Graeme F. Mason1, June Watzl2, Stuart Weinzimer3, Gerard Sanacora, Elizabeth Guidone, Ismene L. Petrakis, Douglas L. Rothman4, John H. Krystal
1Diagnostic Radiology and Psychiatry, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; 2Diagnostic Radiology, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; 3Pediatrics, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; 4Diagnostic Radiology & Biomedical Engineering, Yale University, School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
Ethanol is known to potentiate GABA receptors and inhibit glutamate receptors in the brain. We hypothesized that ethanol would alter brain GABA and possibly glutamate levels in a time-dependent manner. Intravenous infusions of ethanol were performed during J-edited MRS measurements of GABA and other compounds in the occipital lobe. GABA and myoinositol were reduced significantly during the infusion, glutamate rose transiently and returned to starting levels, and no changes were seen in tissue water, total creatine, choline, or other metabolites. Brain ethanol closely tracked the breath alcohol, while venous ethanol lagged.