Whole-Brain Mapping of GABA and Glutamate Dysregulation in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder

Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre 

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is a prevalent and debilitating psychiatric condition, yet its neurobiological mechanisms remain insufficiently understood. Increasing evidence points to the involvement of alterations in the principal neurotransmitters, including gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate, in the pathophysiology of MDD. However, prior studies have often been restricted to specific brain regions (Fries et al., 2023), leading to inconsistent findings. This study aimed to address these gaps by employing whole-brain in vivo mapping of GABA and glutamate concentrations in patients with MDD and healthy controls, thus providing a comprehensive analysis of region-specific alterations in these key neurotransmitters.