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GABA (γ-Aminobutyric Acid)

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Encyclopedia of Signaling Molecules

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Synonyms

GABA; Gamma-aminobutyric acid; γ-Aminobutyric acid

Historical Background

For a long time, GABA (Fig. 1) was known only as a product of plant and microbial metabolism. It was first synthesized in 1883, and in 1950 it was realized that GABA is present in the mammalian central nervous system. As an inhibitory neurotransmitter, GABA was recognized in 1967 in experiments showing that nerve and muscle cells challenged by GABA undergo ion-mediated changes in conductance similar to those found following activation of inhibitory neurons (for review see Dreifuss et al. 1969). In the following years, dictinct roles, as well as biosynthetic and metabolic pathways of GABA were described, and its place of synthesis determined.

Fig. 1
figure 1

GABA molecule

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Molecular Medicine, Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Zagreb, Croatia

    Vlainic Josipa

  2. Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia

    Jazvinscak Jembrek Maja

Authors
  1. Vlainic Josipa
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  2. Jazvinscak Jembrek Maja
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Correspondence to Vlainic Josipa .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Biological Science, Department of Molecular Science and Tech College of Natural Science, Suwon, Korea (Republic of)

    Sangdun Choi

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Josipa, V., Maja, J.J. (2016). GABA (γ-Aminobutyric Acid). In: Choi, S. (eds) Encyclopedia of Signaling Molecules. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6438-9_101632-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6438-9_101632-1

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  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-6438-9

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