The GABAA Receptor as a Therapeutic Target for Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Open accessAbstract
Intellectual disability, autism spectrum disorder, and epilepsy are prime examples of neurodevelopmental disorders that collectively affect a significant percentage of the world population. Recent technological breakthroughs allowed the elucidation of the genetic causes of many of these disorders. As neurodevelopmental disorders are genetically heterogeneous, the development of rational therapy is extremely challenging. Fortunately, many causative genes are interconnected and cluster in specific cellular pathways. Targeting a common node in such a network would allow us to interfere with a series of related neurodevelopmental disorders at once. Here, we argue that the GABAergic system is disturbed in many neurodevelopmental disorders, including fragile X syndrome, Rett syndrome, and Dravet syndrome, and is a key candidate target for therapeutic intervention. Many drugs that modulate the GABAergic system have already been tested in animal models with encouraging outcomes and are readily available for clinical trials.
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Widespread defects in GABAergic signaling across cortical and subcortical regions may also contribute to the abnormal hyperexcitability of juvenile Fmr1 mutants.
“In addition, widespread defects in GABAergic signaling across cortical and subcortical regions may also contribute to the abnormal hyperexcitability of juvenile Fmr1 mutants 107 .”
From Developmental timing and critical windows for the treatment of psychiatric disorders (2016) · cites this paper as [107]
Defects in GABAergic signaling may also contribute to the hyperexcitability observed in Fmr1 mutant mice.
“defects in GABAergic signaling may also contribute to the hyperexcitability observed in Fmr1 mutant mice 107 .”
From Developmental timing and critical windows for the treatment of psychiatric disorders (2016) · cites this paper as [107]
Treatment with GABAA and GABAB receptor modulators seems to control hyperexcitability in Fmr1 mutant mice, but similar approaches in human patients have failed to yield positive outcomes.
“Similarly, treatment with GABAA and GABAB receptor modulators seems to control hyperexcitability in Fmr1 mutant mice, but similar approaches in human patients have failed to yield positive outcomes 107,116 .”
From Developmental timing and critical windows for the treatment of psychiatric disorders (2016) · cites this paper as [107]
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- Authors
- Braat, S., & Kooy, R. F.
- Affiliations
- University of Antwerp (BE)
- Corresponding author
- Kooy, R. Frank
- ORCID
- Kooy, R. Frank
- Venue
- Neuron
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2015-06
- Volume
- 86
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 1119-1130
- ISSN
- 0896-6273 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W1485428340
- Cited by
- 294
- References
- 19
- Citations by year
- 2026: 11 · 2025: 24 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 31 · 2022: 36 · 2021: 30 · 2020: 30 · 2019: 27 · 2018: 31 · 2017: 28 · 2016: 24 · 2015: 5
- FWCI
- 3.79
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- Neuron (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- FRAXA Research Foundation
- Marinus Pharmaceuticals
- Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetics and Neurodevelopmental Disorders
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neuropharmacology Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Epilepsy research and treatment
- Keywords
- GABAA receptor, neurodevelopmental disorders, GABAergic system, fragile X syndrome, Rett syndrome, Dravet syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability, epilepsy, therapeutic target, GABAergic drugs, genetic heterogeneity
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Developmental Disabilities, Child Development Disorders, Pervasive, Fragile X Syndrome, Humans, Nervous System Diseases, Receptors, GABA-A, Rett Syndrome, Drug Delivery Systems, GABA Modulators
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