TY - JOUR AU - Chandra, Dev AU - Korpi, Esa R. AU - Miralles, Celia P. AU - De Blas, Angel L. AU - Homanics, Gregg E. PY - 2005 DA - 2005/04/25 TI - GABAAreceptor γ2 subunit knockdown mice have enhanced anxiety-like behavior but unaltered hypnotic response to benzodiazepines JO - BMC Neuroscience SP - 30 VL - 6 IS - 1 AB - Gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptors (GABAA-Rs) are the major inhibitory receptors in the mammalian brain and are modulated by a number of sedative/hypnotic drugs including benzodiazepines and anesthetics. The significance of specific GABAA-Rs subunits with respect to behavior and in vivo drug responses is incompletely understood. The γ2 subunit is highly expressed throughout the brain. Global γ2 knockout mice are insensitive to the hypnotic effects of diazepam and die perinatally. Heterozygous γ2 global knockout mice are viable and have increased anxiety-like behaviors. To further investigate the role of the γ2 subunit in behavior and whole animal drug action, we used gene targeting to create a novel mouse line with attenuated γ2 expression, i.e., γ2 knockdown mice. SN - 1471-2202 UR - https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2202-6-30 DO - 10.1186/1471-2202-6-30 ID - Chandra2005 ER -