Zolpidem is a non-benzodiazepine hypnotic that acts by binding to (GABAA) receptor. This is a case report of a patient with chronic insomnia for which he had initially been receiving benzodiazepine hypnotic alprazolam and for the past three years, he had switched himself to non-benzodiazepine hypnotic, zolpidem and had progressively increased the dose to 20 mg. The patient presented with histor...

Peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) and central-type benzodiazepine receptor (CBR) in salivary gland play a role in the inhibitory regulation of salivary secretion in rodents. Diazepam-binding inhibitor (DBI), an endogenous ligand for PBR, produces neurosteroids, which modulate CBR activity. In this study, we investigated the effect of repetitive administration of diazepam (DZP) on sa...

Changes in GABAergic systems have been widely documented during development. Similar changes might also occur during aging, but little information is currently available. Whole-cell and single-channel GABAA-activated currents were studied in acutely dissociated basal forebrain neurons. An age-related increase in whole-cell GABA currents was observed in cells from aged (19-25 month) Fischer 344 ...

Dexras1 is a 30 kDa G protein in the Ras subfamily whose discovery was based on its pronounced inducibility by the glucocorticoid dexamethasone. It binds to neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) via the adaptor protein CAPON, eliciting S-nitrosylation and activation of Dexras1. We report that Dexras1 binds to the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor-associated protein (PAP7), a protein of unknown...

Viruses mercilessly exploit their host cells to guarantee their own proliferation and propagation. To achieve this goal, many viruses suppress the apoptotic program, thereby avoiding premature death of the host cell. Indeed, apopto-sis of infected cells may be considered as a pristine defense against infectious pathogens, as illustrated by a simple Gedankenexperiment : if all host cells died im...

This study set out to profile the activity of (S)-desmethylzopiclone (SEP-174559) at subtypes of the gamma-aminobutyric acid type-A (GABA(A)) receptor and other neurotransmitter receptor ion channels. Recombinant receptors were expressed in human embryonic kidney 293 cells and examined functionally by patch-clamp recording with fast perfusion of agonist and drug solutions. Micromolar concentrat...

Previous studies have indicated that the benzodiazepine receptor complex is involved in enhancing taste palatability after chlordiazepoxide (CDP) administration. Positive, palatability-dependent ingestive reactions elicited by orally infused tastes are facilitated in rats by CDP (10 mg/kg), and this effect is reversible by benzodiazepine antagonists. In contrast, the rats' more neutral or avers...

Immunocytochemistry with a monoclonal antibody against the GABAA/benzodiazepine receptor showed labeled axo-dendritic synapses in the anteroventral cochlear nucleus. In the dorsal cochlear nucleus, label was seen apposing both axo-somatic and axo-dendritic terminals. The results suggest a heterogeneous distribution of GABA receptors, together with a possible segregation of receptor subtypes bet...