A role for GABA in the modulation of striatal and hippocampal systems under stress

Previous research has demonstrated that stress modulates the competitive interaction between the hippocampus and striatum, two structures known to be critically involved in motor sequence learning. These earlier investigations, however, have largely focused on blood oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) responses. No study to date has examined the link between stress, motor learning and levels of striatal and hippocampal gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). This knowledge gap is surprising given the known role of GABA in neuroplasticity subserving learning and memory. The current study thus examined: a) the effects of motor learning and stress on striatal and hippocampal GABA levels; and b) how learning- and stress-induced changes in GABA relate to the neural correlates of learning. To do so, fifty-three healthy young adults were exposed to a stressful or non-stressful control intervention before motor sequence learning. Striatal and hippocampal GABA levels were assessed at baseline and post-intervention/learning using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Regression analyses indicated that stress modulated the link between striatal GABA levels and functional plasticity in both the hippocampus and striatum during learning as measured with fMRI. This study provides evidence for a role of GABA in the stress-induced modulation of striatal and hippocampal systems.