4aminobutanoate

4-aminobutanoate, also known as gamma-aminobutyrate or GABA, is a non-proteinogenic amino acid. It is the principal inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mammalian central nervous system. GABA plays a crucial role in regulating neuronal excitability throughout the nervous system. When GABA binds to its receptors, it typically causes a hyperpolarization of the neuron, making it less likely to fire an action potential.

GABA is synthesized from glutamate by the enzyme glutamate decarboxylase (GAD). It is then packaged into vesicles and released into the synaptic cleft, where it binds to GABA receptors on the postsynaptic neuron. There are two main types of GABA receptors: GABA-A receptors, which are ionotropic and mediate fast inhibitory neurotransmission, and GABA-B receptors, which are metabotropic and mediate slower inhibitory effects.

Dysregulation of GABAergic neurotransmission has been implicated in various neurological and psychiatric disorders, including epilepsy, anxiety disorders, and insomnia. Consequently, GABA and its agonists are targets for therapeutic interventions. For instance, benzodiazepines, a class of drugs used to treat anxiety and insomnia, enhance GABAergic neurotransmission by binding to GABA-A receptors.