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PMID: 12566570 Published · ppublish English Journal Article Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Ethanol increases GABAergic transmission at both pre- and postsynaptic sites in rat central amygdala neurons.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America ·Vol. 100 ·No. 4 ·2003-02-18 ·Pages 2053-8

Roberto M, Madamba SG, Moore SD, Tallent MK, Siggins GR

Abstract

We examined the interaction of ethanol with the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic system in neurons of slices of the rat central amygdala nucleus (CeA), a brain region thought to be critical for the reinforcing effects of ethanol. Brief superfusion of 11-66 mM ethanol significantly increased GABA type A (GABA(A)) receptor-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) and currents (IPSCs) in most CeA neurons, with a low apparent EC(50) of 20 mM. Acute superfusion of 44 mM ethanol increased the amplitude of evoked GABA(A) IPSPs and IPSCs in 70% of CeA neurons. The ethanol enhancement of IPSPs and IPSCs occurred to a similar extent in the presence of the GABA type B (GABA(B)) receptor antagonist CGP 55845A, suggesting that this receptor is not involved in the ethanol effect on CeA neurons. Ethanol superfusion also decreased paired-pulse facilitation of evoked GABA(A) IPSPs and IPSCs and always increased the frequency and sometimes the amplitude of spontaneous miniature GABA(A) IPSCs as well as responses to local GABA application, indicating both presynaptic and postsynaptic sites of action for ethanol. Thus, the CeA is the first brain region to reveal, without conditional treatments such as GABA(B) antagonists, consistent, low-dose ethanol enhancement of GABAergic transmission at both pre- and postsynaptic sites. These findings add further support to the contention that the ethanol-GABA interaction in CeA plays an important role in the reinforcing effects of ethanol.

MeSH Terms
Amygdala/cytology,drug effects,physiology Animals Ethanol/pharmacology Evoked Potentials In Vitro Techniques Neurons/drug effects,physiology Patch-Clamp Techniques Rats Rats, Sprague-Dawley Synaptic Transmission/drug effects,physiology gamma-Aminobutyric Acid/physiology
Chemicals
Ethanol gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
Authors & Affiliations
5 authors, click to expand affiliations / ORCID
Roberto Marisa
Department of Neuropharmacology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
Madamba Samuel G
Moore Scott D
Tallent Melanie K
Siggins George R
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Article Info
Journal
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Abbr.
Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A
ISSN
0027-8424
DOI
10.1073/pnas.0437926100
Published
2003-02-18
Epub
2003-00-03
Pages
2053-8
Language
English
Region
United States
NLM ID
7505876
PMCID
PMC149957
Subset
IM
Grants
NIAAA NIH HHS · P50 AA006420 · United States
NIAAA NIH HHS · AA06420 · United States
NIDA NIH HHS · R01 DA003665 · United States
NINDS NIH HHS · NS38633 · United States
NIDA NIH HHS · DA03665 · United States
NIAAA NIH HHS · AA10994 · United States
NINDS NIH HHS · R01 NS038633 · United States
External Links
PubMed source DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0437926100 PMC Full Text View journal details
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