Role of α1- and α2-GABA(A) receptors in mediating the respiratory changes associated with benzodiazepine sedation.

Background And Purpose: The molecular substrates underlying the respiratory changes associated with benzodiazepine sedation are unknown. We examined the effects of different doses of diazepam and alprazolam on resting breathing in wild-type (WT) mice and clarified the contribution of α1- and α2-GABA(A) receptors, which mediate the sedative and muscle relaxant action of diazepam, respectively, to these drug effects using point-mutated mice possessing either α1H101R- or α2H101R-GABA(A) receptors insensitive to benzodiazepine.

Experimental Approach: Room air breathing was monitored using whole-body plethysmography.