Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Encyclopedia of Neuroscience pp 154–159Cite as

Anxiolytic and Hypnotic Drugs Acting on Ionotropic GABA Receptors

  • Reference work entry
  • First Online:

Definition

Anxiolytic and hypnotic drugs are used in the treatment of anxiety disorders and sleep disturbances to reduce anxiety and promote sleep. These drugs encompass a number of different classes of compounds, including the benzodiazepines. Most of the currently used anxiolytic and hypnotic drugs act on Ionotropic receptors for GABA, the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. This reflects the importance of GABAergic systems for anxiety and sleep related behaviours [1].

The focus of this essay is on compounds acting at ionotropic GABA receptors and the development of new anxiolytic and hypnotic drugs. There is great diversity in these receptors and of particular interest are compounds that show selectivity for specific subtypes of ionotropic GABA receptors.

Characteristics

Ionotropic GABA Receptors

Ionotropic GABA receptors comprise the GABAA and GABAC receptors, whereas GABAB receptors are metabotropic [2]. Ionotropic GABA receptors are ligand-gated ion channelsthat are...

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

References

  1. Möhler H (2006) GABAA receptors in central nervous system disease: anxiety, epilepsy, and insomnia. J Recept Signal Transduct 26:731–740

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Johnston GAR (2005) GABAA receptor channel pharmacology. Current Pharm Des 11:159–164

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Chebib M, Hanrahan JR, Mewett KN, Duke RK, Johnston GAR (2004) Ionotropic GABA receptors as therapeutic targets for memory and sleep disorders. Annu Rep Med Chem 39:13–23

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Rudolph U, Möhler H (2004) Analysis of GABAA receptor function and dissection of the pharmacology of benzodiazepines and general anaesthetics through mouse genetics. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 44:475–498

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Dawson GR, Collinson N, Atack JR (2007) Development of subtype selective GABAA modulators. CNS Spect 10:21–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Gottesmann C (2002) GABA mechanisms and sleep. Neuroscience 111:231–239

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Ebert B, Wafford KA, Deacon S (2006) Treating insomnia: current and investigational pharmacological approaches. Pharmacol Ther 112:612–629

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Belelli D, Peden DR, Rosahl TW, Wafford KA, Lambert JJ (2005) Extrasynaptic GABAA receptors of thalamocortical neurons: a molecular target for hypnotics. J Neurosci 25:11513–11520

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Lancel M, Wetter TC, Steiger A, Mathias S (2001) Effect of the GABAA agonist gaboxadol on nocturnal sleep and hormone secretion in healthy elderly subjects. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 281:E130–E137

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Johnston GAR, Hanrahan JR, Chebib M, Duke RK, Mewett KN (2006) Modulation of ionotropic GABA receptors by natural products of plant origin. Adv Pharmacol 54:285–316

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, The University of Sydney, NSW, Australia

    Tina Hinton & Graham A. R. Johnston

Authors
  1. Tina Hinton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Graham A. R. Johnston
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology & Biophysics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, Washington, USA

    Marc D. Binder

  2. Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Graduate School of Medicine University of Tokyo Hongo, Bunkyo‐ku, Tokyo, Japan

    Nobutaka Hirokawa

  3. Göttingen, Germany

    Uwe Windhorst

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2008 Springer-Verlag GmbH Berlin Heidelberg

About this entry

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this entry

Hinton, T., Johnston, G.A.R. (2008). Anxiolytic and Hypnotic Drugs Acting on Ionotropic GABA Receptors. In: Binder, M.D., Hirokawa, N., Windhorst, U. (eds) Encyclopedia of Neuroscience. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-29678-2_306

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation