The research described here investigates the role played by inhibitory processes in the discriminations made by the nervous system of humans and animals between familiar and unfamiliar and significant and nonsignificant events. This research compared the effects of two inhibitory mediators of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA): 1) phenibut, a nonselective agonist of ionotropic GABA(A) and metabotro...

In frog melanotrope cells, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) induces a biphasic effect, i.e. a transient stimulation followed by a more sustained inhibition of alpha-MSH release, and both phases of the GABA effect are mediated by GABAA receptors. We have previously shown that the stimulatory phase evoked by GABAA receptor agonists can be accounted for by calcium entry. In the present study, we hav...

GABA(B) receptors belong to family III G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and are widely distributed in the peripheral and central nervous systems. The GABA(B) receptor is one of the most important therapeutic targets in the treatment for spasticity. GABA(B) agonists, such as baclofen, are used as muscle relaxants clinically and are effective for the treatment of anxiety, depression, epilepsy,...

Although NPY has been shown to influence the action of many transmitters in the brain, modulation of GABA, the primary inhibitory transmitter, has not been detected with electrophysiology. Using whole-cell patch-clamp recording, we found that NPY has a large modulatory effect on GABAergic neurons of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) that act as the circadian clock in the mammalian brain. NPY, a...

The effects of gamma-amino butyric acid (GABA) and glutamate, their ionotropic agonists and antagonists on hydra's ectodermal and endodermal pacemaker systems were studied. GABA decreased ectodermal body contraction bursts (CBs) and the number of pulses in a burst (P/CB) and endodermal rhythmic potentials (RPs); tentacle pulses (TPs) were not affected. The GABA(A) agonist, muscimol, and the ben...

The present study was designed to examine whether trigeminal nociceptive inputs are involved in the modulation of parasympathetic reflex vasodilation in the jaw muscles. This was accomplished by investigating the effects of noxious stimulation to the orofacial area with capsaicin, and by microinjecting GABA(A) and GABA(B) receptor agonists or antagonists into the nucleus of the solitary tract (...

Cocaine's addictive liability has been linked to its pharmacologic actions on mesotelencephalic dopamine (DA) reinforcement/reward pathways in the central nervous system (CNS). Dopaminergic transmission within these pathways is modulated by gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). With this knowledge, we examined the utility of gamma vinylGABA (GVG), a selective and irreversible inhibitor of GABA-transa...

Glycine and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) are localized and released by the same interneurons in the spinal cord. Although the effects of glycine and GABA on analgesia are well known, little is known about the effect of GABA in strychnine-induced hyperalgesia. To investigate the effect of GABA and the role of the glycine receptor in thermal hyperalgesia, we designed an experiment involving the inj...

Benzodiazepine receptor agonists are widely prescribed therapeutic agents that alter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)A activity and have anxiolytic effects. Post-operative use of benzodiazepines is a risk factor delirium. Inflammatory conditions the effects benzodiazepine. We investigated effect diazepam, typical benzodiazepine anxiolytic, on changes in emotional behavior mice hole-board test aft...

The next generation of anxiolytics may be subtype-selective partial agonists at GABA-A receptors. By exploiting new psychopharmacologic principles, such as the targeting of receptor subtypes that have unique subunits and the partial activation of these subtypes with stabilizers, we may eventually have anxiolytics that are rapid acting, but without sedation, amnesia, or dependence.