GABAergic dysfunction in mood disorders

Independent evidence for the selective influence of GABAA receptors on one component of the bipolar disorder phenotype

“…This combination of genes codes for the major GABA A receptor subunit in the mammalian brain. 2 Again replicating the earlier findings, we found (a) no association between the BD-non-SABP cases and controls; (b) no association between the schizophrenia cases and controls; and (c) a significant difference when our SABP cases were compared with the BD-non-SABP cases (P = 0.009).…”

“…Previous studies have shown that depression is associated with upregulated inflammatory response, characterized by increased levels of proinflammatory cytokines and other acute-phase proteins. 2 Diet may also influence inflammation: a healthy dietary pattern rich in fruit, vegetables and olive oil, such as the Mediterranean diet, is associated with lower levels of inflammatory markers, perhaps because of the anti-inflammatory properties of antioxidants. 3 We examined (1) whether older individuals with depressive symptoms are more likely to develop a pro-inflammatory state and (2) whether such an excess risk of developing a pro-inflammatory state is lower in those who have a healthy (Mediterranean-style) diet.…”

“…2 One of the most strongly associated polymorphisms in the recent Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium genome-wide association study of BD (1868 cases, 2938 controls) 3 is located in the GABRB1 gene, which encodes the GABA A receptor b1 subunit. The consortium conducted a further analysis to reduce biological heterogeneity.…”

Mechanisms of action of antidepressants: from neurotransmitter systems to signaling pathways

“…Emrich et al [44] proposed the involvement of GABAergic dysfunction in mood disorders based on studies with the mood stabilizer, valproate, which effectively treats bipolar patients. Since valproate causes an enhancement in the concentration of GABA in the brain, the authors postulated that the pathophysiology of mood disorders involved GABAergic deficiency [44,45]. Data obtained on the levels of GABA in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid are conflicting, with some studies reporting decreases and others no change [44].…”

Supplementation of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) affects temporal, but not spatial visual attention

“…Studies involving GABA suggest that higher GABA levels are associated with improvements in mood (Brambilla, Perez, Barale, Schettini, & Soares, 2003). To rule out an account of our results in terms of change in affective states participants were asked to rate their mood and arousal on a 9 × 9 Pleasure × Arousal grid (Russell, Weis, & Mendelsohn, 1989) with values ranging from −4 to 4.…”