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Enhanced GABA release in cerebral cortical slices derived from rats with thioacetamide-induced hepatic encephalopathy

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Abstract

The release of newly loaded [3H]GABA was studied in slices of different brain regions derived from rats in which acute hepatic encephalopathy (HE) was induced with a hepatotoxin thioacetamide. HE increased both spontaneous and high (50 mM) ammonium chloride-evoked GABA release in cerebral cortical slices by 38% and 50%, respectively. No effects of HE were noted in cerebellar or striatal slices. An increased release of GABA in the cerebral cortex may contribute to the endogenous benzodiazepine-mediated enhancement of GABAergic tone, which is thought to be partly responsible for the pathophysiological mechanism of HE.

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Wysmyk, U., Oja, S.S., Saransaari, P. et al. Enhanced GABA release in cerebral cortical slices derived from rats with thioacetamide-induced hepatic encephalopathy. Neurochem Res 17, 1187–1190 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00968397

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