The International Journal of Neuropsychopharmacology

Table of Contents - March 2011 - Volume 14, Issue 02  

Brief Report

Elevated cortical glutamate in young people at increased familial risk of depression

Matthew J. Taylora1 c1, Zola N. Manniea1, Ray Norburya1a3, Jamie Neara2 and Philip J. Cowena1

a1 Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK

a2 The Centre for Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain, University of Oxford, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK

a3 The Oxford Centre for Magnetic Resonance Research (OCMR), John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK

Abstract

Using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), we have demonstrated regional abnormalities in cortical γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate in medication-free recovered depressed patients. It is unclear whether these changes represent an underlying trait vulnerability to depression, or an after-effect of episodes of illness or its treatment. We sought to examine this question by examining a group of high-risk, never-depressed, individuals. We used MRS to measure GABA and glutamate in parieto-occipital cortex in young people (ages 16–21 yr) with a family history of parental depression (n=24) but no personal history of illness and a control group without a history of depression in any first-degree relative (n=28). Participants with a parental history of depression had significantly higher levels of glutamate than controls in parieto-occipital cortex (F1,47=5.5, p=0.02). These findings suggest that abnormalities in glutamate neurotransmission may reflect a trait marker of vulnerability to depression.

(Received June 14 2010)

(Reviewed July 14 2010)

(Revised July 15 2010)

(Accepted August 12 2010)

(Online publication September 16 2010)

Key Words:

Correspondence:

c1 Address for correspondence: Dr M. J. Taylor, University Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford OX3 7JX, UK. Tel.: +44 1865 226466 Fax: +44 1865 251076 Email: matthew.taylor@psych.ox.ac.uk

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