Effect of a pharmacological stressor on glutamate efflux in the prefrontal cortex

The anxiogenic beta-carboline, FG 7142 (20 mg/kg) significantly increased glutamate efflux in the prefrontal cortex of conscious rats as assessed by microdialysis. Pretreatment with the benzodiazepine receptor agonist, diazepam (5 mg/kg), abolished this effect. These findings indicate that anxiogenic compounds produce an effect similar to physical stressors on the outflow of glutamate, and implicate the GABA/benzodiazepine receptor complex in the stress-induced activation of glutamate systems in the prefrontal cortex.