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July 2012, Vol 69, No. 7 >

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Original Article | July 2012

Reduced GABA Concentration in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Richard A. E. Edden, PhD; Deana Crocetti, PhD; He Zhu, PhD; Donald L. Gilbert, MD; Stewart H. Mostofsky, MD
Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2012;69(7):750-753. doi:10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2011.2280.
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Context  Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a developmental disorder characterized by a deficit in behavioral inhibition. Recent evidence also suggests a deficit in cortical inhibition via the GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid)–ergic system.

Objective  To investigate the GABAergic component of ADHD using magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Design  Cross-sectional study.

Setting  Participants were recruited through local schools, local pediatric and other community clinics, and through advertisement in regional publications. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy was performed within the research institute.

Participants  Children (age range, 8-12 years) in a typically developing control group vs a group with ADHD were compared.

Main Outcome Measures  J-difference–edited magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 3 T was used to measure GABA concentration in a volume that included primary somatosensory and motor cortices.

Results  GABA concentration is reduced in children with ADHD compared with typically developing control subjects.

Conclusion  Our finding of reduced GABA concentration in ADHD is concordant with recently reported deficits in short intracortical inhibition in ADHD and suggests a GABAergic deficit in ADHD.
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Figure 1. Edited magnetic resonance spectroscopy of GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid). A, Location of the measurement voxel centered on the hand knob in primary motor cortex (as seen in the axial image). B, Typical edited GABA spectra from 1 child with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and 1 typically developing (TD) child, showing a well-resolved edited peak at 3 ppm. The coedited peak at 3.75 ppm represents total glutamate plus glutamine.

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Figure 2. Comparison of GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) concentration, showing the statistically significant effect of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) diagnosis. Asterisk indicates the statistically significant difference (P < .05); IU, institutional units; and TD, typically developing.

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