Posted by Elizabeth on December 29, 2001, at 6:22:59
In reply to Re: Gabitril and benzos » Elizabeth, posted by MB on December 28, 2001, at 14:28:34
> Thanks for the info...very interesting. I guess I just figured that both a) increasing the effectiveness of GABA (benzos) and b) increasing the presence of GABA (tiagabine, vigabatrin) would have similar end results (i.e., I figured increase in GABA activity would *feel* the same no matter what route was taken to get there).
There may be some important differences. For whatever reasons, Gabitril and Sabril aren't used much for anxiety (yet, anyway). I think they may be less effective than benzos.
> When you mentioned that benzodiazepines bind to the "benzodiazepine receptors" it made me wonder why we have those receptors. Do we know of an endogenous brain-chemical for which these receptors are meant to be recetpive?
I don't know. A lot of receptors are named for the first ligand that was found (e.g., the nicotinic subtype of cholinergic receptors), endogenous or not. I think we probably have some sort of endogenous benzos, but I don't know offhand.
> So, since the vinyl-GABA and the Gabitril both increase GABA in the brain, does this mean that these drugs affect both types of GABA receptors? I felt no anxiety relief from the Gabitril.
Yes, just like SSRIs have effects on all types of serotonin receptors (because they just increase the amount of serotonin, which is a nonselective serotonin receptor agonist), Sabril and Gabitril will affect both types of GABA receptors. As you've discovered, though, the road to anxiety relief may be more complicated than just agonizing GABA-A receptors.
-elizabeth
poster:Elizabeth
thread:87498
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20011222/msgs/88130.html