutamato. (Subtype-specific alterations of -aminobutyric acid and glutamate in patients with major depression.) Gerard Sanacora; Ralitza Gueorguieva; C. Neill Epperson...(et.al) VERSIN WEB: http://www.psiquiatria.com/noticias/depresion/diagnostico47/18104/ [6/07/2004]

Resumen[texto completo en ingls] [traducir]La medida del neurotransmisor GABA y del glutamato es posible mediante la espectroscopia de protones por resonancia magntica. Un informe inicial, utilizando esta tcnica, sugiri que las concentraciones GABA de la corteza occipital se encuentran reducidas en pacientes con el trastorno depresivo mayor (MDD) en relacin con los sujetos sanos comparados. Por ello investigadores de la Universidad de Yale realizaron un estudio que aparece publicado en la ltima edicin del "Archives of General Psychiatry". La espectrosopia de protones por resonancia magntica permiti observar los niveles de GABA y glutamato en 38 personas sanas y 33 pacientes con trastorno depresivo mayor. Los bajos niveles del neurotransmisor GABA en el cerebro y elevados niveles de glutamato parecen estar fuertemente asociados a la depresin melanclica. Para acceder al texto completo es necesario suscribirse en la revista: archpsyc.ama-assn.org/ Abstract Measurement of cortical -aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate concentrations is possible using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. An initial report, using this technique, suggested that occipital cortex GABA concentrations are reduced in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) relative to healthy comparison subjects. To replicate the GABA findings in a larger sample of MDD patients, to examine the clinical correlates of the GABA reductions in these subjects, and to examine other critical metabolite levels. Study for association. Academic clinical research program. The GABA measurements were made on 38 healthy control subjects and 33 depressed subjects. Occipital cortex metabolite levels were measured using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The levels of occipital cortex GABA, glutamate, N-acetylaspartate, aspartate, creatine, and choline-containing compounds, along with several measures of tissue composition, were compared between the 2 groups.
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Depressed subjects had significantly lower occipital cortex GABA concentrations compared with healthy controls (P = .01). In addition, mean glutamate levels were significantly increased in depressed subjects compared with healthy controls (P<.001). Significant reductions in the percentage of solid tissue (P = .009) and the percentage of white matter (P = .04) in the voxel were also observed. An examination of a combined database including subjects from the original study suggests that GABA and glutamate concentrations differ among MDD subtypes. The study replicates the findings of decreased GABA concentrations in the occipital cortex of subjects with MDD. It also demonstrates that there is a change in the ratio of excitatory-inhibitory neurotransmitter levels in the cortex of depressed subjects that may be related to altered brain function. Last, the combined data set suggests that magnetic resonance spectroscopy GABA measures may serve as a biological marker for a subtype of MDD.

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