The Role of Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid in the Inhibitory Mechanism of Mammalian Central Nervous System

摘要

Since nerve cells of large sizes were isolated from various nuclei of cat brain stem; for each isolated nerve cell, its gamma aminobutyric acid (GABA) content was measured and the GABA concentration calculated. In two cats, cerebellar vermis was removed, and 9 and 40 days after the operation, large cells were dissected out from Deiters' nucleus. GABA concentrations in the isolated nerve cells of the operated cats were: Deiters' cells, dorsal part, 1.7 plus or minus 0.6 mM; Deiters' cells, ventral part, 2.7 plus or minus 0.4 mM. Purkinje neurones of cerebellar vermis send their axons to the dorsal part of Deiters' nucleus. The present results suggest that GABA exists in a high concentration in Purkinje axon terminals attached to the nerve cell bodies of dorsal part of Deiters' nucleus. (Author)