Possible Interaction: Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid and Melatonin

“Accumulating evidence indicates that there is interplay between the melatonergic and GABAergic systems, and it has been demonstrated that melatonin administration produces significant, dose‐dependent increases in GABA concentrations in the central nervous system.”

“ Melatonin (aMT) modulates the activity of the brain, mainly acting on both GABA and glutamate receptors.”

“The ability of melatonin (MLT) to potentiate the effects of gamma-aminobutyric acid and the benzodiazepines has been demonstrated repeatedly in animal models, and recent experimental data favored the hypothesis that MLT, given together with threshold doses of benzodiazepines, could significantly improve the quality of sleep.”

“Interestingly, melatonin was effective only when GABA and melatonin were applied together.”

“Immunohistochemical and pharmacological results collected in this work support these nerve fibres to be inhibitory GABAergic nerves … was detected inside the photogenic tissue, where previous labelling detected the nerve fibre structures and (ii) GABA … MT and PRL-induced luminescence, which was on … by the GABA(A) antagonist bicuculline (BICU).”

“In both insects, treatment with GABA (1 microg/microl, intracranial injection) during the night was followed by a significant reduction in melatonin levels and NAT activity.”

“In contrast, GABA administered during the day time increased brain MEL levels and synthesis.”

“ Melatonin increased gamma-aminobutyric acid-C (GABA(C))-receptor activity, as demonstrated by the ability of the GABA(C)-receptor antagonists, picrotoxin and TPMPA, to abolish the effects of melatonin.”

“In pineal glands, GABA is supposed to be a paracrine-like modulator of secretion of melatonin , although its mode of action, especially the sites of GABA signal appearance, is unknown.”

“ GABA , the endogenous agonist of GABA receptor, significantly potentiated the hypnotic activity of melatonin.”

“Perfusion with melatonin (for 19 consecutive hours) prevented the daytime reductions in both GLU and GABA.”