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Science 13 July 2007:
Vol. 317. no. 5835, p. 197
DOI: 10.1126/science.1141555
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Technical Comments

Response to Comment on "Maternal Oxytocin Triggers a Transient Inhibitory Switch in GABA Signaling in the Fetal Brain During Delivery"

Roman Tyzio, Rosa Cossart, Ilgam Khalilov, Alfonso Represa, Yehezkel Ben-Ari,* Rustem Khazipov

We tested the hypothesis that cortisol-induced release of fetal oxytocin triggers a perinatal inhibitory switch in {gamma}-aminobutyric acid (GABA) signaling. The cortisol analog methylprednisolone did not modify GABA driving force and intracellular chloride concentration in 1-day-old rat hippocampal neurons. Together with the immaturity of the fetal rat hypothalamo-neurohypophysial system, these results suggest that oxytocin in the rat fetal brain is mainly provided by the mother.

Institut de Neurobiologie de la Méditerranée, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U29, 163 avenue de Luminy, 13273 Marseille, France.

* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: ben-ari{at}inmed.univ-mrs.fr

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Science. ISSN 0036-8075 (print), 1095-9203 (online)