Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40459014›Full record

ArticleeLife2025

The role of GABA in semantic memory and its neuroplasticity.

JeYoung Jung, Steve Williams, Matthew A Lambon Ralph

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in eLife, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Prefrontal and Cerebellar Contributions to Semantic Memory Retrieval.Neurobiology of language (Cambridge, Mass.) · 2026
    Article
  6. Article
  7. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

JeYoung JungSchool of Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3739-7331
Steve WilliamsDivision of Informatics, Imaging and Data Science, School of Health Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
Matthew A Lambon RalphMRC Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit (CBU), University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5907-2488

Funding

Academy of Medical Sciences SBF007\100077European Research Council GAP: 670428 -BRAIN2MIND_NEUROCOMPMedical Research Council MC_UU_00030/9Medical Research Council MR/R023883/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

A fundamental challenge in neuroscience is understanding neural functioning and plasticity of the brain. The anterior temporal lobe (ATL) is a hub for semantic memory, which generates coherent conceptual representations. GABAergic inhibition plays a crucial role in shaping human cognition and plasticity, but it is unclear how this inhibition relates to human semantic memory and its plasticity. Here, we employed a combination of continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS), MR spectroscopy and fMRI to investigate the role of GABA in semantic memory and its neuroplasticity. We found that inhibitory cTBS increased GABA concentrations in the ATL and reduced blood-oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) activation during semantic tasks. Crucially, changes in GABA were tightly linked to changes in regional activity, suggesting that GABA mediates cTBS-induced plasticity. Individuals with better semantic performance exhibited selective activity in the ATL, attributable to higher GABA levels, which can sharpen distributed semantic representations. Our results revealed a non-linear, inverted-U-shape relationship between GABA levels in the ATL and semantic performance, thus offering an explanation for the individual differences in semantic memory function and neuromodulation outcomes. These findings offer a neurochemical explanation for individual variability in neuromodulation and provide insights for developing targeted interventions for semantic impairments.

Indexed as

gamma-Aminobutyric AcidMemoryNeuronal PlasticitySemanticsTemporal LobeAdultFemaleHumansMagnetic Resonance ImagingMagnetic Resonance SpectroscopyMaleYoung Adultgamma-Aminobutyric Acidanterior temporal lobeGABAhumanMRSneuroplasticityneurosciencesemantic memoryTMS

Identifiers

PMID40459014
PMCPMC12133155

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.