GABA (gamma amino butyric acid) fulfills which role?

GABA (gamma amino butyric acid) fulfills which role?

• A. Increases anxiety and promotes wakefulness
• B. Helps reduce anxiety and promotes relaxation and sleep
• C. Regulates hunger and satiety
• D. Facilitates language development

Answer: (B)

The concept being tested is GABA's role as the brain's primary inhibitory neurotransmitter. By dampening neuronal activity—through opening chloride channels and hyperpolarizing neurons—GABA reduces excitability, which helps create a calming effect. This explains why it helps reduce anxiety and promote relaxation and sleep. The other options describe functions not tied to GABA: increasing anxiety or wakefulness would involve excitatory processes, hunger regulation involves metabolic signals and hypothalamic hormones, and language development relies on broader neural networks rather than GABA’s inhibitory action.

The concept being tested is GABA's role as the brain's primary inhibitory neurotransmitter. By dampening neuronal activity—through opening chloride channels and hyperpolarizing neurons—GABA reduces excitability, which helps create a calming effect. This explains why it helps reduce anxiety and promote relaxation and sleep. The other options describe functions not tied to GABA: increasing anxiety or wakefulness would involve excitatory processes, hunger regulation involves metabolic signals and hypothalamic hormones, and language development relies on broader neural networks rather than GABA’s inhibitory action.