TY - JOUR
T1 - Comparative neuropharmacology of antianxiety drugs
AU - Paul, Steven M.
AU - Skolnick, Phil
PY - 1982
Y1 - 1982
N2 - Over the past five years, the mechanisms of action of several classes of antianxiety drugs have been clarified. Benzodiazepines, triazolopyridazines, and barbiturates seem to produce their anxiolytic effects by interacting with a specific high affinity receptor (viz. benzodiazepine receptor) in the brain. The benzodiazepine receptor is functionally and perhaps structurally coupled to a receptor for the major inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA as well as a chloride channel or ionophore. Taken together, this receptor "complex" may mediate the behavioral effects of a number of chemically diverse antianxiety agents. Evidence for the role of the benzodiazepine-GABA receptor-chloride ionophore complex in the mechanism of action of minor tranquilizers and a possible interaction with the novel anxiolytic buspirone is discussed.
AB - Over the past five years, the mechanisms of action of several classes of antianxiety drugs have been clarified. Benzodiazepines, triazolopyridazines, and barbiturates seem to produce their anxiolytic effects by interacting with a specific high affinity receptor (viz. benzodiazepine receptor) in the brain. The benzodiazepine receptor is functionally and perhaps structurally coupled to a receptor for the major inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA as well as a chloride channel or ionophore. Taken together, this receptor "complex" may mediate the behavioral effects of a number of chemically diverse antianxiety agents. Evidence for the role of the benzodiazepine-GABA receptor-chloride ionophore complex in the mechanism of action of minor tranquilizers and a possible interaction with the novel anxiolytic buspirone is discussed.
KW - Antianxiety drugs
KW - Buspirone
KW - Comparative neuropharmacology
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0020449870&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/0091-3057(82)90508-1
DO - 10.1016/0091-3057(82)90508-1
M3 - Article
C2 - 6135226
AN - SCOPUS:0020449870
SN - 0091-3057
VL - 17
SP - 37
EP - 41
JO - Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior
JF - Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior
IS - SUPPL. 1
ER -