XIIth I.S.C.E.R.G. Symposium

Strychnine and picrotoxin were tested as possible antagonists of two puta- tive inhibitory transmitters in the retina: taurine and GABA, Strychnine was shown to antagonize the depressive action of taurine on the ERG b-wave, but it did not affect the depressive action of GABA. Conversely, picrotoxin had no effect on the depressive action of taurine on the ERG b-wave, but it antagonizes to some extent the depressive effect of GABA. These data, as well as those obtained through recording tectal evoked responses, lead to the conclusion that taurine and GABA do not act in the same way in retinal inhibitory synaptic transmission. REFERENCES CURTIS, D.R., AW. DUGGAN & G.A.R. JOflNSTON. Glycine, strychnine, picro- toxine and spinal inhibition. Brain Res. 14, 759-762 (1969). CURTIS, D.R., L. HOSLI & G.AR. JOHNSTON. A pharmacological study of the depression of spinal neurones by glycine and related aminoacids. Exp. Brain Res. 6, 1-18 (1968 a). CURTIS, D.R., L.HOSLI, G.A.R. JOHNSTON & LH. JOHNSTON. The hyperpolariza- tion of spinal motoneurones by glycine and related aminoacids. Exp. Brain Res. 5, 235-258 (1968 b). CURTIS, D.R. & A.K. TEBECIS. Bicuculline and thalamic inhibition. Exp.Brain Res. 16,210-218 (1972). DA VIDSON, N. & H. REISINE. Presynaptic inhibition in cuneate blocked by GABA antagonists. Nature New Biology 234,223-224 (1971).