Scientists have, for the first time, revealed at the atomic level the structure of a protein that carries one of the body’s most important neurotransmitters into neurons.

In determining the structure of this transporter protein — one of the smallest proteins ever resolved — the researchers open new avenues to improve drugs for a wide range of debilitating conditions, including epilepsy, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, Parkinson’s and Huntington’s diseases, anxiety and autism spectrum disorder.

The study appears June 8 in the journal Nature.

Neurons relay signals to one another by sending neurotransmitters across gaps between them, called synapses. The molecule GABA (short for gamma-amino butyric acid) is one of the most prevalent neurotransmitters in the brain.

When one neuron emits GABA, sending it out across a synapse toward a nearby neuron, GABA inhibits the activity of the receiving neuron.

But sometimes conditions can go awry, and not enough GABA reaches the receiving neuron, which may then become overactive, sending too many electrical impulses. This can cause a number of debilitating effects, including seizures.

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