By sciencebase, Section News Posted on Mon Mar 10, 2008 at 02:12:05 AM PST
Researchers have determined the structure of a receptor in the brain thought to be involved in conditions as diverse as epilepsy and pre-menstrual syndrome. The same receptor has even been linked to alcohol sensitivity.
A team at the University of Cambridge team, working with colleagues at Aston University, UK, and the University of Alberta, Canada, have determined the arrangement of the constituent parts of an uncommon but important type of GABA receptor in the brain.
These receptors in the central nervous system play important roles in the body's response to gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a chemical used by the brain to control certain functions.
By understanding how the receptors' sub-units are arranged, scientists may now be able to develop drugs to block or stimulate them, providing hope for sufferers of a range of conditions.
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