Blocking early GABA depolarization with bumetanide results in permanent alterations in cortical circuits and sensorimotor gating deficits. Wang, D. D & Kriegstein, A. R Cereb Cortex, 21(3):574–587, July, 2010.
abstract   bibtex   
A high incidence of seizures occurs during the neonatal period when immature networks are hyperexcitable and susceptible to hypersyncrhonous activity. During development, $γ$-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in adults, typically excites neurons due to high expression of the Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl(-) cotransporter (NKCC1). NKCC1 facilitates seizures because it renders GABA activity excitatory through intracellular Cl(-) accumulation, while blocking NKCC1 with bumetanide suppresses seizures. Bumetanide is currently being tested in clinical trials for treatment of neonatal seizures. By blocking NKCC1 with bumetanide during cortical development, we found a critical period for the development of $α$-amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionate synapses. Disruption of GABA signaling during this window resulted in permanent decreases in excitatory synaptic transmission and sensorimotor gating deficits, a common feature in schizophrenia. Our study identifies an essential role for GABA-mediated depolarization in regulating the balance between cortical excitation and inhibition during a critical period and suggests a cautionary approach for using bumetanide in treating neonatal seizures.
@ARTICLE{Wang2010-ab,
  title    = "Blocking early {GABA} depolarization with bumetanide results in
              permanent alterations in cortical circuits and sensorimotor
              gating deficits",
  author   = "Wang, Doris D and Kriegstein, Arnold R",
  abstract = "A high incidence of seizures occurs during the neonatal period
              when immature networks are hyperexcitable and susceptible to
              hypersyncrhonous activity. During development,
              $\gamma$-aminobutyric acid (GABA), the primary inhibitory
              neurotransmitter in adults, typically excites neurons due to high
              expression of the Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl(-) cotransporter (NKCC1). NKCC1
              facilitates seizures because it renders GABA activity excitatory
              through intracellular Cl(-) accumulation, while blocking NKCC1
              with bumetanide suppresses seizures. Bumetanide is currently
              being tested in clinical trials for treatment of neonatal
              seizures. By blocking NKCC1 with bumetanide during cortical
              development, we found a critical period for the development of
              $\alpha$-amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionate
              synapses. Disruption of GABA signaling during this window
              resulted in permanent decreases in excitatory synaptic
              transmission and sensorimotor gating deficits, a common feature
              in schizophrenia. Our study identifies an essential role for
              GABA-mediated depolarization in regulating the balance between
              cortical excitation and inhibition during a critical period and
              suggests a cautionary approach for using bumetanide in treating
              neonatal seizures.",
  journal  = "Cereb Cortex",
  volume   =  21,
  number   =  3,
  pages    = "574--587",
  month    =  jul,
  year     =  2010,
  language = "en"
}

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