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GABA receptors are increased in brains of alcoholics
Author(s) -
Tran Vinh T.,
Snyder Solomon H.,
Major Leslie F.,
Hawley Rollin J.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
annals of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 4.764
H-Index - 296
eISSN - 1531-8249
pISSN - 0364-5134
DOI - 10.1002/ana.410090312
Subject(s) - receptor , neuroscience , gabaa receptor , psychology , medicine
γ‐Aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor binding was increased in postmortem brain samples of chronic alcoholic patients compared to control patients. Numbers of binding sites were augmented in alcoholic brain, with no change in affinity. Muscarinic cholinergic and benzodiazepine receptors did not differ between controls and alcoholic brains, while a modest reduction in β‐adrenergic receptors may have been related to postmortem receptor changes. The results suggest that GABA ergic mechanisms might play a role in chronic alcoholism.