Benzodiazepines suppress the light response of retinal dopaminergic neurons in vivo.
Sedative dosages of the benzodiazepine, diazepam (76 micro mol/kg, i.p.), reduce the light-evoked increase in retinal dopamine turnover, while intraocular applications of the water-soluble benzodiazepine, flurazepam (0.50 or 1.0 micro mol/eyeball), produce a dose-dependent suppression of light-enhanced dopamine synthesis. These results provide the first evidence that the benzodiazepines alter a physiologically important retinal response in vivo. They also suggest that some the visual effects produced by the benzodiazepines may have an intraretinal locus of action.
D000818:Animals; D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003975:Diazepam / Q000494:pharmacology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D005479:Flurazepam / Q000494:pharmacology; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012160:Retina / Q000187:drug effects*
D014151:Anti-Anxiety Agents; D005479:Flurazepam; D003975:Diazepam; D004298:Dopamine