GABA predicts visual intelligence

Cook, Emily K.; Hammett, Stephen T.; Larsson, Jonas

doi:10.1016/j.neulet.2016.07.053

Cited by 41 publications

(59 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…This agrees with an earlier observation that blocking GABA in macaque MT had no effect on spatial suppression 36 (see also 37 ). However, our MRS findings appear to conflict with reports that greater mid-occipital GABA was associated with stronger surround suppression during contrast perception 25,27 . This discrepancy may be related to the methods for quantifying suppression, and / or differences in the role of inhibition during perception of contrast and motion.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

“…Although this paradigm has been posited as a behavioral index for inhibition, we did not find a major role for GABA in determining the strength of spatial suppression. While a few studies have probed the neurochemical underpinnings of perceptual suppression in humans 17,[25][26][27] , much of our current insight into the neural mechanisms of suppression and inhibition has come from work in animal models. Some reports suggest that GABAergic inhibition plays a direct role in surround suppression within visual cortex [28][29][30][31] , while others have indicated that this suppression occurs via withdrawal of excitation [32][33][34][35] , that may be balanced by reduced inhibition.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Suppression and facilitation of human neural responses

Schallmo

Kale

Millin

et al. 2017

Preprint

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Efficient neural processing depends on regulating responses through suppression and facilitation of neural activity. Utilizing a well-known visual motion paradigm that evokes behavioral suppression and facilitation, and combining 5 different methodologies (behavioral psychophysics, computational modeling, functional MRI, pharmacology, and magnetic resonance spectroscopy), we provide evidence that challenges commonly held assumptions about the neural processes underlying suppression and facilitation. We show that: 1) both suppression and facilitation can emerge from a single, computational principle -divisive normalization; there is no need to invoke separate neural mechanisms, 2) neural suppression and facilitation in the motion-selective area MT mirror perception, but strong suppression also occurs in earlier visual areas, and 3) suppression is not driven by GABA-mediated inhibition. Thus, while commonly used spatial suppression paradigms may provide insight into neural response magnitudes in visual areas, they cannot be used to infer neural inhibition.

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Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Suppression and facilitation of human neural responses

Schallmo

Kale

Millin

et al. 2017

Preprint

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“…In addition to dopamine, GABA is a neurotransmitter that is known to be related to eye blinks and correlated with level of intelligence (Colzato et al, 2008 ). Cook et al ( 2016 ) demonstrated a strong positive correlation between visual intelligence and cortical GABA concentrations ( r = 0.83, p = 0.005). Subjects with high levels of GABA in the primary visual cortex performed better on a matrix reasoning IQ sub-test.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 95%

What Does Eye-Blink Rate Variability Dynamics Tell Us About Cognitive Performance?

Paprocki

Lenskiy

2017

Front. Hum. Neurosci.

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Cognitive performance is defined as the ability to utilize knowledge, attention, memory, and working memory. In this study, we briefly discuss various markers that have been proposed to predict cognitive performance. Next, we develop a novel approach to characterize cognitive performance by analyzing eye-blink rate variability dynamics. Our findings are based on a sample of 24 subjects. The subjects were given a 5-min resting period prior to a 10-min IQ test. During both stages, eye blinks were recorded from Fp1 and Fp2 electrodes. We found that scale exponents estimated for blink rate variability during rest were correlated with subjects' performance on the subsequent IQ test. This surprising phenomenon could be explained by the person to person variation in concentrations of dopamine in PFC and accumulation of GABA in the visual cortex, as both neurotransmitters play a key role in cognitive processes and affect blinking. This study demonstrates the possibility that blink rate variability dynamics at rest carry information about cognitive performance and can be employed in the assessment of cognitive abilities without taking a test.

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“…Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) has been shown to robustly estimate in-vivo GABA levels. Recent studies in younger adults 24 – 26 , and several patient groups 27 , 28 , have shown that such estimates of GABA concentration correlate with the strength of several perceptual effects that are considered to rely on inhibitory function, namely: surround contrast suppression 24 , 28 , orientation discrimination 29 , and binocular rivalry 26 , 27 . Consequently, GABA measurement by MRS has the potential to be a useful tool to explore whether changes to presumed perceptual inhibitory strength within the visual system can be explained, at least partially, by differences in GABA levels between individuals.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Occipital GABA levels in older adults and their relationship to visual perceptual suppression

Pitchaimuthu

Carter

et al. 2017

Sci Rep

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Several studies have attributed certain visual perceptual alterations in older adults to a likely decrease in GABA (Gamma Aminobutyric Acid) concentration in visual cortex, an assumption based on findings in aged non-human primates. However, to our knowledge, there is no direct evidence for an age-related decrease in GABA concentration in human visual cortex. Here, we estimated visual cortical GABA levels and Glx (combined estimate of glutamate and glutamine) levels using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. We also measured performance for two visual tasks that are hypothesised to be mediated, at least in part, by GABAergic inhibition: spatial suppression of motion and binocular rivalry. Our results show increased visual cortical GABA levels, and reduced Glx levels, in older adults. Perceptual performance differed between younger and older groups for both tasks. When subjects of all ages were combined, visual cortical GABA levels but not Glx levels correlated with perceptual performance. No relationship was found between perception and GABA levels in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Perceptual measures and GABA were not correlated when either age group was considered separately. Our results challenge current assumptions regarding neurobiological changes that occur within the aging human visual cortex and their association with certain age-related changes in visual perception.

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GABA predicts visual intelligence

Cited by 41 publications

References 29 publications

Suppression and facilitation of human neural responses

Suppression and facilitation of human neural responses

What Does Eye-Blink Rate Variability Dynamics Tell Us About Cognitive Performance?

Occipital GABA levels in older adults and their relationship to visual perceptual suppression

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