GABA (gamma-aminobutyric-acid), the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the adult brain, exerts depolarizing (excitatory) actions during development and this GABAergic depolarization cooperates with NMDARs (N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors) to drive spontaneous synchronous activity (SSA) that is fundamentally important for developing neuronal networks. Although GABAergic depolarization is known t...

GABAergic neurotransmission is highly plastic, undergoing dynamic alterations in response to changes in the environment, such as following both acute and chronic stress. Stress-induced plasticity of GABAergic inhibition is thought to contribute to changes in neuronal excitability associated with stress, which is particularly relevant for stress-related disorders and seizure susceptibility. Here...

BACKGROUND Although extensive research has demonstrated the importance of excitatory granule neurons in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus in normal learning and memory and in the pathogenesis of amnesia in Alzheimer's disease (AD), the role of hilar GABAergic inhibitory interneurons, which control the granule neuron activity, remains unclear. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We explored ...

Despite the abundance of studies on γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) ergic neuron distribution in the mouse developing spinal cord, no investigation has been devoted so far to their birthdates. In order to determine the spinal neurogenesis of a specific phenotype, the GABAergic neurons in the spinal cord, we injected bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) at different developmental stages of the glutamic acid deca...

Recent experimental results have revealed a large diversity of anatomic, synaptic and membrane physiology within the GABAergic system. By incorporating combinations of parametrically varied M-type, A-type, and calcium-dependent potassium (AHP) channels, we were able to replicate in vitro responses to 1-second current steps ranging from 50 to 350 pA. Our results show the need for subthreshold ac...

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. Recent technological advances have illuminated the role of GABAergic neurons in control of cortical arousal and sleep. Sleep-promoting GABAergic neurons in the preoptic hypothalamus are well-known. Less well-appreciated are GABAergic projection neurons in the brainstem, midbrain, hypothalamus, and basal forebra...

Early in neocortical network development, triiodothyronine (T3) promotes GABAergic neurons' population increase, their somatic growth and the formation of GABAergic synapses. In the presence of T3, GABAergic interneurons form longer axons and conspicuous axonal arborizations, with an increased number of putative synaptic boutons. Here we show that the increased GABAergic axonal growth is positi...

Stress during childhood and adolescence is a risk factor for psychopathology. Alterations in γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, have been found following stress exposure and fear experiences and are often implicated in anxiety and mood disorders. Abnormal amygdala functioning has also been detected following stress exposure and is also implicated in a...

The mechanism underlying the determination of neurotransmitter phenotype in the developing mesencephalon, particularly GABAergic versus glutamatergic fate, remains largely unknown. Here, we show in mice that the basic helix-loop-helix transcriptional repressor gene Helt (also known as Megane and Heslike) functions as a selector gene that determines GABAergic over glutamatergic fate in the mesen...

This review summarizes recent work on two basic processes of central nervous system (CNS) control of cholinergic outflow to the airways: 1) transmission of bronchoconstrictive signals from the airways to the airway-related vagal preganglionic neurons (AVPNs) and 2) regulation of AVPN responses to excitatory inputs by central GABAergic inhibitory pathways. In addition, the autocrine-paracrine mo...