Abstract
Considerable evidence has been provided these last years for the involvement of the GABA-A receptor complex in memory processes. Compounds that enhance the action of GABA, such as benzodiazepines, impair memory processing. On the contrary, compounds that reduce the action of GABA, such as ß-CCM, pentylenetetrazol or picrotoxin, have the opposite action, that is : enhance memory processing. All these actions seem to focus mainly on the acquisition (learning) processes. Depending on the dose, the same compounds also have effects on anxiety and on seizuring. Benzodiazepines are well-known anxiolytic and anticonvulsant agents whereas compounds that reduce the action of GABA have been found to produce anxiogenic and convulsant actions. The GABA-A receptor complex might thus be the location of a possible link between a pathological state (epilepsy) and two normal functions (anxiety and learning). This link is likely to involve common genetic pathways. In the normal subject, these data also emphasize the idea that normal memory processing involves a moderate level of anxiety.
Keywords: gaba receptor complex, pentylenetetrazol, picrotoxin, learning, anxiety, epilepsy
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry
Title: GABA-A Receptor Complex and Memory Processes
Volume: 2 Issue: 8
Author(s): Georges Chapouthier and Patrice Venault
Affiliation:
Keywords: gaba receptor complex, pentylenetetrazol, picrotoxin, learning, anxiety, epilepsy
Abstract: Considerable evidence has been provided these last years for the involvement of the GABA-A receptor complex in memory processes. Compounds that enhance the action of GABA, such as benzodiazepines, impair memory processing. On the contrary, compounds that reduce the action of GABA, such as ß-CCM, pentylenetetrazol or picrotoxin, have the opposite action, that is : enhance memory processing. All these actions seem to focus mainly on the acquisition (learning) processes. Depending on the dose, the same compounds also have effects on anxiety and on seizuring. Benzodiazepines are well-known anxiolytic and anticonvulsant agents whereas compounds that reduce the action of GABA have been found to produce anxiogenic and convulsant actions. The GABA-A receptor complex might thus be the location of a possible link between a pathological state (epilepsy) and two normal functions (anxiety and learning). This link is likely to involve common genetic pathways. In the normal subject, these data also emphasize the idea that normal memory processing involves a moderate level of anxiety.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Chapouthier Georges and Venault Patrice, GABA-A Receptor Complex and Memory Processes, Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry 2002; 2 (8) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1568026023393552
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/1568026023393552 |
Print ISSN 1568-0266 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-4294 |
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
Potential for Discovery of Neuroprotective Factors in Serum and Tissue from Hibernating Species
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Huntington’s Disease: Pathogenesis and Therapeutic Opportunities
Current Drug Targets Dysiherbaine: A New Generation of Excitatory Amino Acids of Marine Origin
Central Nervous System Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Editorial [Hot Topic: The Pineal Hormone Melatonin in Health and Disease (Guest Editors: Charanjit Kaur)]
Recent Patents on Endocrine, Metabolic & Immune Drug Discovery Editorial (Thematic Issue: Measurements of ABC Transporters at the Blood-Brain Barrier: Novel Methods and Applications)
Current Pharmaceutical Design Synthesis and Anticonvulsant Activity Evaluation of 4-butyl-5-(4- alkoxyphenyl)-2H-1,2,4-triazole-3(4H)-ones
Letters in Drug Design & Discovery Focus on the Role of Glutamate in the Pathology of the Peripheral Nervous System
CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets Ion Channels and Epilepsy
Current Pharmaceutical Design The Importance of Citicoline in Combined Treatment in Dementia: What did the Citimem Study Teach us?
Reviews on Recent Clinical Trials Secondary Brain Injuries in Thalamus and Hippocampus after Focal Ischemia Caused by Mild, Transient Extradural Compression of the Somatosensori Cortex in the Rat
Current Neurovascular Research ABC Transporters in the CNS – An Inventory
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Taurine Analogues; A New Class of Therapeutics: Retrospect and Prospects
Current Medicinal Chemistry Do Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) Contribute to the Comorbidities of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)?
Current Pharmaceutical Design Neuroimaging of Cancer Patients for Psychosocial Support and Patient Care
Current Medical Imaging Towards a Causal Model for Disgust in the Anxiety Disorders: An Integration of Evidence from Neuroscience
Current Psychiatry Reviews CB1 Cannabinoid Receptors and their Associated Proteins
Current Medicinal Chemistry Madecassic Acid Reduces Fast Transient Potassium Channels and Promotes Neurite Elongation in Hippocampal CA1 Neurons
CNS & Neurological Disorders - Drug Targets Nitric Oxide Induced Damage and Preventive Effect of Curcumin and Quercetin on Buffalo Brain Cystatin
Current Proteomics Melatonin, a Potential Therapeutic Agent for Smooth Muscle-Related Pathological Conditions and Aging
Current Medicinal Chemistry Nitric Oxide: Target for Therapeutic Strategies in Alzheimers Disease
Current Pharmaceutical Design