The GABAergic System: An Overview of Physiology, Physiopathology and Therapeutics

Abstract

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, where it is widely distributed. GABA has an important role in neurodevelopment, and depending on the period of development, its action can be excitatory or inhibitory. In prenatal stages, GABA is excitatory, and in the adult stage, GABA acquires an inhibitory function in the nervous system and modulates the function of other organs and systems including the endocrine system and the immune system. Disorders in the function of GABA are responsible for various pathologies, both neurological and non-neurological, and include epilepsy, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, endocrine disorders and immunological disorders. In the present narrative review, we show that the activity of GABA depends on the synthesis, degradation, membrane transport and the presence of specific GABA receptors, present in both nervous tissue and non-neural tissue. We describe general aspects of the physiology, physiopathology, and pharmacotherapeutics of the GABA system, and finally, we emphasize that although there are multiple GABAergic therapeutic options, more research is required into the GABA system since future applications may be broad.