Referenced in: none

Automatically associated channels: Kir2.3

Title: Effects of flumazenil on cholecystokinin-tetrapeptide-induced panic symptoms in healthy volunteers.

Authors: J Bradwejn, D Koszycki, A Couëtoux du Tertre, M Paradis, M Bourin

Journal, date & volume: Psychopharmacology (Berl.), 1994 Mar , 114, 257-61

PubMed link: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/7838917

Abstract
The neuropeptide cholecystokinin-tetrapeptide (CCK-4) has potent anxiogenic action in human and animal subjects. On the basis of prior work which demonstrated that benzodiazepine (BZD) receptor agonists antagonized CCK-induced excitation of rat hippocampal neurons we studied whether BZD receptors mediated the anxiogenic effect of CCK-4. To examine this possibility we determined whether the BZD receptor antagonist flumazenil could antagonize the effects of CCK-4 (50 micrograms) in healthy volunteers. Thirty subjects (10 females; 20 males) were pretreated with flumazenil (2 mg in saline) or placebo (0.9% NaCl in water) 15 min prior to CCK-4 challenge in a randomized double-blind crossover design. Flumazenil had no impact on the behavioral and cardiovascular effects of CCK-4, suggesting that BZD receptors do not mediate the anxiogenic action of CCK-4. The influence of GABA and non-GABA-related mechanisms on response to CCK-4 remains to be considered.