Ethanol exposure produces alterations in GABAergic signaling that are associated with dependence and withdrawal. Previously, we demonstrated that ethanol-induced protein kinase C (PKC) g signaling selectively contributes to changes in GABAA a1 synaptic receptor activity and surface expression. Here, we demonstrate that protein kinase A (PKA) exerts opposing effects on GABAA receptor adaptations...

Synaptic inhibition, mediated by GABAA receptors, regulates neuronal firing, influences coincidence detection (König et al., 1996), and can synchronize the output of neural circuits (Cobb et al., 1995). Although GABAA receptors can be modulated by phosphorylation, few studies have directly addressed the role of such modulation at synapses, where the nonequilibrium conditions of receptor activat...

The gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptor is the predominant Cl- channel protein mediating inhibition in the olfactory bulb and elsewhere in the mammalian brain. The olfactory bulb is rich in neurons containing both GABA and dopamine. Dopamine D1 and D2 receptors are also highly expressed in this brain region with a distinct and complementary distribution pattern. This distribution su...

Although agarwood has been used as a tranquilizer in Asian countries for hundreds of years, the underlying pharmacological basis is still unclear. This study investigated the sedative-hypnotic effect of agarwood essential oil (AEO) using locomotor activity and pentobarbital-induced sleeping assays in mice. Single (1-day) and multiple (7- and 14-days) administrations of 60 mg/kg AEO generated si...

Diazepam is used clinically for its myorelaxant, anxiolytic, sedative, and anticonvulsant properties. Although the anxiolytic action is mediated by a2 g-aminobutyric acid A (GABAA) receptors, the sedative action and in part the anticonvulsant action are mediated by a1 GABAA receptors. To identify the GABAA receptor subtypes mediating the action of diazepam on muscle tone, we have assessed the m...

Autonomic dysregulation accompanies type-1 diabetes, and synaptic regulation of parasympathetic preganglionic motor neurons in the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV) is altered after chronic hyperglycemia/hypoinsulinemia. Tonic gamma-aminobutyric acid A (GABAA) inhibition prominently regulates DMV neuron activity, which contributes to autonomic control of energy homeostasis. This study inv...

Fluid accumulation is critical for lung distension and normal development. The multi-subunit γ-amino butyric acid type A receptors (GABAA) mainly act by mediating chloride ion (Cl-) fluxes. Since fetal lung actively secretes Cl--rich fluid, we investigated the role of GABAA receptors in fetal lung development. The physiological ligand, GABA, and its synthesizing enzyme, glutamic acid decarboxyl...

Extracts from Glycyrrhiza are traditionally used for the treatment of insomnia and anxiety. Glabridin is one of the main flavonoid compounds from Glycyrrhiza glabra and displays a broad range of biological properties. In the present work, we investigated the effect of glabridin on GABAA receptors. For this purpose, we employed the two-electrode voltage-clamp technique on Xenopus laevis oocytes ...

Autoimmune encephalitis related to antibodies against neuronal cell surface and synaptic proteins is a new category of disorders in which the targets are well-known proteins and receptors involved in synaptic transmission and neuronal excitability. GABAA receptor is one of the latest identified antigens within this category. Hightiter serum and CSF GABAA receptor antibodies were recently report...

A balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmissions in brain is an essential factor for the proper function of the brain. The amino acid gamma-aminobutyric-acid (GABA) is considered as the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in brain. Thus, GABAergic neurons play a key role in regulating behavior. Previous data have revealed the complex subunit structural design for GABAA receptor chan...