Effect of Anesthetics on Brain Gamma-Aminobutyric and Glutamic Acid Levels

23 February 1963

journal article
research article
Published by American Medical Association (AMA)

Vol. 183 (8) , 659-661
https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.1963.63700080004017a

Abstract

GAMMA-AMINOBUTYRIC ACID was found, by Roberts et al,¹Awapara et al,²and proved by Udenfriend,³to be present in considerable amounts in the mammalian brain. The significance of this discovery escaped notice until Florey⁴found that an extract from the mammalian central nervous system inhibited the spontaneous activity of the stretch receptor neuron of the crayfish. He also demonstrated the ability of this extract to block the effect of acetylcholine on this receptor neuron. He called this material "Factor I." Bazemore et al⁵subsequently identified "Factor I" as being primarily composed of gamma-aminobutyric acid. Interest in this substance really perked up, however, with the report of Hayashi et al⁶that gamma-amino-hydroxybutyric acid inhibited, in dogs, convulsions induced by electrical or chemical stimulation; Killam and Bain's⁷findings that semicarbazide induced convulsions in rats are associated with a decrease in brain gamma-aminobutyric acid concentration. Glutamic

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