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CSF GABA in depressed patients and normal controls

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Alec Roy ,
Judith Dejong  and
Thomas Ferraro
Alec Roy*
Affiliation:
National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Departments of Pharmacology and Neurology, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, USA
Judith Dejong
Affiliation:
National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Departments of Pharmacology and Neurology, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, USA
Thomas Ferraro
Affiliation:
National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Departments of Pharmacology and Neurology, Jefferson Medical College, Philadelphia, USA
*
1 Address for correspondence: Dr Alec Roy, Hillside Hospital, PO Box 38, Glen Oaks, NY 11004, USA.
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Synopsis

The inhibitory neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of depression. Therefore, we examined cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of GABA in depressed patients (N = 25) and normal controls (N = 20). There was no significant difference between the groups. However, among the depressed patients the subgroup of unipolar melancholic patients (N = 13) had significantly lower CSF levels of GABA than the rest of the depressed patients (N = 12). There was no significant difference for CSF levels of GABA between depressed patients who were (N = 14) or were not (N = 11) cortisol non-suppressors. It was of interest that among the controls there was a significant negative correlation between CSF levels of GABA and CSF levels of norepinephrine.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 21 , Issue 3 , August 1991 , pp. 613 - 618
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1991

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