The contribution of [1H] magnetic resonance spectroscopy to the study of excitation-inhibition in autism

Laura A Ajram; Andreia C Pereira; Alice M S Durieux; Hester E Velthius; Marija M Petrinovic; Grainne M McAlonan

doi:10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.09.010

The contribution of [1H] magnetic resonance spectroscopy to the study of excitation-inhibition in autism

Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry. 2019 Mar 8:89:236-244. doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.09.010. Epub 2018 Sep 21.

Authors

Laura A Ajram¹, Andreia C Pereira², Alice M S Durieux¹, Hester E Velthius³, Marija M Petrinovic⁴, Grainne M McAlonan⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK; Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK.
² Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK; Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK; CIBIT - Coimbra Institute for Biomedical Imaging and Translational Research, Faculty of Medicine, ICNAS - Institute of Nuclear Sciences Applied to Health, University of Coimbra, Polo 3, 3000-548 Coimbra, Portugal.
³ Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK.
⁴ Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK; Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK. Electronic address: marija-magdalena.petrinovic@kcl.ac.uk.
⁵ Department of Forensic and Neurodevelopmental Sciences, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK; Sackler Institute for Translational Neurodevelopment, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 16 De Crespigny Park, London, SE5 8AF, UK. Electronic address: grainne.mcalonan@kcl.ac.uk.

PMID: 30248378
DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.09.010

Abstract

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects over 1:100 of the population and costs the UK more than £32bn and the USA more than $175bn (£104bn) annually. Its core symptoms are social and communication difficulties, repetitive behaviours and sensory hyper- or hypo-sensitivities. A highly diverse phenotypic presentation likely reflects its etiological heterogeneity and makes finding treatment targets for ASD challenging. In addition, there are no means to identify biologically responsive individuals who may benefit from specific interventions. There is hope however, and in this review we consolidate how findings from magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) add to the evidence that differences in the brain's excitatory glutamate and inhibitory γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) balance may be both a key biomarker and a tractable treatment target in ASD.

Keywords: Autism; Excitation-inhibition; GABA; Glutamate; Magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Autism Spectrum Disorder / diagnostic imaging*
Autism Spectrum Disorder / metabolism*
Brain / diagnostic imaging*
Brain / metabolism*
Humans
Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy*

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

Grants and funding