PERSISTENT ELEVATION IN GABA-A RECEPTOR SUBUNIT MESSENGER-RNAS FOLLOWING SOCIAL STRESS

Stress is associated with alterations in GABA/benzodiazepine binding and function. We evaluated effects of social stress on GABA(A) receptor subunit (alpha1 and gamma2) mRNAs by Northern hybridization. In cortex, no change was observed in either subunit mRNA immediately after stress, but at 4 hours mRNAs for both subunits were increased. These changes persisted for 72 hours after stress, and returned to baseline levels at 7 days. No changes in mRNAs were observed in sham-treated mice. No changes in either subunit mRNA were observed in stressed or sham-treated mice in cerebellum or hippocampus. In undefeated resident mice, mRNAs for both subunits in cortex were unaffected at 24 hours after the stress episode. Social stress is associated with increases in GABA(A) receptor alpha1 and gamma2 subunit mRNAs in cortex.