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Abstract #0463

GABA, glutamate and intellectual ability

Anouk Marsman 1 , Rene C.W. Mandl 1 , Dennis W.J. Klomp 2 , Vincent O. Boer 2 , Anna Andreychenko 3 , Wiepke Cahn 1 , Rene S. Kahn 1 , Peter R. Luijten 2 , and Hilleke E. Hulshoff Pol 1

1 Psychiatry, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands, 2 Radiology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands, 3 Radiotherapy, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, Netherlands

Minimizing energy resources may be beneficial to intelligence and a combination of higher GABA and lower glutamate (Glu) levels suggest a more efficient energy use. Performing 1H-MRS at an ultra-high field strength of 7T results in increased sensitivity and spectral resolution, which are particularly important when measuring Glu and GABA. Using 7T 1H-MRS, we found that a higher Working Memory Index (an aspect of intelligence) was associated with a significantly higher GABA/Glu ratio in the occipital cortex in healthy individuals. This suggests that individuals with a higher intelligent working memory performance make more efficient use of their brains energy resources.

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