Thalamic GABA and Glutamate Imbalance Associates with Cortical Degeneration in Early Psychosis: A 7T MRI Study

Motivation: Early psychosis (EP) is associated with grey matter cortical degeneration and cognition deficits, but underlying mechanisms remain unclear. We hypothesize dysregulated GABA and glutamate levels in thalamus contribute to remote cortical morphological changes in psychosis. Goal(s): To investigate the relationship between brain cortical structures and metabolite levels in right thalamus (RTh) using 7T MRI and MRS in EP and healthy controls (HC). Approach: MRI and MRS scans were conducted on 29 EP patients and 29 HC, followed by correlation analysis of cortical thickness and metabolite levels. Results: Significant clusters revealed correlations between GABA, glutamate levels at RTh and cortical features only in EP. Impact: This study enhances understanding of early psychosis by linking altered GABA and glutamate levels in the thalamus to cortical structural changes, supporting the role of excitation and inhibition imbalance in thalamocortical dysfunction in psychosis and highlighting the potential for targeted interventions.