ABSTRACT
GHB is a four-carbon fatty acid derivative which has been used for many years as an adjuvant to anesthetic treatment (Blumenfeld et al. 1962; Solway and Sadove 1965). It has a close structural resemblance to γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a major inhibitory neurotransmitter, and it has been considered both a precursor and a metabolite of GABA, as well as a GABA agonist. Over the past ten years, it has become apparent that not only does GHB possess neuromodulating properties, but also that considerably more research is necessary if we are to understand the mechanism of action of this drug. A unique property of GHB is that systemic administration can increase the concentration of GHB in the brain by 100 fold, a property not normally associated with any compound that possesses signaling capacity (Maitre 1997). Certain of the central actions of GHB might be explainable with reference to its effects on central dopaminergic neurons (Feigenbaum and Howard 1996a; Hechler et al. 1993; Menon et al. 1976). This review explores the evidence.
