Distribution of GABA(A) receptors in the limbic system of alcohol-preferring and non-preferring rats: In situ hybridisation histochemistry and receptor autoradiography

Abstract

The present study has employed quantitative receptor autoradiography and in situ hybridisation histochemistry to compare the expression of the mRNA encoding the α1 and α2 subunits of the GABA(A) receptor and the binding density of mature GABA(A) receptors in the limbic system of alcohol-preferring Fawn-Hooded rats (FH) with Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY). Quantifiable levels of mRNA encoding the α1 subunit were found in cortical regions, ventral pallidum, substantia nigra, horizontal limb of the diagonal band and the hippocampus of both rat strains. Interestingly, expression of the α1 subunit mRNA was decreased by approximately 30% in the hippocampus of FH compared to WKY rats. Following a 28-day p..