Inhibitory modulation of cat somatosensory cortex: a pharmacological study.

In anesthetized preparations, GABA and taurine produced rapid, reversible inhibition of the negative component (N20) of the primary somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) without effect on the earlier positivity (P11). This effect was also produced by low doses of 4-aminopyridine. Neither bicuculline or picrotoxin antagonized these drug effects. A predominance of type B GABA receptors in the superficial layers of the somatosensory cortex is proposed.