Wang DS, Penna A, Orser BA. (2017) Anesthesiology 126(4): 666-677 Abstract BACKGROUND: The “dissociative ” general anesthetic ketamine is a well-known N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist. However, whether ketamine, at clinically relevant concentrations, increases the activity of inhibitory γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor type A (GABAA) receptors in different brain regions remains controversial. Here, the authors studied the effects […]

Perez-Sanchez J, Lorenzo LE, Zurek A, Labrakakis C, Bridgwater E, Orser BA. (2017) Journal of Neuroscience Research 65(6): 1307-1318 Abstract: Neuronal inhibition mediated by GABAA receptors constrains nociceptive processing in the spinal cord, and loss of GABAergic inhibition can produce allodynia and hyperalgesia. Extrasynaptic α5 subunit-containing GABAA receptors (α5GABAA Rs) generate a tonic conductance that inhibits […]

Piantadosi SC, French BJ, Poe MM, timic T, Markovic B, Pabba M, Seney M, Oh H, Orser BA, Savic MM, Cook JM, Sibille E. (2016) Frontiers in Pharmacology 7:446 Rationale: Current first-line treatments for stress-related disorders such as major depressive disorder (MDD) act on monoaminergic systems and take weeks to achieve a therapeutic effect with poor […]

Walters JL, Chelonis JJ, fogle CM, Orser BA, Paule MG. (2016) Neurotoxicology 56: 159-169 Abstract: Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction (POCD) is a complication that can occur in the elderly after anesthesia and surgery and is characterized by impairments in information processing, memory, and executive function. Currently, it is unclear whether POCD is due to the effects of surgery, […]

Perez-Sanchez J, Lorenzo Le, Zurek A, Labrakakis C, Bridgwater E, Orser BA, De Koninck Y, Bonin R. (2017) Journal of Neuroscience 95(6): 1307-1318 Abstract Neuronal inhibition mediated by GABAA receptors constrains nociceptive processing in the spinal cord, and loss of GABAergic inhibition can produce allodynia and hyperalgesia. Extrasynaptic α5 subunit-containing GABAA receptors (α5GABAA Rs) generate a tonic conductance […]

Avramescu S, Wang DS, Orser BA. (2016) Anesthesiology 125(3): 604-605 Click on link to Pubmed

Whissell PD, Avramescu S, Wang DS, Orser BA. (2016) Anesth Analg Abstract: BACKGROUND: Extrasynaptic γ-aminobutyric acid type A (GABAA) receptors that contain the δ subunit (δGABAA receptors) contribute to memory performance. Dysregulation of δGABAA receptor expression, which occurs in some neurological disorders, is associated with memory impairment. Mice lacking δGABAA receptors (Gabrd) exhibit deficits in […]

Zurek AA, Kemp SW, Aga Z, Walker S, Milenkovic M, Ramsey AJ, Sibille E, Scherer SW, and Orser BA. (2016) Ann Clin Transl Neurol. 3(5):392-8 Abstract: The prevalence of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), which affect over 1% of the population, has increased twofold in recent years. Reduced expression of GABAA receptors has been observed in postmortem […]

Avramescu S, Wang DS, Lecker I, To WTH, Penna A, Whissell PD, Mesbah-Oskui L, Horner RL and Orser BA. (2015) Anesthesiology (in press) Abstract Background: Critically ill patients with severe inflammation often exhibit heightened sensitivity to general anesthetics; however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Inflammation increases the number of GABAA receptors expressed on the surface […]

Accardi Mv, Brown PM, Miraucourt LS, Orser BA, Bowie D. (2015) J Neurosci 35(26): 9676-88 Abstract Activity-dependent strengthening of central synapses is a key factor driving neuronal circuit behavior in the vertebrate CNS. At fast inhibitory synapses, strengthening is thought to occur by increasing the number of GABAA receptors (GABARs) of the same subunit composition to […]