Mind's Eye
A GABA reuptake inhibitor (GRI) is a type of drug which acts as a reuptake inhibitor for the neurotransmitter gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) by blocking the action of the gamma-Aminobutyric acid transporters (GATs). This in turn leads to increased extracellular concentrations of GABA and therefore an increase in GABAergic neurotransmission. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an amino acid that functions as the predominant inhibitory neurotransmitter within the central nervous system, playing a crucial role in modulating neuronal activity in both the brain and spinal cord. While GABA predominantly exerts inhibitory actions in the adult brain, it has an excitatory role during developmental stages. When the neuron receives the action potential, GABA is released from the pre-synaptic cell to the synaptic cleft. After the action potential transmission, GABA is detected on the dendritic side, where specific receptors collectively contribute to the inhibitory outcome by facilitating GABA transmitter uptake. Facilitated by specific enzymes, GABA binds to post-synaptic receptors, with GABAergic neurons playing a key role in system regulation. The inhibitory effects of GABA diminish when presynaptic neurons reabsorb it from the synaptic cleft for recycling by GABA transporters (GATs). The reuptake mechanism is crucial for maintaining neurotransmitter levels and synaptic functioning. Gamma-aminobutyric acid Reuptake Inhibitors (GRIs) hinder the functioning of GATs, preventing GABA reabsorption in the pre-synaptic cell. This results in increased GABA levels in the extracellular environment, leading to elevated GABA-mediated synaptic activity in the brain.