β-Chlorophenyl GABA (Baclofen) is a selective ligand for a novel GABA receptor on nerve terminals

Bidirectional modulation of sweet and bitter taste by chlordiazepoxide and Ro 15-4513: lack of effect with GABA drugs

Five rats were trained to respond for 10% sucrose and 10% sucrose/0.006% quinine in an operant procedure. Both solutions were concurrently available on independent, variable-interval 5-s schedules of reinforcement. Rats reliably responded for both solutions throughout the sessions and made approximately 68% of their total daily responses for the sucrose solution. When injected prior to the sessions with 4 mg/kg of chlordiazepoxide, rats selectively increased quinine responding; injections of the benzodiazepine inverse agonist Ro 15-4513 (9 mg/kg) led to decreased quinine responding. The effects of both chlordiazepoxide and Ro 15-4513 were reversed by the benzodiazepine antagonist flumazenil. Presession injections of flumazenil, muscimol, baclofen, or picrotoxin all resulted in no changes in responding, or a decrease in responding for both solutions. These results are discussed in terms of a bidirectional modulation of sweet-bitter taste preference by drugs acting on the benzodiazepine receptor. Moreover, the data from these experiments suggest that any changes in the oral consumption of alcohol following administration of benzodiazepine drugs must be examined in light of their effects on taste palatability.

Circadian regulation of retinomotor movements: II. The role of GABA in the regulation of cone position

Cone photoreceptor movements in lower vertebrates are regulated by the interaction of the light-dark cycle and an endogenous circadian clock. We have suggested that melatonin and dopamine interact to regulate dark- and light-adaptive movements, respectively, and that melatonin affects cones indirectly by inhibiting dopamine release. In fact, any factor modulating dopaminergic neurons in the retina may have effects on either cone elongation or contraction. We have utilized an in vitro eyecup preparation from the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis, to evaluate a possible role of the neurotransmitter GABA, which is thought to tonically suppress dopamine release. GABA agonists mimic the effects of darkness and induce cone elongation; the effects of GABA agonists are blocked by dopamine. Muscimol-induced cone elongation occurs at low light intensity but is inhibited by bright light in eyecups prepared from cyclic-light-maintained animals. Although neither melatonin nor muscimol stimulates cone elongation in bright light, simultaneous application of both drugs induces elongation. The GABA antagonist picrotoxin induces cone contraction which is blocked by the dopamine receptor antagonist spiroperidol, which suggests that GABA may affect cone movement in Xenopus by regulating dopamine neurons. Consistent with this, picrotoxin-induced cone contraction is Ca+2 dependent and is blocked by high Mg+2 or the Ca+2 antagonist nifedipine. Pharmacological analysis suggests that the effects of GABA may result from its action at more than one receptor subtype. Our results support the hypothesis that dopamine is part of the light signal for cone contraction and that its suppression is part of the signal for cone elongation.

Diazepam action on gamma-aminobutyric acid-activated chloride currents in internally perfused frog sensory neurons

The Cl- current (ICl) in gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-sensitive frog sensory neuron was separated from other Na+, Ca2+, and K+ currents using a suction pipette technique which allows internal perfusion under a single-electrode voltage clamp. Diazepam (DZP) itself evoked no response but facilitated the dose- and time-dependently GABA-induced ICl without changing the GABA equilibrium potential (EGABA) at concentrations ranging widely, from 3 X 10(-9) to 10(-4) M. In the presence of DZP, the GABA dose-response curve shifted to the left without changing the maximum current, indicating that DZP modifies the interaction between GABA and its receptor rather than affecting directly the channel activation step. The enhancement of the GABA-induced ICl by DZP depended neither on the membrane voltage nor on the inward or outward direction of the ICl. DZP also potentiated the ICl elicited by GABA agonists such as beta-alanine, taurine, homotaurine, 5-aminovaleric acid, l-GABOB, d-GABOB, glycine, and muscimol. The GABA response enhanced by pentobarbital (PB) was further enhanced by adding DZP, indicating that DZP and PB do not act in the same way. Ro5-3663, a diazepam analogue, enhanced the GABA-induced ICl only in a narrow range of the concentrations but inhibited the current at concentrations higher than 2 X 10(-6) M.

