Recipe: GABA receptors in the brain

GABA receptors are most numerous receptors in the brain. There ionotropic GABA _A receptors (chloride channel) and metabotropic GABA _B receptors.

GABA receptors are inhibitory and act on them even alcohol or sleeping pills. The actual γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is sometimes sold as a nutritional supplement to facilitate sleep. Such an effect, however, the oral administration of this neurotransmitter has never been proven. Brain cells themselves ensure optimum delivery of GABA for signaling purposes. We must not be misled by the fact that we considered for some endogenous GABA hypnotic that may be given orally.

Most of the neurons of the brain functions to exhibit spontaneous activity that is continuously suppressed by acid γ-aminobutyric via GABA receptors. Greater inhibition of some neurons can lead to activation of other neurons.

Alcohol and GABA receptors

Neuroscience for long periods of the last century was not sure how warm water alcohol causes drunkenness. Even in elementary school biology teacher told us that ethanol works by dissolving the fat cell membrane lipids and changes its permeability. Since then, however, it became clear that a small molecule ethanol affects a large number of specific nerve receptors and that they are quantitatively the most important bond of ethanol on GABA _A reteptory.