Taurine in deep cerebellar nuclei of the rat. In vivo comparison to GABA inhibitory effect

Abstract The sensitivity of neurons of the deep cerebellar nuclei to iontophoretic application of taurine (TAU) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) has been studied in vivo in rats. Both TAU and GABA produced a dose-dependent depression of the firing rate. Both the inhibitory actions of TAU and GABA were antagonized by bicuculline (BIC) and picrotoxin (PIC) but not by strychnine (STRY) meaning that TAU had a ‘GABA-like’ effect in the deep cerebellar nuclei. Simultaneous application of TAU and GABA induced not an additive but a synergistic inhibitory effect on the discharge of the neurons of the interposed and dentate nuclei. These results indicate the involvement of TAU in the inhibitory processes acting on neurons of the deep cerebellar nuclei.