The GABAA receptors.

INTRODUCTION y-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mammalian brain. It mediates its effects via the specific interaction with the integral membrane proteins, the GABA receptors. GABA receptors can be classified according to their respective transduction mechanisms following activation, as the GABA and the GABAB receptor respectively. The focus of this review is the GABAA receptor. GABAA receptors are fastacting ligand-gated chloride ion channels. Thus receptor activation in the brain is followed within milliseconds by the gating