近几年来国外对γ-氨基丁酸(以下称GABA)的研究进展很快,发现它在肝昏迷的发病机理中有着重要的作用,Schafer等于1982年提出了肝昏迷发病机理的GABA介质受体系统的假说。本文就近几年国外有关此假说的研究进展做一概述。一、GABA及其受体: GABA是哺乳动物脑内主要的抑制性神经介质,它不仅是单一神经原的强有力抑制剂,而且能够诱发昏迷,其脑电图的改变,与人肝昏迷及动物实验性肝昏迷时的脑电图极为相似,均有宽大的δ波。脑内的GABA,主要存在于突触前神经原的贮存 In recent years, foreign research on γ-aminobutyric acid (hereinafter referred to as GABA) has progressed rapidly and found that it has an important role in the pathogenesis of hepatic coma. Schafer et al. Proposed the hepatic coma pathogenesis in 1982, GABA receptor System hypothesis. This article summarizes the research progress of this hypothesis abroad in recent years. GABA and its receptors: GABA is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain of mammals. It is not only a potent inhibitor of a single neuron, but also induces coma. Changes in its EEG, which are associated with hepatic coma and Electroencephalograms in animal experimental hepatic coma were very similar, with large δ waves. GABA in the brain, mainly in the presynaptic neuron storage