Regional and laminar distribution of receptors for GABA in the rat brain

The present dataset provides the quantitative regional and laminar distribution of key molecules of inhibitory neurotransmission, namely the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors GABA_A and GABA_B as well as the GABA_A associated benzodiazepine (GABA_A/BZ) binding sites, in five selected rostrocaudal levels of the rat brain. The receptors were visualized by means of quantitative *in vitro* receptor autoradiography and the selective tritiated ligands muscimol, CGP 54626 and flumazenil. The high spatial resolution of this method enables quantification of receptor densities in anatomically identifiable cortical structures as detailed as the hippocampal regions and layers, or subcortical structures such as amygdalar nuclei.