Ziskind-Conhaim L
Department of Physiology, University of Wisconsin Medical School, Madison 53706, USA.
Perspect Dev Neurobiol. 1998;5(2-3):279-87.
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is one of the principle inhibitory neurotransmitters in the mature spinal cord. It effectively suppresses synaptic transmission by mechanisms of postsynaptic and presynaptic inhibition. The function of GABA is less well understood early in spinal cord development, when the amino acid is transiently expressed in most neurons, and it depolarizes instead of hyperpolarizes neurons. This article reviews the possible physiological roles of GABA in modulating synaptic transmission, promoting neuronal development, and regulating neuronal pH during early stages of spinal cord differentiation. It is proposed that despite its depolarizing action, GABA acts as an inhibitory neurotransmitter that may also function as a neurotrophic agent.
γ-氨基丁酸（GABA）是成熟脊髓中主要的抑制性神经递质之一。它通过突触后和突触前抑制机制有效抑制突触传递。在脊髓发育早期，GABA的功能尚不清楚，此时这种氨基酸在大多数神经元中短暂表达，并且它使神经元去极化而非超极化。本文综述了GABA在脊髓分化早期调节突触传递、促进神经元发育和调节神经元pH方面可能的生理作用。有人提出，尽管GABA具有去极化作用，但它作为一种抑制性神经递质，也可能起到神经营养因子的作用。
