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Sci. STKE, 12 December 2006
Vol. 2006, Issue 365, p. tw420
[DOI: 10.1126/stke.3652006tw420]

EDITORS' CHOICE

Neuroscience Switching Neurotransmitter Effects in Development

Pamela J. Hines

Science, AAAS, Washington, DC 20005, USA

The neurotransmitter GABA ({gamma}-aminobutyric acid) generally exerts inhibitory effects on neuronal activity during adulthood, but during early development when circuits are being built, GABA has excitatory effects. Studying chick neurons, Liu et al. show that the change involves a switch in the direction of the chloride gradient across the cell membrane, which is in turn triggered by changes in nicotinic signaling activity. The change in signaling modality may reflect how neuronal activity and cellular development interact to fine-tune the structure of the brain.

Z. Liu, R. A. Neff, D. K. Berg, Sequential interplay of nicotinic and GABAergic signaling guides neuronal development. Science 314, 1610-1613 (2006). [Abstract] [Full Text]

Citation: P. J. Hines, Switching Neurotransmitter Effects in Development. Sci. STKE 2006, tw420 (2006).

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