BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the dominant inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain and is important in motor learning. We aimed to measure GABA content in primary motor cortex poststroke (using GABA-edited magnetic resonance spectroscopy [MRS]) and in relation to motor recovery during 2 weeks of constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT). METHODS: Twenty-one patients (3-12 months poststroke) and 20 healthy subjects were recruited. Magnetic resonance imaging structural T1 and GABA-edited MRS were performed at baseline and after CIMT, and once in healthy subjects. GABA:creatine (GABA:Cr) ratio was measured by GABA-edited MRS. Motor function was measured using Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT). RESULTS: Baseline comparison between stroke patients (n = 19) and healthy subjects showed a significantly lower GABA:Cr ratio in stroke patients (P < .001) even after correcting for gray matter content in the voxel (P < .01) and when expressing GABA relative to N-acetylaspartic acid (NAA; P = .03). After 2 weeks of CIMT patients improved significantly on WMFT, but no consistent change across the group was observed for the GABA:Cr ratio (n = 17). However, the extent of improvement on WMFT correlated significantly with the magnitude of GABA:Cr changes (P < .01), with decreases in GABA:Cr ratio being associated with better improvements in motor function. CONCLUSIONS: In patients 3 to 12 months poststroke, GABA levels are lower in the primary motor cortex than in healthy subjects. The observed association between GABA and recovery warrants further studies on the potential use of GABA MRS as a biomarker in poststroke recovery.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the dominant inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain and is important in motor learning. We aimed to measure GABA content in primary motor cortex poststroke (using GABA-edited magnetic resonance spectroscopy [MRS]) and in relation to motor recovery during 2 weeks of constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT). METHODS: Twenty-one patients (3-12 months poststroke) and 20 healthy subjects were recruited. Magnetic resonance imaging structural T1 and GABA-edited MRS were performed at baseline and after CIMT, and once in healthy subjects. GABA:creatine (GABA:Cr) ratio was measured by GABA-edited MRS. Motor function was measured using Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT). RESULTS: Baseline comparison between strokepatients (n = 19) and healthy subjects showed a significantly lower GABA:Cr ratio in strokepatients (P < .001) even after correcting for gray matter content in the voxel (P < .01) and when expressing GABA relative to N-acetylaspartic acid (NAA; P = .03). After 2 weeks of CIMTpatients improved significantly on WMFT, but no consistent change across the group was observed for the GABA:Cr ratio (n = 17). However, the extent of improvement on WMFT correlated significantly with the magnitude of GABA:Cr changes (P < .01), with decreases in GABA:Cr ratio being associated with better improvements in motor function. CONCLUSIONS: In patients 3 to 12 months poststroke, GABA levels are lower in the primary motor cortex than in healthy subjects. The observed association between GABA and recovery warrants further studies on the potential use of GABAMRS as a biomarker in poststroke recovery.
Authors: Charlotte J Stagg; Jonathan G Best; Mary C Stephenson; Jacinta O'Shea; Marzena Wylezinska; Z Tamas Kincses; Peter G Morris; Paul M Matthews; Heidi Johansen-Berg Journal: J Neurosci Date: 2009-04-22 Impact factor: 6.167
Authors: Maria Ek Lie; Emma K Gowing; Nina B Johansen; Nils Ole Dalby; Louise Thiesen; Petrine Wellendorph; Andrew N Clarkson Journal: J Cereb Blood Flow Metab Date: 2017-11-21 Impact factor: 6.200
Authors: Zachary P Rosenthal; Ryan V Raut; Ping Yan; Deima Koko; Andrew W Kraft; Leah Czerniewski; Benjamin Acland; Anish Mitra; Lawrence H Snyder; Adam Q Bauer; Abraham Z Snyder; Joseph P Culver; Marcus E Raichle; Jin-Moo Lee Journal: Cereb Cortex Date: 2020-05-14 Impact factor: 5.357
Authors: Benjamin Spurny; Rene Seiger; Philipp Moser; Thomas Vanicek; Murray B Reed; Eva Heckova; Paul Michenthaler; Alim Basaran; Gregor Gryglewski; Manfred Klöbl; Siegfried Trattnig; Siegfried Kasper; Wolfgang Bogner; Rupert Lanzenberger Journal: Neuroimage Date: 2019-10-10 Impact factor: 6.556
Authors: Heidi M Schambra; Isis E Martinez-Hernandez; Kevin J Slane; Amelia K Boehme; Randolph S Marshall; Ronald M Lazar Journal: Restor Neurol Neurosci Date: 2016-09-21 Impact factor: 2.406