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Abstract #4918

Ultra high field MR spectroscopy of the striatum in the human brain: On the relation between striatal metabolites and performance on a search step task

Joost Haarsma 1,2 , Jannie P Wijnen 1 , Kathy N Thakkar 2 , Dennis WJ Klomp 1 , and Bas Neggers 2

1 Radiology, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands, 2 Psychiatry, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands

Response inhibition has been investigated using the oculomotor search-step task. Research into the neural substrates involved in response selection tasks (like the one used in this study) has pointed towards a crucial role for the basal ganglia, which influence action largely via GABAergic neurotransmission. We therefore hypothesized a relation between GABA levels (measured using ultra high field MR-spectroscopy) in the striatum, the input node of the basal ganglia, and performance on the search step-task in healthy participants. At highest MR sensitivity, no significant correlations between GABA levels and performance on the search-step task were found in this study.

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