An inhibitory neurotransmitter that reduces stress, induces calm, and promotes sleep.
The major neurotransmitter in the brain implicated in several psychiatric and neurological conditions, most notably Huntington’s disease.
An amino acid neurotransmitter.
A metabolite produced when glutamic acid is decarboxylated. It is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that quiets excited neurons. Low levels of GABA are associated with convulsions.
Amino acid found in the central nervous system, especially the brain, that functions as an inhibitory neurotransmitter by slowing nerve transmission. GABA may have a role in prevention of seizures; the benzodiazepine drugs (e.g.. Valium) exert their effect by increasing the brain’s production of GABA. Experimentally, artificial forms of GABA have been used to prevent and to treat delirium tremens (DTs). Recent use of illicit preparations as a “date rape” drug, however, have limited the clinical use of GABA.
An amino acid found in the central nervous system, predominantly in the brain, where it acts as an inhibitory neurotransmitter.
GABA stands for gamma-aminobutyric acid. It is a neurotransmitter, a chemical that nerves release to communicate within the nervous system. GABA regulates the flow of nerve impulses by inhibiting the release of other neurotransmitters like noradrenaline and dopamine, which typically stimulate electrical activity in nerve cells. As a result of this inhibition, the overall nerve cell activity is reduced. GABA plays a crucial role in modulating and controlling the communication between nerve cells in the brain and throughout the nervous system.
GABA’s effects are intensified by benzodiazepine drugs, anticonvulsant drugs, and potentially alcohol. On the other hand, individuals with Huntington’s disease, an inherited disorder characterized by a decline in brain function and abnormal movements, experience degeneration of brain cells that secrete GABA. This degeneration leads to excessive stimulation of the basal ganglia, a brain region responsible for coordinating movement, resulting in the development of typical symptoms associated with the disease.