Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid A Receptor Alpha 6 (gABRa6)

GABRA6 is a member of the GABA-A receptor gene family of heteromeric pentameric ligand-gated ion channels through which GABA, the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the mammalian brain, acts. GABA-A receptors are the site of action of a number of important pharmacologic agents including barbiturates, benzodiazepines, and ethanol.

The selectively outbred alcohol-nontolerant (ANT) rat line is highly susceptible to impairment of postural reflexes by benzodiazepine agonists such as diazepam. ANT cerebella are generally devoid of diazepam-insensitive high-affinity binding of a benzodiazepine, whereas in nonselected strains such binding marks a granule-cell-specific GABA-A receptor containing the alpha-6 subunit.