Reduced γ-aminobutyric acid in the superior temporal gyrus is associated with absolute pitch

Absolute pitch (AP) is the ability to label the pitch of tones without any reference tones. Previous studies have shown that the anatomical and functional basis of AP exists in the superior temporal gyrus (STG), although the associated neurotransmitters remain unknown. We used proton magnetic resona...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published inNeuroreport Vol. 29; no. 17; p. 1487
Main Authors Maeshima, Hiroaki, Hosoda, Chihiro, Okanoya, Kazuo, Nakai, Tomoya
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published England 05.12.2018
Subjects
Acoustic Stimulation
Adolescent
Adult
Female
gamma-Aminobutyric Acid - metabolism
Humans
Male
Pitch Perception - physiology
Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
Temporal Lobe - metabolism
Young Adult
Online AccessGet more information

Cover

More Information
Summary:Absolute pitch (AP) is the ability to label the pitch of tones without any reference tones. Previous studies have shown that the anatomical and functional basis of AP exists in the superior temporal gyrus (STG), although the associated neurotransmitters remain unknown. We used proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy to quantify the concentration of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), an inhibitory neurotransmitter, in the bilateral STG of adult AP possessor and non-AP possessors. We found a significant negative correlation between AP scores and GABA concentration in the left STG. Furthermore, mean GABA concentration was significantly reduced in the AP possessors group compared to the non-AP possessors group. Our results suggest that less inhibition in the bilateral STG may enable AP possessors to associate categorical labels with tones.
ISSN:1473-558X
DOI:10.1097/WNR.0000000000001137