Brain GABAA Research Articles

GABA and epileptogenesis.

GABA and epileptogenesis.

The effects of inhibitors of GABAergic transmission and stress on brain and plasma allopregnanolone concentrations.

1. This study was undertaken to investigate the relationship between a reduction in brain GABAA receptor function and the cerebro-cortical content of 3 alpha-hydroxy-5 alpha-pregnan-20 one (allopregnanolone, AP), a potent endogenous positive modulator of 7-aminobutyric acid (GABA) action at GABAA receptors, with anticonflict and anticonvulsant effects in rodents. 2. An acute depletion of the cerebral content of GABA or an attenuation of GABAA receptor-mediated transmission by systemic injections of isoniazid (375 mg kg-1, s.c.) or FG 7142 (15 mg kg-1, i.p.) induced a transient increase in the cerebro-cortical and plasma concentrations of AP in handling-habituated (not stressed) rats. 3. Two stress paradigms, handling in naive rats and mild foot shock in handling-habituated rats, that reduce central GABAergic tone mimicked the effects of isoniazid and FG 7142 on cortical AP content; foot shock in handling-habituated rats, but not handling in naive animals, also increased plasma AP. Isoniazid, FG 7142, and foot shock also each increased the concentrations of the AP precursors, pregnenolone and progesterone, in both brain and plasma of handling-habituated rats, whereas handling in naive rats increased the concentrations of these steroids only in brain. 4. Pretreatment of handling-habituated rats with the anxiolytic beta-carboline derivative abecarnil, a positive allosteric modulator of GABAA receptors, which per se failed to affect the AP concentration in brain or plasma, prevented the increase in brain and plasma AP induced by foot shock or isoniazid. 5. In adrenalectomized and castrated rats foot shock or isoniazid failed to increase AP both in brain cortex and plasma. 6. These observations indicate that inhibition of GABAergic transmission, induced by foot shock or pharmacological manipulations, results in an increase in the concentrations of AP in brain and plasma, possibly via a modulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. 7. Given that AP enhances GABAA receptor function with high efficacy and potency, an increase in brain AP concentration may be important in the fine tuning of the GABA-mediated inhibitory transmission in the central nervous system.

Structure and pharmacology of 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroisothiazolo[5,4- c]pyridin-3-ol (Thio-THIP), an agonist/antagonist at GABA A receptors

4,5,6,7-Tetrahydroisothiazolo[5,4-c]pyridin-3-ol (Thio-THIP), an analogue of the potent and efficacious partial GABAA agonist, 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroisoxazolo[5,4-c]pyridin-3-ol (THIP), shows rather potent agonist effects at spinal GABAA receptors in vivo, but remarkably low affinity for brain GABAA receptors in vitro. 2-Methyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydropyrazolo[5,4-c]pyridin-3-ol (2-Me-Aza-THIP) does not bind detectably to GABAA receptors. The conformation of the molecule of Thio-THIP, which has now been determined by an X-ray crystallographic analysis, is very similar to those previously described for THIP and 2-Me-Aza-THIP. At human GABAA receptors of α3β2γ2 or α5β3γ2 subunit configurations, expressed in Xenopus oocytes, at which THIP shows low- (44%) or high-efficacy (99%) GABAA agonism, respectively, Thio-THIP was shown to be a competitive antagonist. At GABAA receptors in cultured cerebellar granule cells, Thio-THIP turned out to be a weak low-efficacy (2–9%) partial GABAA agonist.

The modulation of brain dopamine and GABAA receptors by estradiol: a clue for CNS changes occurring at menopause.

