Cited by 96Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology ResearchTreatment of Major DepressionNeurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior

Antidepressant-like properties of α2-containing GABAA receptors

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Vollenweider, Isabel, Smith, Kiersten S., Keist, Ruth, Rudolph, Uwe·2011·Behavioural Brain Research

Abstract

Growing evidence suggests that altered function of the GABAergic system can contribute to the pathophysiology of depression. Many GABAergic effects are mediated via ionotropic GABA(A) receptors, which are functionally defined by their α subunit (α1-α6). Although it remains unknown which specific GABA(A) receptor population mediates depressive-like effects, we posit that α2-containing GABA(A) receptors, which are highly expressed in limbic regions, may underlie these behaviors. We hypothesized that genetic inactivation of α2-containing GABA(A) receptors would generate a depressive-like phenotype in mice. Male and female wild type, α2 heterozygous, and α2 homozygous knockout mice generated on the 129X1/SvJ background were examined in the novelty-suppressed feeding (NSF) test, the forced swim test (FST) and the tail suspension test (TST). Male α2 knockout mice took longer to eat in the NSF test and became immobile faster and remained immobile longer when challenged in the FST and the TST compared to wild types. In females significant genotypic differences were only observed in the FST. We conclude that GABAergic inhibition acting via α2-containing GABA(A) receptors has an antidepressant-like effect in vivo and that these receptors represent a specific molecular substrate that can regulate depressive-like states. α2-containing GABA(A) receptors may therefore represent a novel target for the development of more effective antidepressants.

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  • The anxiolytic and fear-reducing actions of benzodiazepines are mediated mostly by α2GABAARs.

    “Later work employing gene-targeted mice demonstrated the anxiolytic and fear-reducing actions of benzodiazepines to be mediated mostly by the α2GABAARs [8-10].”

    From An emerging circuit pharmacology of GABAA receptors (2018) · cites this paper as [9]

  • Global knockdown of the α2 subunit leads to anxiety- and despair-like behavior.

    “More recently it was demonstrated that global knockdown of the α2 subunit also leads to anxiety- and despair-like behavior [9], and that in these mice sensitivity to anxiogenic-and prodepressant-like effects with chronic fluoxetine treatment is increased [128].”

    From An emerging circuit pharmacology of GABAA receptors (2018) · cites this paper as [9]

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Authors
Vollenweider, I., Smith, K. S., Keist, R., & Rudolph, U.
Affiliations
  • Harvard University (US)
  • University of Zurich (CH)
Corresponding author
Smith, Kiersten S.
Venue
Behavioural Brain Research
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2011-02
Volume
217
Issue
1
Pages
77-80
ISSN
0166-4328 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2024324079
Cited by
96
References
27
Citations by year
2026: 6 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 6 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 8
FWCI
2.84
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Behavioural Brain Research (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
National Institute of Mental Health
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Treatment of Major Depression
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
Keywords
GABAergic system, depression, antidepressant-like effects, novelty-suppressed feeding, forced swim test, tail suspension test, sex differences, limbic system, antidepressant targets
MeSH terms
Animals, Depression, Disease Models, Animal, Feeding Behavior, Female, Male, Receptors, GABA-A, Sex Characteristics, Swimming, Mice, Knockout, Hindlimb Suspension, Immobility Response, Tonic, Mice, Mice, 129 Strain

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