GABA Receptor Positive Allosteric Modulators

The GABA positive allosteric modulators used in clinical practice fall under four categories: benzodiazepines, barbiturates, ethanol, and induction anesthetics. There are also drugs used to treat insomnia, e.g., zolpidem. Generally, these drugs will cause sedation, anticonvulsant, anxiolytic, and muscle relaxant effects. The specific indications of each drug appear in outline form below. Benzodiazepines consist of drugs such as alprazolam, lorazepam, diazepam, etc. Most of these agents are recognizable by the suffixes -zolam and -pam.