Electrophysiological evidence for abnormal glutamate-GABA association following psychosis onset

Transl Psychiatry. 2018 Oct 8;8(1):211. doi: 10.1038/s41398-018-0261-0.

Abstract

Previous studies have shown glutamatergic dysfunction and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic dysfunction in schizophrenia. Animal studies suggest that N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) dysfunction and GABA-ergic dysfunction interact with each other and lead to alterations in excitatory/inhibitory balance. The NMDAR and GABAergic-interneuron functions may be indexed by mismatch negativity (MMN) and auditory steady-state gamma-band response (ASSR), respectively. However, no previous studies have tested the hypothesis of an abnormal association between MMN and gamma-band ASSR in the same patients to identify the in vivo evidence of NMDAR-GABA association during the early stages of psychosis. Participants were individuals with recent-onset schizophrenia (ROSZ; N = 21), ultra-high risk (UHR; N = 27), and healthy controls (HCs; N = 24). The MMN amplitude was significantly impaired in ROSZ (p = 0.001, d = 1.20) and UHR (p = 0.003, d = 1.01) compared with HCs. The intertrial phase coherence (ITC) index of gamma-band ASSR was significantly reduced in ROSZ compared with HCs (p < 0.001, d = -1.27) and UHR (p = 0.032, d = -0.75). The event-related spectral perturbation (ERSP) index of gamma-band ASSR was significantly smaller in ROSZ compared with HCs (p < 0.001, d = -1.21). The MMN amplitude was significantly correlated with the ITC in ROSZ (r = -0.69, p < 0.001). These findings provide the first in vivo evidence that an abnormal association of the electrophysiological indices of NMDAR and GABA dysfunctions may be present in recent-onset schizophrenia.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acoustic Stimulation
  • Adult
  • Brain / physiopathology*
  • Electroencephalography
  • Evoked Potentials, Auditory*
  • Female
  • Gamma Rhythm
  • Glutamic Acid / physiology*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Psychotic Disorders / complications
  • Psychotic Disorders / physiopathology*
  • Schizophrenia / complications
  • Schizophrenia / physiopathology*
  • Young Adult
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / physiology*

Substances

  • Glutamic Acid
  • gamma-Aminobutyric Acid