Linking GABA and glutamate levels to cognitive skill acquisition during development.

Human Brain Mapping
Kathrin Cohen KadoshRoi Cohen Kadosh

Abstract

Developmental adjustments in the balance of excitation and inhibition are thought to constrain the plasticity of sensory areas of the cortex. It is unknown however, how changes in excitatory or inhibitory neurochemical expression (glutamate, γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)) contribute to skill acquisition during development. Here we used single-voxel proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) to reveal how differences in cortical glutamate vs. GABA ratios relate to face proficiency and working memory abilities in children and adults. We show that higher glutamate levels in the inferior frontal gyrus correlated positively with face processing proficiency in the children, but not the adults, an effect which was independent of age-dependent differences in underlying cortical gray matter. Moreover, we found that glutamate/GABA levels and gray matter volume are dissociated at the different maturational stages. These findings suggest that increased excitation during development is linked to neuroplasticity and the acquisition of new cognitive skills. They also offer a new, neurochemical approach to investigating the relationship between cognitive performance and brain development across the lifespan.

References

Dec 1, 1993·Magnetic Resonance in Medicine : Official Journal of the Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine·S W Provencher
Jan 1, 1997·Brain : a Journal of Neurology·T A YousryP Winkler
Jan 21, 2000·Learning & Memory·H L Atwood, J M Wojtowicz
May 29, 2000·Trends in Cognitive Sciences·J V HaxbyM I Gobbini
Jun 22, 2000·NeuroImage·J Ashburner, K J Friston
Apr 12, 2001·Applied Neuropsychology·R P KesselsE H de Haan
Jul 4, 2001·Nature Reviews. Neuroscience·M H Johnson
Jun 5, 2002·Perception·Catherine J MondlochDaphne Maurer
Jul 12, 2002·Annals of Neurology·Mark J SmithEric M Wassermann
Sep 24, 2002·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·H KwonV Menon
Sep 28, 2002·Development and Psychopathology·Mark H JohnsonAnnette Karmiloff-Smith
Aug 29, 2003·Journal of Experimental Child Psychology·Catherine J MondlochRichard Le Grand
Mar 16, 2004·Science·Takao K Hensch, Michael P Stryker
May 19, 2004·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Nitin GogtayPaul M Thompson
Jul 3, 2004·Neuroreport·A D GathersJ E Joseph
Mar 18, 2005·Developmental Psychobiology·Kathryn M MurphyDavid G Jones
Jul 18, 2006·Current Opinion in Neurobiology·Anne-Marie M OswaldAlex D Reyes
Jul 28, 2006·NeuroImage·Christine Schiltz, Bruno Rossion
Sep 23, 2006·Magnetic Resonance in Medicine : Official Journal of the Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine·Vladimír MlynárikRolf Gruetter
Dec 28, 2006·Cerebral Cortex·Scott L Fairhall, Alumit Ishai
Feb 13, 2007·Journal of Experimental Child Psychology·Karine DurandJean-Yves Baudouin
Jul 17, 2007·Trends in Cognitive Sciences·Kathrin Cohen Kadosh, Mark H Johnson
Sep 4, 2007·Current Biology : CB·David PitcherBradley Duchaine
Sep 26, 2007·Nature Neuroscience·Nikos K Logothetis
Oct 12, 2007·Physiological Reviews·Yehezkel Ben-AriRustem Khazipov
Dec 8, 2007·NeuroImage·Alumit Ishai
Jul 16, 2008·Cortex; a Journal Devoted to the Study of the Nervous System and Behavior·Devin B Terhune
Feb 6, 2009·The Journal of Neuroscience : the Official Journal of the Society for Neuroscience·Mark StokesJohn Duncan
Feb 10, 2009·Current Biology : CB·David PitcherBradley Duchaine
Feb 13, 2009·Developmental Psychology·Mark H JohnsonKathrin Cohen Kadosh
Mar 26, 2009·Magnetic Resonance in Medicine : Official Journal of the Society of Magnetic Resonance in Medicine·Ralf MekleRolf Gruetter
Mar 27, 2009·Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience·Kathrin Cohen KadoshFrederic Dick
May 7, 2009·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Suresh D MuthukumaraswamyKrish D Singh
Mar 1, 2005·Applied Magnetic Resonance·I Tkáč, R Gruetter
May 12, 2010·Cerebral Cortex·Jessica F CantlonKevin A Pelphrey
Jun 1, 2010·Nature Neuroscience·Petroc SumnerKrish D Singh
Jul 29, 2010·Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders·Nadine GogollaTakao K Hensch
Nov 4, 2010·Cerebral Cortex·Kathrin Cohen KadoshMark H Johnson
Nov 12, 2010·Nature·Thomas R Insel
Apr 26, 2011·Trends in Molecular Medicine·Kartik Ramamoorthi, Yingxi Lin

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Apr 18, 2016·Neuroscience Letters·Diana R ToledoAndré F Kohn
Jun 5, 2016·Cortex; a Journal Devoted to the Study of the Nervous System and Behavior·Paolo TaurisanoGiuseppe Blasi
Sep 2, 2016·Neuropsychopharmacology : Official Publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology·Erin K KirschmannMary M Torregrossa
Dec 3, 2016·Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews. Cognitive Science·Frank Haist, Gizelle Anzures
Sep 6, 2019·Psychopharmacology·Alice Egerton
Apr 26, 2020·Seminars in Pediatric Neurology·Kim M Cecil, Padmaja Naidu
Jun 9, 2021·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·George ZacharopoulosRoi Cohen Kadosh
Sep 5, 2021·Scientific Reports·George ZacharopoulosRoi Cohen Kadosh

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Methods Mentioned

BETA
imaging techniques

Software Mentioned

MEGA
SPECIAL
PRESS
MarsBaR
SPM8 VBM8
MATLAB

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Brain developing: Influences & Outcomes

This feed focuses on influences that affect the developing brain including genetics, fetal development, prenatal care, and gene-environment interactions. Here is the latest research in this field.