We found a match
Your institution may have access to this item. Find your institution then sign in to continue.
- Title
Excitatory actions of gaba during development: the nature of the nurture.
- Authors
Ben-Ari, Yehezkel
- Abstract
In the immature brain, GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is excitatory, and GABA-releasing synapses are formed before glutamatergic contacts in a wide range of species and structures. GABA becomes inhibitory by the delayed expression of a chloride exporter, leading to a negative shift in the reversal potential for choride ions. I propose that this mechanism provides a solution to the problem of how to excite developing neurons to promote growth and synapse formation while avoiding the potentially toxic effects of a mismatch between GABA-mediated inhibition and glutamatergic excitation. As key elements of this cascade are activity dependent, the formation of inhibition adds an element of nurture to the construction of cortical networks.
- Publication
Nature reviews. Neuroscience, 2002, Vol 3, Issue 9, p728
- ISSN
1471-003X
- Publication type
Journal Article
- DOI
10.1038/nrn920