GABA homeostasis contributes to the developmental programming of anxiety-related behavior

Activation of GABAA receptors in the medial prefrontal cortex produces an anxiolytic-like response

“…The important role of GABA A receptors in the modulation of different forms of anxiety, fear and stress depression has been reported in several studies (19,20). A functional association between the increased GABAergic neurotransmission and reduced emotional responses such as anxiety and fearfulness following aversive stimulation has been frequently proposed (21,22). Pharmacological studies showed that GABA A receptor activation increases chloride conductance and inhibits neuronal activity by hyperpolarisation or depolarisation block and attenuates anxietyand stress-related behavioural aberrations, whereas antagonists of this receptor usually enhance the behavioural sequelae generated by stressors and administration of these agents could induce behavioural disturbances and physiological changes comparable to those observed in stressed and anxious animals (21,23).…”

Psychopharmacological Profile of the Water Extract of Gardenia jasminoides and Its Constituents, Genipin and Geniposide, in Mice

“…Calming and exploratory behavior were used as parameters of anxiety level (Depino et al, 2008;Aron et al, 1971). The elevated plus maze test is used to evaluate anxiety-related behaviors and it involves a conflict between the rodent's desire to explore a novel environment and anxiogenic elements, such as elevation and an unfamiliar, brightly illuminated area (Lister, 1987).…”

“…Both pharmacological and genetic studies associate deficits in inhibitory neurotransmission in the mammalian forebrain with increased anxiety-related behavior, and γ-amino-butyric acid (GABA), the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system, *Corresponding author Tel: +82-2-3399-1605, Fax: +82-2-3399-1617 E-mail: cheongjh@syu.ac.kr activates chloride ion channel and cause hyperpolarization of the neuron (Depino et al, 2008). The benzodiazepine-GABA system plays an important role in anxiety, benzodiazepine agonists acting at their site in the GABA A receptor complex produce anxiolytic effect (Argyropoulos et al, 2000).…”

Trick or treat? neurodevelopmental consequences of pharmacotherapy for affective disorders

“…By contrast, adult rodents exposed to ADDs only during stages corresponding to fetal life, childhood, or adolescence in humans exhibit a spectrum of abnormalities, many of which are, surprisingly, components of depression. Similar, long-term, 'mirror image' effects (that is, drug-induced increases in disease components that are reduced by pharmacological treatment of adults) occur after early-life anxiolytic treatment (Depino et al, 2008). Early exposure to atypical antipsychotic drugs, used to treat bipolar disorder in children and adolescents, induces significant, long-lasting cognitive deficits (Zuo et al, 2008) and morphological abnormalities (Frost et al, 2009).…”

“…In rodents, the behavioral syndromes induced by early ADD (Ansorge et al, 2008) or anxiolytic (Depino et al, 2008) treatment are progressive and emerge fully only in early adulthood. This is because early-life brain insults induce a cascade of effects over the course of development.…”