Discussion about GABA, Essays (university) of Medicine

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Discussion 5: GABA Student’s Name Instructor’s Name Course Date

Gamma-aminobutyric acid, commonly referred to as GABA, is an amino acid that occurs naturally and acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain. Neurotransmitters work as chemical messengers. GABA is deemed an inhibitory neurotransmitter for it blocks certain brain signals and reduces activities in the nervous system (García-Martín et al., 2018). Gamma-aminobutyric acid, like neurotransmitters, assists in carrying nerve signals crosswise a synapse. GABA slows down signals since it is an inhibitory neurotransmitter. Considering its inhibitory function, GABA performs a significant role in anxiety. GABA slows down signals and reduces the overwhelming anxiety feeling caused by anxiety-inducing signals. However, GABA may not work usually, and instead, it may increase anxiety in people with anxiety disorders, for example, generalized anxiety, panic disorder, and posttraumatic stress (García-Martín et al., 2018). Benzodiazepines such as Valium, Ativan, and Xanax are anti-anxiety medications that work on GABA receptors to downtrend anxiety-producing nerve signals. GABA plays a role in substance abuse, especially during the detox process. Malnutrition and dehydration decrease a person’s GABA production hence resulting in extreme anxiety. During detox, doctors prescribe anti-anxiety medication to patients. On the other hand, patients should be monitored because benzodiazepines can become addictive (Costa, 2019). A doctor must carefully assess the benefits and risks of the patient before prescribing benzodiazepines cyber since they have a sufficient understanding of pharmacology. As a clinician, it is prudent to advise the patient about misuse, risk of abuse, physical dependence, reactions of withdrawal, and addiction. In addition, the physician should warn the patient not to use benzodiazepines with alcohol because it increases the likelihood of severe side effects. The ‘black box warning’ of the FDA for benzodiazepines warns patients from using the medicine

References Costa, E. (2019). Benzodiazepine/GABA interactions: a model to investigate the neurobiology of anxiety. In Anxiety and the anxiety disorders (pp. 27-52). Routledge. García-Martín, E., Esguevillas, G., Serrador, M., Alonso-Navarro, H., Navacerrada, F., Amo, G., ... & Jiménez-Jiménez, F. J. (2018). Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors GABRA4, GABRE, and GABRQ gene polymorphisms and risk for migraine. Journal of Neural Transmission , 125 (4), 689-698. Gray, J. A. (2019). Issues in the neuropsychology of anxiety. In Anxiety and the anxiety disorders (pp. 5-26). Routledge.