Prospects of Using Platelets as Peripheral Marker to Study the Role of GABA in Autism

Abstract

Literature indicated that platelets could be used as a model for neuronal receptors such as γamino butyric acid (GABA) and serotonin. Research work exhibited the presence of low levels of GABA and high levels of serotonin concentration in the platelets of autistic children as compare to their healthy counter parts. There are also other evidences pointing out to the significant role of GABA in autism such as association of g-band frequency with the cortical concentration of GABA and gabapentin (GABA analogue) specifically inhibits the cytosolic branched chain amino transferase (BCATc); an enzyme responsible to modulate glutamate availability for the synthesis of GABA.

Phenotyping, Etiological Factors, and Biomarkers: Toward Precision Medicine in Autism Spectrum Disorders

“…Abnormalities in the glutamatergic and GABAergic systems have been observed with some consistency in ASD in postmortem brain studies, 54–56 and in vivo with regional findings from magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), 57,58 or when expressed as a ratio of GABA to glutamate with MRS. 59 There may also be the potential for peripheral measurements. 60 Mutations affecting the GABAergic system have also been associated with ASD. 61,62 As recent large clinical trials have attempted to target glutamatergic (memantine) and GABAergic (arbaclofen) systems, 5 markers representing activity in these systems, as assessed by MRS or other proxy markers such as EEG gamma band activity, 63 would seem highly relevant.…”