1. Tardive dyskinesia is more important in postmenopausal women than men of comparable age and a peak of first episodes of schizophrenia is observed in postmenopausal women. The effect of ovariectomy (2 weeks or 3 months) in rats was investigated as a model of decreased gonadal function associated with menopause. 2. Frontal cortex D1 receptor density and affinity were similar in intact male compared to intact female rats and progressively decreased in density with time after ovariectomy, with no change of affinity. Striatal D1 and D2 receptors also decreased in density after ovariectomy for both receptor subtypes, with no change of affinity. Striatal D1 receptor density and affinity were similar in intact male and female rats, whereas the density of D2 receptors was higher in females. Treatment with estradiol for 2 weeks restored the D2 but not the D1 receptor changes. 3. In the substantia nigra pars reticulata, striatum, nucleus accumbens, and entopeduncular nucleus, a progressive increase in [3H]flunitrazepam specific binding associated with GABAA receptors was observed as a function of time following ovariectomy; this was corrected with estradiol treatment. In contrast, the opposite was observed for [3H] flunitrazepam binding in the globus pallidus, where ovariectomy decreased binding, which was corrected with estradiol replacement therapy. 4. Low prefrontal cortex dopamine activity with implications of D1 receptors in negative symptoms of schizophrenia is hypothesized. Furthermore, GABAergic overactivity in the internal globus pallidus-substantia nigra pars reticulata complex is hypothesized in tardive dyskinesia. 5. The present data suggest that gonadal hormone withdrawal by reducing brain dopamine receptors and producing an imbalance of GABAA receptors in the output pathways of the striatum may predispose to schizophrenia and dyskinesia.

Brain GABAA receptors studied with subunit-specific antibodies.

Brain GABAA/benzodiazepine receptors are highly heterogeneous. This heterogeneity is largely derived from the existence of many pentameric combinations of at least 16 different subunits that are differentially expressed in various brain regions and cell types. This molecular heterogeneity leads to binding differences for various ligands, such as GABA agonists and antagonists, benzodiazepine agonists, antagonists, and inverse agonists, steroids, barbiturates, ethanol, and Cl- channel blockers. Different subunit composition also leads to heterogeneity in the properties of the Cl- channel (such as conductance and open time); the allosteric interactions among subunits; and signal transduction efficacy between ligand binding and Cl- channel opening. The study of recombinant receptors expressed in heterologous systems has been very useful for understanding the functional roles of the different GABAA receptor subunits and the relationships between subunit composition, ligand binding, and Cl- channel properties. Nevertheless, little is known about the complete subunit composition of the native GABAA receptors expressed in various brain regions and cell types. Several laboratories, including ours, are using subunit-specific antibodies for dissecting the heterogeneity and subunit composition of native (no reconstituted) brain GABAA receptors and for revealing the cellular and subcellular distribution of these subunits in the nervous system. These studies are also aimed at understanding the ligand-binding, transduction mechanisms, and channel properties of the various brain GABAA receptors in relation to synaptic mechanisms and brain function. These studies could be relevant for the discovery and design of new drugs that are selective for some GABAA receptors and that have fewer side effects.

The α4 Subunit of the GABAA Receptors from Rat Brain and Retina

A novel anti-α4 antibody has been used for the purification and characterization of the α4-containing GABAA receptors in the rat brain and for studying the immunocytochemical distribution of the α4 subunit peptide in rat brain and retina. The anti-α4 antibody recognized a 66 kDa peptide in brain membranes and immunoprecipitated 10–28% of the brain GABAA receptors in various brain regions as determined by [3H]muscimol binding. The highest immunoprecipitation values were obtained in the thalamus and the lowest in the cerebellum. Surprisingly, the receptors immunoprecipitated by anti-α4 showed little or no diazepam-insensitive or diazepam-sensitive [3H]Ro15-4513 binding sites in any brain region. In the cerebellum, where 25% of the [3H]Ro15-4513 binding is diazepam-insensitive, much of the latter was immunoprecipitated by an anti-α6 antibody but not by the anti-α4 antibody. Immunoblots of immunoaffinity-purified GABAA receptors from the cerebral cortex on immobilized anti-α4 revealed molecular colocalization of α4 and γ2. However, the absence of significant benzodiazepine binding in these GABAA receptors suggests that the assembly of the α4 and γ2 subunits in the cerebral cortex and in other brain regions is such that they do not normally form diazepam-insensitive [3H]Ro15-4513 binding sites. This result contrasts with the presence of diazepam-insensitive [3H]Ro15-4513 binding sites in the GABAA receptors expressed in heterologous systems resulting from the combination of α4, γ2 and β2 subunits. Immunocytochemistry has revealed the abundance of α4 peptide immunoreactivity in the thalamus and dentate gyrus (mainly in the hilar neurons and the inner third of the granule cell layer). The α4 immunoreactivity is also present in the external plexiform layer of the olfactory bulb and in all layers of the neocortex and pyriform cortex. In the retina, α4 is concentrated on ganglion cells (including some giant ganglion cells), the inner plexiform layer and to a lesser extent in the outer plexiform layer. Copyright © 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Effects of chlorotrifluoroethylene oligomer fatty acids on recombinant GABA receptors expressed in Xenopus oocytes.

