An orally bioavailable, functionally selective inverse agonist at the benzodiazepine site of GABAA alpha5 receptors with cognition enhancing properties.

(3-tert-Butyl-7-(5-methylisoxazol-3-yl)-2-(1-methyl-1H-1,2,4-triazol-5-ylmethoxy)pyrazolo[1,5-d][1,2,4]triazine (13) has been identified as a functionally selective, inverse agonist at the benzodiazepine site of GABA(A) alpha5 receptors. 13 is orally bioavailable, readily penetrates the CNS, and enhances performance in animal models of cognition. It does not exhibit the convulsant, proconvulsant, or anxiogenic activity associated with nonselective GABA(A) inverse agonists.