Gamma-aminobutyric acid and the high pressure neurological syndrome.

Sodium valproate, nipecotic acid, diaminobutyric acid (DABA) and beta-alanine are drugs which enhance transmission mediated by gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) by a variety of mechanisms. They were used to study the role of GABA in the high pressure neurological syndrome (HPNS) in the rat. Sodium valproate, nipecotic acid and DABA reduced the increase in slow waves seen in the electroencephalogram (EEG) of control rats at pressures above 10-20 ATA; however, only sodium valproate had a beneficial effect on the behavioural signs of the high pressure neurological syndrome (tremor, myoclonus and convulsions). Sodium valproate is also thought to decrease neurotransmission produced by excitatory amino acids; thus, these results suggest that GABA is not one of the major neurotransmitters involved in all aspects of the high pressure neurological syndrome and that changes in excitatory neurotransmission may affect the behavioural signs.