GABA-activated Cl- current was expressed in Xenopus oocytes after injecting cRNA that had been transcribed in vitro from complementary DNA (cDNA) coding for a single GABA rho i-subunit cloned from human retina. The expressed current was insensitive to 100 microM bicuculline, but was activated by the GABA analogue trans-4-aminocrontonic acid (TACA). Anion-selective permeability of the expressed rho 1-subunit was determined by isotonically replacing the extracellular Cl- with different anions. The anion permeability was very similar to the native GABAA receptor/channel following a sequence of SCN- > I- > NO3- > Br- > or = Cl-. Halogenated fatty acids, such as chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE) and perfluorinated oligomer acids inhibited the GABA-induced current in oocytes expressing the human retinal GABA rho 1-subunit or rat brain GABAA receptor alpha 1,beta 2,gamma 2 subunits. The inhibitory effect of halogenated fatty acids demonstrated a carbon chain length-dependent manner of: C10 > C8 > C6 > C4. Perfluorinated C8-oligomer acid (PFOA) was less effective at blocking this channel than the C8-CTFE oligomer acid. Radiolabeled GABA binding assay indicated that CTFE oligomer acids do not interfere at the GABA binding site of the receptor. Furthermore, the C8-CTFE oligomer fatty acid did not compete with picrotoxin for binding sites within the pore of the channel. These studies demonstrated that the heterologous expression system is useful for studying the molecular interaction between potential neurotoxic agents and neuroreceptors. Our results provide detailed information that should contribute to our understanding of the structure and function of retinal GABA receptors.

Tyrosine kinase phosphorylation of GABAA receptors.

Phosphorylation of purified bovine brain GABAA receptors by the tyrosine kinase, pp60v-src was examined. pp60v-src phosphorylated two bands of 54-62 kDa and 48-51 kDa that migrated to approximately the same position as bands recognized by antisera against the beta 2 and gamma 2 GABAA receptor subunits, respectively. Bacterially expressed proteins containing the putative large cytoplasmic loops of the beta 1 and gamma 2L subunits were phosphorylated by pp60v-src, indicating that the phosphorylation sites are located in these subunit domains. The tyrosine kinase inhibitors, genistein and the tyrphostins B-42 and B-44, inhibited muscimol-stimulated 36Cl- uptake in mouse brain membrane vesicles (microsacs). magnitude of the tyrphostin B-44-induced inhibition of muscimol-stimulated 36Cl- uptake was significantly reduced in microsacs that were lysed and resealed under conditions that inhibit phosphorylation. GABA-gated Cl- currents were also inhibited by genistein and tyrphostin B-44 in Xenopus oocytes expressing alpha 1 beta 1 and alpha 1 beta 1 gamma 2L subunits. Consequently, protein tyrosine kinase-dependent phosphorylation appears to be another mechanism of regulating the function of GABAA receptors.

Anxiolytic effect of progesterone is mediated by the neurosteroid allopregnanolone at brain GABAA receptors.

Previous studies from this laboratory have shown that progesterone (PROG) treatment in ovariectomized rats produces an anti-anxiety response similar to that observed after the administration of prototypical anxiolytic benzodiazepine (BDZ) compounds. The PROG-induced anxiolytic response was highly correlated with an increased level of 3 alpha-hydroxy-5 alpha-pregnan-20-one (allopregnanolone) in the blood and brain, and was also associated with a facilitation of GABA-stimulated chloride ion (Cl-) influx in cortical synaptoneurosomes. This correlative evidence suggested that the anxiolytic effect of PROG was a result of its in vivo reduction to the neuroactive steroid, allopregnanolone. In this report, a series of studies was conducted to determine the mechanism(s) by which PROG alters behavior in animal models of anxiety. In the first experiment, ovariectomized rats were injected with PROG (1 mg/0.2 ml, SC) 4 h prior to a test in the elevated plus-maze. Some animals also received an injection of picrotoxin (0.75 mg/kg, IP), a GABAA receptor-gated Cl- channel antagonist, whereas other animals were pretreated with RU 38486 (5 mg/0.2 ml, SC), a progestin receptor antagonist. PROG elicited anxiolytic behavior in the plus-maze, an effect that was blocked by picrotoxin administration. Pretreatment with RU 38486 was not effective in altering PROG-induced anxiolytic behavior in the plus-maze. In a second experiment, the effect of PROG on behavior in the plus-maze was determined in the presence of N,N-diethyl-4-methyl-3-oxo-4-aza-5 alpha-androstane-17 beta-carboxamide (4-MA; 10 mg/0.2 ml, SC), a 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Interaction of Ergot drugs with the brain GABA-A receptor complex

