title: GABAergic subsensitivity of dorsal raphe neurons in vitro after chronic benzodiazepine treatment in vivo.
abstract: Previous studies have shown that chronic benzodiazepine treatment reduces the in vivo sensitivity of dorsal raphe neurons (DRN) to microiontophoretically applied gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). We have examined sensitivity of DRN in vitro using a modified midbrain slice technique which allows side-by-side analysis of slices from control and chronic diazepam-treated rats. GABA sensitivity of raphe neurons was reduced in slices from rats treated for 3 weeks with diazepam, compared to control sensitivity. Thus, GABA subsensitivity following chronic diazepam treatment appears to be dependent on changes intrinsic to the midbrain area.
authors.affiliation: Yale University School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, New Haven, CT 06508.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Gallager
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D003975:Diazepam / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D011903:Raphe Nuclei / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D003975:Diazepam