Brain glutamate-GABA system in ASD
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Brain glutamate and GABA in Autism Spectrum Disorders: a multimodal imaging study of metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 5 (PET) and glutamate-GABA metabolism in Autism Spectrum Disorders (MRS)
IRAS ID
120975
Contact name
Alice Durieux
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Research summary
Our research team is looking at the underlying biological mechanisms in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), specifically
chemicals in the brain (called neurotransmitters) of subjects with ASD. Findings in this area, could help in the
development of new medical treatments for this condition.
An imbalance between the primary inhibitory (GABA) and excitatory (glutamate) neurotransmitters in the brain has been
suggested to be responsible for the impaired information processing and social behaviours observed in autism.
Therefore, we wish to directly assess glutamate receptors levels in brain regions implicated in ASD (e.g. the striatum) using the new technique of Positron Emission Tomography (PET). We will test the main hypothesis that young adults with ASD have a significantly increased glutamate receptor density when compared to controls, using a PET ligand called [18F]FPEB. We will focus on the metabotropic glutamate receptor 5, because it is the one most likely linked to increased glutamate function in the brain regions relevant to ASD.
We will collect PET data from 30 volunteers with ASD, who will be recruited from the South London and Maudsley Hospital (SLaM) and local community and compare it to data from healthy controls to establish differences between groups. We will recruit the healthy controls from the local community.REC name
London - Camden & Kings Cross Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/LO/0309
Date of REC Opinion
19 Mar 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion