Changes of neurochemical and electrophysiological indices of rat brain under ethanol intoxication.

It was found that acute ethanol intoxication caused an imbalance of the neurotransmitters in the CNS: accumulation of GABA and serotonin and depletion of catecholamines. Alcohol depression was characterized by suppression of the evoked potentials of the various rat brain structures. Under chronic ethanol intoxication of animals, relative stabilization of the electrophysiological indices of the rat brain activity was observed.

[Conformation of gamma-aminobutyric acid and its receptors].

The preferable conformations of the inhibitory transmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and its specific inhibitor bicuculline are due to the occupation of the GABAreceptor by a part of the bicuculline molecule that is isosteric with the biologically active conformation of GABA. In the present review are described characteristics of sodium-independence receptor sites and evaluated the regional distribution of postsynaptic receptor binding for GABA in the central nervous system. The postsynaptic GABA receptor has been labeled by direct binding of 3H-GABA.