A Lack of GABA Associated with Delusion and Poor Cognitive Function

GABA and glycine are the primary relaxing neurotransmitters in your brain. A new study with schizophrenia patients if the first to show that a lack of GABA¹ is a common problem and associated with perception malfunction. Previously, GABA has been implicated in animal models of schizophrenia and post-mortem analysis in the brains of schizophrenic patients.

Schizophrenia is another problem of dopamine malfunction and extreme hyperactivity leading to hallucinations. Dopamine is an activating neurotransmitter. In health, it is a large part of your motivation and drive. Your nerves need balance and brakes, so as to have a resting platform upon which to stand and to tolerate the demands and stressors in your life. When you run low on GABA you will be prone to anxiety and sleep problems. This study shows that adequate GABA is needed to keep dopamine functioning normally.

There is an ever-expanding number of Americans, especially young adults, who are sitting on the edge of psychosis/schizophrenia. They often have a history of drug or alcohol abuse, impaired cognitive function, depression, sleep problems – all of which combine to produce a lack of motivation. Under stress and challenge, this frailty in nerve function can develop into a more serious problem wherein parts of the brain begin to disassociate from normal function resulting in hearing voices or visual illusions/hallucinations. There are sliding scales of this problem.