Aging does not alter the sensitivity of benzodiazepine receptors to GABA modulation.
The effects of GABA on benzodiazepine receptor binding in cerebral cortical, hippocampal, and cerebellar membranes from 2-3 months old and 28-32 months old rats were studied. GABA modulation of agonist, antagonist, and inverse agonist binding to the receptor was examined using the displacement of 3H-Ro15-1788 by diazepam, Ro15-1788, and beta-carboline-3-carboxylate methyl ester, respectively, in the absence and presence of 100 microM GABA and 150 mM sodium chloride. GABA modulation was alike in old and young rats, with respect to the particular ligand and brain region. The results support the hypothesis that, in the brain regions studied, the allosteric modulation of benzodiazepine receptor binding by GABA remains intact as a function of aging.
D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001667:Binding, Competitive / Q000187:drug effects; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects*; D002531:Cerebellum / Q000187:drug effects; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid