Comparison of 3H-Muscimol and 3H-GABA Receptor Binding in Rat Brain

Muscimol (3-hydroxy-5-aminomethylisoxazole) has been reported to be a GABA receptor agonist in the mammalian central nervous system (Johnston, 1976; Krogsgaard-Larsen et al., 1975). Administration of this agent is known to cause both lethargy and hallucinations suggesting that muscimol penetrates the central nervous system. However, the specificity of this agent for central GABA receptors has yet to be conclusively demonstrated making it possible that these behavioral effects result from an interaction of muscimol with other neurotransmitter receptor sites.