The effect of toluene on the vestibulo- and opto-oculomotor system in rats, pretreated with GABAergic drugs

Toluene, an aromatic solvent, prolongs the duration of nystagmus induced by a rotatory acceleration or by an optokinetic stimulation in the pigmented rat. Baclofen, an agonist of GABA B receptors, and 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroisoxazolo[5,4-c]-pyridin-3-ol (THIP), an agonist of GABA A receptors are able to block this toluene effect on the vestibular system. On the contrary diazepam, which by itself causes an evident reduction of the duration of acceleratory nystagmus, is not able to block the toluene effect. The results indicate that the toluene effect is related to GABA transmission and that the solvent interacts by a rather receptor specific mechanism of action.