Biology of Humans 4th Edition by Judith Goodenough,Betty McGuire

Exercise 24

Indira has taken the sedative Valium, a drug that has a molecu- lar shape similar to that of the neurotransmitter GABA (an inhibitory neurotransmitter). When Valium binds to GABA receptors, it causes the same effects as the binding of GABA itself. Based on this information, explain why Valium has a calming effect on the nervous system.