Activation of thermogenesis of brown fat in rats by baclofen

Injection of baclofen (0.5-5 micrograms) into the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) of anaesthetized rats produced marked increases in the temperature (over 2 degrees C) and thermogenic activity of brown adipose tissue (BAT). These effects were abolished by ganglionic or beta-adrenergic blockade, or denervation of the tissue, but unaffected by hypophysectomy, adrenalectomy or vagotomy. Injections into the hypothalamus close to, but outside the ventromedial hypothalamus did not affect brown adipose tissue. Intravenous administration of baclofen produced similar increases in the temperature of brown adipose tissue, but at larger doses (50-1000 micrograms), and a subcutaneous injection stimulated the metabolic rate in conscious rats. Chronic treatment with baclofen suppressed weight gain and stimulated activity of brown adipose tissue without affecting food intake. These effects of baclofen, which were not mimicked by injections of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), indicate a novel action of baclofen in the ventromedial hypothalamus, leading to marked increases in metabolic rate and body temperature by stimulating sympathetic outflow to brown fat.

Interactions between naloxone and GABA in the control of locomotor activity in the rat

It was found that naloxone causes a small but significant reduction of motility. The GABAB agonist baclofen and the GABA transaminase inhibitor gamma-acetylenic GABA (GAG) also reduced locomotor activity. When a subeffective dose of baclofen was combined with naloxone 0.8 or 3.2 mg/kg, baclofen significantly inhibited motility beyond the inhibition caused by naloxone + saline. GAG, in a dose of 12.5 mg/kg, was also potentiated by naloxone, 3.2 mg/kg. The locomotion reducing effects of naloxone could be blocked by either picrotoxin or bicuculline. It is concluded that GABAergic mechanisms participate in the inhibition of locomotor activity provoked by naloxone. The possibility that this drug disinhibits GABAergic neurons is discussed.

GABA-noradrenergic interaction: evidence for differential sites of action for GABA-A and GABA-B receptors

Treatment of mice with DSP4 (a neurotoxin that abolishes the presynaptic noradrenergic neuron; Dooley et al., 1983) resulted in: (A) a decrease in the Bmax for the low affinity GABA-B receptor site in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, whereas the Bmax for the high affinity GABA-B receptor site was unaffected; (B) a greater potentiation of norepinephrine stimulated adenylate cyclase by baclofen in cerebral cortex slices; and (C) a decrease in the Bmax for both the high and low affinity GABA-A receptor sites in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus. These data, coupled with previous work from our laboratory, suggest that the GABA-B receptor may be associated with both the noradrenergic nerve terminal and the post-synaptic neuron receiving noradrenergic input, whereas the GABA-A receptor may be associated with the noradrenergic nerve terminal. These data further suggest a functional coupling between the noradrenergic and GABA-ergic systems.

The locomotor-reducing effects of GABAergic drugs do not depend on the GABAA receptor

The locomotion-reducing effect of the GABAB agonist baclofen was compared with that of the GABAA agonists, aminopropanesulfonic acid (APSA) and THIP. It was found that baclofen was more potent than the other drugs. After intraventricular injection, baclofen induced almost complete immobility, whereas APSA did not affect locomotor activity. THIP had an intermediate effect. The GABA transaminase inhibitor gamma-acetylenic GABA (GAG) provoked a dose-dependent reduction of locomotion. Neither the effects of THIP nor those of GAG could be blocked by concurrent administration of bicuculline. The antagonist itself did not affect locomotor activity. It is concluded that the GABAA receptor is not important for the locomotion-reducing effects of GABAergic drugs.