REVIEW: The Influence of Ethanol on the Functional Status of GABA_A Receptors

A. I. Golovko^1*, S. I. Golovko¹, L. V. Leontieva², and S. Yu. Zefirov¹

¹Regional Therapeutic and Diagnostic Medical Center “Bekhterev”, Korabelnaya ul. 6, St. Petersburg, 198096 Russia; fax: (812) 328-1324; E-mail: prgolovko@mail.ru

²West Virginia University, Box 9151, Morgantown, WV 26505-9151, USA; fax: (304) 293-0265; E-mail: Luba105@hotmail.com

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received June 6, 2001; Revision received September 18, 2001

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Gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) is one of the main inhibitory neurotransmitters in the mammalian brain. Its effects are realized via GABA_A, GABA_B, and GABA_C receptors. GABA_A is the most abundant type of GABA receptors. It consists of six classes of subunits, alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon, and chi. Acute and chronic exposures to ethanol are accompanied by changes in structure and function of GABA_A receptors. These changes may be a basis for altered behavior seen in alcoholism.

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KEY WORDS: GABA receptors, ethanol, subunits, expression

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