Interaction of Ergot drugs with the brain GABA-A receptor complex

Point mutations affecting antagonist affinity and agonist dependent gating of GABAA receptor channels.

Two variant amino acid sequences, which differ in a single amino acid residue, have been reported for the alpha 1-subunit of the rat brain GABAA receptor. We separately co-expressed these two variants in Xenopus oocytes, in combination with beta 2 and gamma 2. This experiment showed that substitution of alpha 1-Phe64 by Leu strongly decreases the apparent affinity for GABA dependent channel gating from 6 microM to 1260 microM. Starting from this observation, we used in vitro mutagenesis to obtain information relevant for the localization of the agonist/antagonist binding site in the GABAA receptor. Homologous mutation in alpha 5 had similar consequences for alpha 5 beta 2 gamma 2. Homologous mutation in beta 2 and gamma 2 resulted in intermediate and small shifts in EC50, respectively. The apparent affinities of the competitive antagonists bicuculline methiodide and SR95531, the latter sharing close structural similarity with the agonist GABA, were decreased 60- to 200-fold by these mutations in alpha-subunits. Interestingly, these affinities remained nearly unaffected upon introduction of the homologous mutations in beta 2 and gamma 2, or upon mutation of the neighbouring amino acid in alpha 1, Phe65 to Leu. These results suggest close functional and structural association of alpha-subunits with the agonist/antagonist binding site, and involvement of N-terminal portions of the extracellular domains of all subunits in the gating of the channel.

Decrease in the number of brain GABAA receptors and increased suceptibility to isoniazid- and picrotoiiin-induced seizures in hyperthyroid rats

Decrease in the number of brain GABAA receptors and increased suceptibility to isoniazid- and picrotoiiin-induced seizures in hyperthyroid rats

Functional reconstitution of the bovine brain GABAA receptor from solubilized components

The GABAA/benzodiazepine receptor has been solubilized from membrane preparations of bovine cerebral cortex and has been reconstituted, in a functionally active form, into phospholipid vesicles. In preliminary experiments, the receptor was labeled with the photoactive benzodiazepine [3H]flunitrazepam prior to solubilization. A peptide of apparent molecular weight 53,500 was specifically labeled by this method, and this was used as a marker for the receptor during the reconstitution procedures. The labeled protein was solubilized with approximately 40% efficiency by 1% beta-octyl glucoside. Reconstitution was achieved by mixing the solubilized proteins with a 4:1 mixture of soybean asolectin and bovine brain phospholipids, followed by chromatography on Sephadex G-50-80 to remove detergent. The incorporation of the GABAA receptor into membrane vesicles has been verified by sucrose gradient centrifugation in which the [3H]-flunitrazepam-labeled peptide comigrated with [14C]phosphatidylcholine used as a lipid marker. Vesicles prepared without labeled markers retained the ability to bind both [3H]flunitrazepam and the GABA analogue [3H]muscimol. Furthermore, the binding parameters were very similar to those measured using native membrane preparations. A novel fluorescence technique has been used to measure chloride transport mediated by the GABAA receptor in reconstituted vesicles. Chloride influx was rapidly stimulated in the presence of micromolar concentrations of muscimol and was blocked by preincubation of the membranes with muscimol (desensitization). Flux was also blocked by pretreatment with the competitive GABAA receptor blocker bicuculline or with the noncompetitive GABAA receptor antagonist picrotoxin.

