GABA Levels in the Brains of Blind People
GABA Levels in the Occipital Cortex of Blind Human Subjects
In blind individuals, the occipital cortex becomes capable of processing tactile and auditory information, a phenomenon described as crossmodal plasticity. GABA is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain and a possible candidate to mediate this form of human plasticity. We intend to use magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to measure GABA and hypothesize that GABA levels in the occipital cortex of blind humans will be lower than in sighted controls. Such decrease could possibly mediate compensatory changes in the occipital cortex of the blind.
Objective
Early blind subjects exhibit better tactile acuity than late blinds or sighted individuals. The purpose of the study is the determine GABA levels in the human occipital cortex after long-term light deprivation (blindness).
Study Population
Our experiments will make use of early blind, late blind, and sighted control subjects.
Design
Subject will be identified and will receive clinical and neurological examinations at the NIH. MRS studies will be performed at NIH MRI Center with 3Tesla Magnet. Each subject head will be positioned in an adjustable holder (designed for minimal motion and maximal comfort) such that a flat coil lay just below the occipital cortex. The sequence has been described before [33]. The individuals who perform the data analysis will be blind to the purpose of the experiments.
Outcome measures
The concentration of GABA from the 14 ml voxel over the visual cortex will be measured. Edited proton spectrum of GABA will be compared with the edited sub spectrum of creatine for a concentration reference.
研究概览
详细说明
In blind individuals, the occipital cortex becomes capable of processing tactile and auditory information, a phenomenon described as crossmodal plasticity. GABA is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain and a possible candidate to mediate this form of human plasticity. We intend to use magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to measure GABA and hypothesize that GABA levels in the occipital cortex of blind humans will be lower than in sighted controls. Such decrease could possibly mediate compensatory changes in the occipital cortex of the blind.
Objective
Early blind subjects exhibit better tactile acuity than late blinds or sighted individuals. The purpose of the study is the determine GABA levels in the human occipital cortex after long-term light deprivation (blindness).
Study Population
Our experiments will make use of early blind, late blind, and sighted control subjects.
Design
Subjects will be identified and will receive clinical and neurological examinations at the NIH. MRS studies will be performed at NIH MRI Center with 3Tesla Magnet. Each subject head will be positioned in an adjustable holder (designed for minimal motion and maximal comfort) such that a flat coil lay just below the occipital cortex. The sequence has been described before. The individuals who perform the data analysis will be blind to the purpose of the experiments.
Outcome measures
The concentration of GABA from the 14 ml voxel over the visual cortex will be measured. Edited proton spectrum of GABA will be compared with the edited sub spectrum of creatine for a concentration reference.
研究类型
注册
联系人和位置
学习地点
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Maryland
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Bethesda、Maryland、美国、20892
- National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, 9000 Rockville Pike
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参与标准
资格标准
适合学习的年龄
接受健康志愿者
有资格学习的性别
描述
- INCLUSION CRITERIA:
All subjects must be between 18 and 55 years of age.
Healthy sighted volunteers. Legally blind subjects with blindness secondary to retinal lesions or eye removal acquired at ages earlier than 4 years old (EARLY) and after 13 years of age (LATE). The rationale for the distinction is based in our previous studies that indicate different magnitude of brain plasticity depending on the age of acquisition of blindness.
EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
Exclusion criteria will be those of MRI procedures:
Pregnant women tested after urine pregnancy test.
Subjects with metal in the cranium except mouth.
Subjects with metal fragments from occupational exposure or surgical clips in or near the brain.
Subjects with blood vessel, cochlear or eye implants.
Subjects with increased intracranial pressure as evaluated by clinical means.
Subjects with cardiac or neural pacemakers.
Subjects with intracardiac lines and implanted medication pumps.
学习计划
研究是如何设计的?
合作者和调查者
出版物和有用的链接
研究记录日期
研究主要日期
学习开始
研究完成
研究注册日期
首次提交
首先提交符合 QC 标准的
首次发布 (估计)
研究记录更新
最后更新发布 (实际的)
上次提交的符合 QC 标准的更新
最后验证
更多信息
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想象的临床试验
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Indiana UniversityKing Systems Corporation完全的