Lady GABA Part 3 of 4

Published 01/04/2023

Occipital GABA levels reduced in Parkinson’s patients with visual hallucinations.

Last week, we explored the role of dopamine in the run up to talking about GABA. Without knowing about its metabolites though, we're Danc(ing) in The Dark. (1)

GHB, a metabolite of and a precursor to GABA, may hold some clues. GHB can act by reducing the energy requirements of dopaminergic neurons that are found in the substantia nigra pars compacta, which are also pacemaker neurons; neurons that exert control over neuronal circuit functions by delivering rhythmic bursts of action potential. (2) Due to their complexity and axonal length which are needed to achieve this task, more energy is required for their function and a great deal of energy is required for them to recharge; and between this, and their delicate equilibrium that's also required for their task, they are as a result more prone to degeneration. (3)

GHB may counteract or slow this by acting as a neuroprotectant and antioxidant, serving as a nondestructive source of energy, and lessening the energy required for these neurons to function, rendering them non-pacemaker in nature, and, therefore, slowing the onset and/or development of PD through dopaminergic neuron preservation, although currently, we don't know the effects of turning off this pacemaker activity. (4)

And promisingly, a brief clinical trial of GHB in patients with PD showed definite clinical benefits such as being able to sleep at night, and the reduction of daytime fatigue when GHB was administered at night, but it is unclear if this is due to neuronal preservation. (4)

Is this the Edge of Glory (5) for PD research? Tune into part IV to find out.

References

1- “Dance in the Dark” Written by Lady Gaga/Stefani Germanotta & Fernando Garibay, released 2009.

2- NCBI NLM: Parkinson’s Disease, the Dopaminergic Neuron and Gammahydroxybutyrate

3- NCBI NLM : Living on the edge with too many mouths to feed: Why dopamine neurons die

4- NCBI NLM: Parkinson’s Disease, the Dopaminergic Neuron and Gammahydroxybutyrate

5- "Edge of Glory" Written by Lady Gaga Stefani Germanotta, Fernando Garibay, Paul Blair, released 2010.