γ‐アミノ酪酸（ＧＡＢＡ）受容体の構造と機能 研究の現況とその問題点

The gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor has been classified into two receptor subtypes (GABAA and GABAB receptors) based on their pharmacological properties. The GABAA receptor in the central nervous system (CNS) has been found to be coupled structurally as well as functionally with the benzodiazepine receptor and Cl- channel. Purified GABAA receptor from bovine brain consisted of both alpha and beta subunits. The complementary DNAs encoding the GABAA receptor alpha and beta subunits have been cloned; and from their elucidated nucleotide sequences, the amino acid sequences of the subunits were deduced. The structure of both subunits, having four putative membrane domains, has been found to be similar to other ligand-gated receptors such as the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor alpha subunit and glycine receptor 48K subunit. Therefore, it has been suggested that these ligand-gated receptors comprise a superfamily. In addition, the presence of similarities in the nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of human brain GABAA receptor with those of bovine brain has been noted. On the other hand, the GABAB receptor, which is insensitive to bicuculline but sensitive to baclofen, has been found to be pharmacologically distinct from the GABAA receptor. The GABAB receptor in the brain has been found to be coupled with GTP-binding protein and generates the inhibitory transmission coupled with various intracellular effector systems such as adenylate cyclase and phosphoinositides turnover. The exact structure and function of the GABAB receptor in the CNS, however, remain to be clarified in future studies.

Localization of the GABAA receptor in the rat brain with a monoclonal antibody to the 57,000 Mr peptide of the GABAA receptor/benzodiazepine receptor/Cl- channel complex

The mAb 62-3G1 to the GABAA receptor/benzodiazepine receptor/Cl- channel complex was used with light-microscopy immunocytochemistry for studying the localization of the GABAA receptors (GABAR) in the rat brain. The results have shown a receptor distribution identical to the one obtained by others using 3H-muscimol binding in combination with autoradiographic techniques. The external plexiform layer of the olfactory bulb, cerebral cortex, granule cell layer of the cerebellum, hippocampus, dentate gyrus, substantia nigra, dorsolateral and medium geniculate nuclei, and the lateral posterior thalamic nucleus, among other areas, were rich in GABAA receptor immunoreactivity. In the cerebellum the granule cell layer had more immunoreactivity than did the molecular layer. In the hippocampus the receptor was most abundant in the stratum oriens and in the molecular layer of the dentate gyrus. The immunocytochemical techniques have also allowed us to study the distribution of the GABAA receptor with high-resolution light microscopy. These studies have shown that the GABAA receptors are localized in neuronal membranes and concentrated in structures rich in GABAergic synapses, such as the cerebellar and olfactory glomeruli and the external plexiform layer of the olfactory bulb, the deep cerebellar nuclei, and the substantia nigra. The mAb 62-3G1 was generated by immunizing mice with the affinity-purified GABAA receptor/benzodiazepine receptor (BZDR) complex. This mAb bound to the 57,000 Mr peptide but not to the benzodiazepine binding 51,000 Mr peptide. The distribution of the GABAR immunoreactivity in the rat brain colocalized better with 3H-muscimol than with 3H-benzodiazepine binding. Therefore, it is suggested that (1) the 57,000 Mr peptide that is recognized by the mAb 62-3G1 is the muscimol (GABAA receptor agonist) binding subunit of the receptor complex, (2) there is an important population of brain GABAA receptors that is not functionally coupled to the benzodiazepine receptors, and (3) both the BZDR-coupled and uncoupled forms of the GABAA receptor are immunologically similar, if not identical.

Receptors for γ‐aminobutyric acid and voltage‐dependent chloride channels as targets for drugs and toxicants 1

