Fig. 1
From: Is the awakening produced by benzodiazepines due to excitatory actions of GABA?
Shifts in GABA polarity action in development and disease. Schematic representations of immature and mature neurons with GABAergic actions during development and its reversal in pathological conditions. Left: Immature neurons have a high intracellular chloride concentration ([Cl−]i) due to a high expression of NKCC1 and a low expression of KCC2; (bottom) activation of GABAA receptors by GABA application (arrow) results in a depolarization due to chloride efflux from the cell. Right: Mature neurons present low [Cl−]i due to a low expression of NKCC1 and a high expression of KCC2; (bottom) activation of GABAA receptors by GABA application (arrow) results in a hyperpolarization. In pathological conditions there is a reversal to immature patterns with high [Cl−]i and GABA-induced depolarization