Gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) is an inhibitory neurotransmitter which is thought to be involved in several neurological and psychiatric diseases. Although most GABA occurs in the central nervous system, small amounts of GABA are found in blood, and levels of plasma GABA may reflect its activity in brain. In several preliminary studies (supported in part by a NIMH Mental Health Small Grant) we have found levels of plasma GABA to be very low in recently detoxified patients with alcoholism, compared to controls and to patients with several other psychiatric diseases. The low plasma GABA levels were not correlated with several indices of severity of illness, such as amount of alcohol consumed, age, or duration of heavy drinking. Therefore, plasma GABA may represent a trait marker for the illness of alcoholism. We will test this hypothesis. First, a larger group of non-alcoholic controls will be studied to determine the stability of plasma GABA over time. Second, a series of patients with the diagnosis of alcoholism will have their plasma GABA levels determined on admission to an inpatient treatment unit, 28 days later at time of discharge, and on six month followup. A group of these patients will also have cerebrospinal fluid GABA measured to determine its correlation with plasma GABA. The hypothesis to be tested would predict that plasma GABA levels will remain low, even in those subjects who maintain sobriety. This research should contribute to our understanding of the role GABA plays in the pathophysiology of alcoholism

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AA007234-02
Application #
3110941
Study Section
Biochemistry, Physiology and Medicine Subcommittee (ALCB)
Project Start
1989-07-01
Project End
1992-06-30
Budget Start
1990-07-01
Budget End
1991-06-30
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1990
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Texas Sw Medical Center Dallas
Department
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
City
Dallas
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
75390
Petty, F (1995) GABA and mood disorders: a brief review and hypothesis. J Affect Disord 34:275-81
Petty, F; Kramer, G; Wilson, L et al. (1994) In vivo serotonin release and learned helplessness. Psychiatry Res 52:285-93
Lambert, M; Petty, F (1994) EEG seizure duration monitoring of ECT. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 18:497-502
Petty, F; Chae, Y; Kramer, G et al. (1994) Learned helplessness sensitizes hippocampal norepinephrine to mild restress. Biol Psychiatry 35:903-8
Jordan, S; Kramer, G L; Zukas, P K et al. (1994) In vivo biogenic amine efflux in medial prefrontal cortex with imipramine, fluoxetine, and fluvoxamine. Synapse 18:294-7
Jordan, S; Kramer, G L; Zukas, P K et al. (1994) Previous stress increases in vivo biogenic amine response to swim stress. Neurochem Res 19:1521-5
Petty, F (1994) Plasma concentrations of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and mood disorders: a blood test for manic depressive disease? Clin Chem 40:296-302
Petty, F; Kramer, G; Moeller, M (1994) Does learned helplessness induction by haloperidol involve serotonin mediation? Pharmacol Biochem Behav 48:671-6
Petty, F; Steinberg, J; Kramer, G L et al. (1993) Desipramine does not alter plasma GABA in patients with major depression. J Affect Disord 29:53-6
Petty, F; Kramer, G; Wilson, L et al. (1993) Learned helplessness and in vivo hippocampal norepinephrine release. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 46:231-5

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