Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.

Science 13 July 2007:
Vol. 317. no. 5835, p. 197
DOI: 10.1126/science.1141090
Prev | Table of Contents | Next

Technical Comments

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

Lionel Carbillon

Tyzio et al. (Reports, 15 December 2006, p. 1788) reported that maternal oxytocin triggers a transient excitatory-to-inhibitory switch of {gamma}-aminobutyric acid (GABA) signaling during labor, thus protecting the fetal rat brain from anoxic injury. However, a body of evidence supports the possibility that oxytocin is released from the fetal pituitary during delivery, not only from the mother, particularly under conditions of hypoxic stress.

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris, Paris 13 University, Hôpital Jean Verdier, Avenue du 14 Juillet, 93143 Bondy Cedex, France. E-mail: lionel.carbillon{at}jvr.aphp.fr

Read the Full Text

To Advertise     Find Products

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