Benzodiazepine drugs -- such as Valium -- induce relaxation, but they also have unwelcome side effects. These drugs work by binding to the GABAA receptor on nerve cells and damping down the electrical activity of these cells. Depending on where in the brain they are found, GABAAreceptors have different actions, so the aim is to develop drugs that target only those receptors that produce the desired effects.
- William Wisden
- David N. Stephens
