Preliminary evidence of low cortical GABA levels in localized ¹H-MR spectra of alcohol-dependent and hepatic encephalopathy patients

Objective: The aim of the study was to compare levels of neuroactive amino acids in the cerebral cortex of healthy subjects, recently detoxified alcohol-dependent patients, and patients with hepatic encephalopathy. Method: Metabolite levels were measured in the occipital cortex by using spatially localized ¹H-MRS. Five recently detoxified alcohol-dependent and five hepatic encephalopathy patients with alcohol and non-alcohol-related disease were compared with 10 healthy subjects. Results: The combined level of γ- aminobutyric acid (GABA) plus homocarnosine was lower in the alcohol- dependent and hepatic encephalopathy patients than in the healthy subjects. Conclusions: The findings suggest that GABA-ergic systems are altered in both alcohol-dependent and hepatic encephalopathy patients.