GABA neurons in the mammalian central nervous system: model for a minimal basic neural unit.

My current working models of nervous system function place particular emphasis on the roles of inhibitory GABAergic neurons in information processing in the central nervous system. It is proposed that in behavioral sequences, innate or learned, preprogrammed neural circuits are released to function at varying rates and in various combinations largely by disinhibition of pacemaker neurons whose activities are under the dual tonic inhibitory control of GABAergic local circuit neurons and projection command neurons. According to this view, disinhibition is permissive and excitatory input to pacemaker neurons has mainly a modulatory role. Disturbances in GABAergic function probably occur in a variety of neurologic and psychologic disorders.