title: Role for gamma-aminobutyric acid in selective vulnerability in gerbils.
abstract: We tested the efficacy of various putative neuroprotective agents in the gerbil model of delayed neuronal death. The selective loss of anterior CA1 neurons of the hippocampus 4 days after 5 minutes of bilateral ischemia was complete in greater than 90% of the gerbils examined. We tested 11 agents for their ability to protect against neuronal loss. Only those agents that were associated with the GABAergic system exhibited protection and only when administered before the ischemic insult. The possibility that delayed neuronal death is the result of a primary defect in inhibitory neurotransmission is considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio 44106.
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Sternau
authors.forename: W D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Lust
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ratcheson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D005849:Gerbillinae; D006003:Glycogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D009474:Neurons / Q000473:pathology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D006003:Glycogen