The role of GABA-A receptors in fear-related behaviour
Prof. Dr. Werner Sieghart
Center for Brain Research
Section of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of the Nervous System
Medical University Vienna |
 |
Drugs interacting with GABAA receptors can influcence fear and anxiety in
two different directions. Benzodiazepine site agonists enhance the actions
of GABA and elicit anxiolytic effects, whereas benzodiazepine site inverse
agonists reduce the actions of GABA and elicit anxiogenic effects. The
effects of agonists and inverse agonists on fear and anxiety seem to be
mediated via GABAA receptors located in the amygdala. By using a novel mouse
model that allows to rapidly and reversibly modulate the activity of
selected neurons in the amygdala we will investigate the function of these
neurons anxiety and fear related behaviour.
|