The function of chloride (Cl-) channel proteins is to regulate the transport of Cl- across membranes. There are two major kinds of Cl- channels: 1) those activated by binding of a transmitter such as gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glycine, or glutamate, and thus are receptors; and 2) those activated by membrane depolarization or by calcium. There are two kinds of GABA receptors: GABAA is the major inhibitory receptor of vertebrate brain and the one that operates a Cl- channel, and the GABAB receptor, which is proposed to regulate cAMP production that is stimulated by other receptors. Except for binding of GABA, these two GABA receptors differ completely in their drug specificities. However, there are many similarities among the GABAA receptor, the glycine receptor, and the voltage-dependent Cl- channel. The two receptors and Cl- channels bind avermectin, whereas bicuculline binds only to mammalian GABAA and glycine receptors, not to the insect brain GABAA receptor. Barbiturates bind to GABAA and voltage-dependent Cl- channels, possibly directly activating them. Benzodiazepines potentiate both the glycine and GABAA receptors. Several insecticides act on the GABAA receptor and voltage-dependent Cl- channel. It is suggested that the GABAA receptor is the primary target for the action of toxaphene and cyclodiene insecticides but a secondary target for lindane and type II pyrethroids. On the other hand, the Cl- channel may be a primary target for avermectin and lindane but a secondary one for cyclodienes. The similarity in certain drug specificities and the operation of Cl- channels suggest a degree of homology between the subunits of GABAA and glycine receptors and the voltage-dependent Cl- channels.

Action of Organophosphates on GABAA Receptor and Voltage-Dependent Chloride Channels

The effects of several organophosphates were studied on the binding of t-[35S]butylbicyclophosphorothionate ([35S]TBPS) to rat brain GABAA receptor and receptor function as assayed by GABA-induced 36Cl− influx into membrane vesicles and on the binding of [35S]TBPS to a voltage-dependent Cl− channel in Torpedo californica electric organ. The organophosphate anticholinesterases diisopropylphosphorofluoridate, soman, sarin, tabun, and VX had little or no effect on GABA-regulated chloride channels. They also had no effect on [35S]TBPS binding to the voltage-dependent chloride channel, except for soman which inhibited it with an IC50 of 24 μM. Triphenyl phosphate was the only one of three organophosphate flame retardants tested that inhibited both GABA-regulated chloride channel and binding of [35S]TBPS to the voltage-dependent chloride channel with IC50s of 18 and 13 μM, respectively. The industrial organophosphate tri-o-cresyl phosphate and the anticholinesterase organophosphate insecticides leptophos, leptophos oxon, and O-ethyl O-4-nitrophenyl phenylphosphonothioate inhibited GABA-regulated chloride channels and bound with high affinity to the voltage-dependent chloride channels (lC50 = 0.3 to 8.7 μM). There was no apparent correlation between the affinities of the GABAA receptor chloride channel or the voltage-dependent chloride channel for the different organophosphates and their potencies in inhibiting acetylcholinesterase or in inducing delayed neurotoxicity. Nevertheless, although the voltage-dependent chloride channel and/or GABAA receptor are not primary targets for organophosphate anticholinesterases and flame retardants, it is suggested that the inhibition of these two proteins by certain organophosphates may contribute to their toxicities.

Effects of insecticides on GABA‐induced chloride influx into rat brain microsacs

The actions of different insecticides known to affect binding of ligands to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors were studied on the function of GABAA receptors in rat brain as assayed by GABA-induced 36Cl- influx into membrane microsacs. This flux was inhibited by the competitive antagonist bicuculline and the noncompetitive antagonist t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate, and the GABA effect was potentiated by the tranquilizer flunitrazepam and the depressant pentobarbital, as expected for effects on a GABAA receptor. The GABA-induced 36Cl- flux was inhibited by several cyclodienes and gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane (gamma-BHC) with the following order of decreasing potency: endosulfan I greater than endrin greater than endosulfan II greater than dieldrin greater than heptachlor epoxide greater than gamma-BHC greater than heptachlor. The noninsecticidal beta-BHC had no effect, while the IC 50 values for gamma-BHC and endrin were 1 and 0.2 microM, respectively. The four pyrethroids tested also inhibited the GABA-induced 36Cl- flux with the following decreasing potencies: 1R,cis,alpha S-cypermethrin greater than 1R,trans, alpha S-cypermethrin greater than fluvalinate greater than allethrin. Avermectin B1a was the only insecticide tested that, in the absence of GABA, stimulated 36Cl- flux in a dose-dependent manner, and this flux was inhibited by bicuculline. The stereospecific inhibition of the GABA-induced 36Cl- influx by the cyclodienes and gamma-BHC supports previously published data on their binding to mammalian brain GABAA receptor and suggests that these insecticides inhibit this receptor's function. It is also suggested that type II pyrethroids are potent inhibitors of the same receptor. However, avermectin B1a appears to act as a partial agonist of GABAA receptors.