, 2008). Given the involvement of inhibition in all aspects of brain function, it is not surprising that changes in GABAergic signaling, and interneuron structure and function, have been reported in many pathological states, including schizophrenia (Lewis et al., 2012), autism (Chao et al., 2010; Pizzarelli and Cherubini, 2011), affective disorders (Brambilla et al., 2003; Möhler, 2012), and fragile X syndrome (Olmos-Serrano et al., 2010). Deficits in cognitive functions in Down syndrome have also been attributed in part to altered inhibition, and chronic partial blockade of GABAA receptors www.selleckchem.com/products/3-methyladenine.html with

picrotoxin at subconvulsant doses ameliorates some behavioral deficits in a mouse model (Fernandez et al., 2007). GABAA receptor plasticity has an important and potentially maladaptive role in status epilepticus, in which desensitization and internalization are thought to contribute to a progressive loss of effect of benzodiazepine anticonvulsants (Kapur and Coulter, 1995; selleck chemicals Kapur and Macdonald, 1997; Brooks-Kayal et al., 1998). In the longer term, several GABAA receptor subunits undergo changes in expression, and α5 subunits in particular undergo a robust downregulation (Houser and Esclapez, 2003). This subunit contributes to tonic inhibition at intermediate ambient GABA concentrations. Although a loss of tonic inhibition might be expected (and

to contribute to epileptogenesis after severe seizures), compensation by other subunits has been reported (Scimemi et al., 2005). Changes in subunits contributing to tonic inhibition,

as well as in progesterone metabolites acting on these subunits, also occur during the estrus cycle, possibly contributing to catamenial dysphoric symptoms and changes in susceptibility to seizures (Maguire et al., 2005). Several other forms of plasticity of inhibition in epilepsy have been reviewed by Fritschy (2008). Altered inhibition has also been reported in other disorders including pain sensitization (Sivilotti and Woolf, 1994) and opiod addiction (Nugent et al., 2007). In many of these disorders, however, it is difficult to disentangle a pathogenic role of the primary alteration in inhibition from a compensatory PD184352 (CI-1040) effect. Despite the absence of an obvious local coincidence detector at GABAergic synapses, abundant forms of inhibitory plasticity have emerged. The computational roles of these phenomena are likely to go far beyond mere stabilization of brain excitability. Indeed, the psychotropic effects of recreational CB1 agonists hint that modifying GABAergic signaling has extensive consequences for many cognitive and vegetative functions. Whether and how the numerous forms of inhibitory plasticity can be harnessed for therapeutic purposes represents a challenge for further work.