title: Stress and GABA receptors.
abstract: GABA(A) receptors are sensitive to subtle changes in the environment in both early-life and adulthood. These neurochemical responses to stress in adulthood are sex-dependent. Acute stress induces rapid changes in GABA(A) receptors in experimental animals, with the direction of the changes varying according to the sex of the animals and the stress-paradigm studied. These rapid alterations are of particular interest as they provide an example of fast neurotransmitter system plasticity that may be mediated by stress-induced increases in neurosteroids, perhaps via effects on phosphorylation and/or receptor trafficking. Interestingly, some studies have also provided evidence for long-lasting changes in GABA(A) receptors as a result of exposure to stressors in early-life. The short- and long-term stress sensitivity of the GABAergic system implicates GABA(A) receptors in the non-genetic etiology of psychiatric illnesses such as depression and schizophrenia in which stress may be an important factor.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: Kelly J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Skilbeck
authors.forename: Graham A R
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Johnston
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hinton
mesh_terms: D000495:Allosteric Site; D000818:Animals; D018682:GABA Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D023421:Models, Animal; D010766:Phosphorylation; D021381:Protein Transport / Q000502:physiology; D018079:Receptors, GABA / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D018682:GABA Agents; D018079:Receptors, GABA