Frontal and thalamic changes of GABA concentration indicate dysfunction of thalamofrontal networks in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.

Abstract

Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) has been considered to be a frontal variant of thalamocortical network dysfunction in epilepsy. Changes of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic neurotransmission may play a key role in this dysfunction. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is the only noninvasive method to measure GABA concentrations in different brain regions. We measured GABA and other metabolite concentrations in the thalamus and frontal lobe of patients with JME.