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REVIEW: The Influence of Ethanol on the Functional Status of GABAA Receptors

A. I. Golovko1*, S. I. Golovko1, L. V. Leontieva2, and S. Yu. Zefirov1

1Regional Therapeutic and Diagnostic Medical Center “Bekhterev”, Korabelnaya ul. 6, St. Petersburg, 198096 Russia; fax: (812) 328-1324; E-mail: prgolovko@mail.ru

2West Virginia University, Box 9151, Morgantown, WV 26505-9151, USA; fax: (304) 293-0265; E-mail: Luba105@hotmail.com

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received June 6, 2001; Revision received September 18, 2001
Gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) is one of the main inhibitory neurotransmitters in the mammalian brain. Its effects are realized via GABAA, GABAB, and GABAC receptors. GABAA is the most abundant type of GABA receptors. It consists of six classes of subunits, alpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon, and chi. Acute and chronic exposures to ethanol are accompanied by changes in structure and function of GABAA receptors. These changes may be a basis for altered behavior seen in alcoholism.
KEY WORDS: GABA receptors, ethanol, subunits, expression