GABA or (gamma)-aminobutirric acid works as an inhibitory transmitter in the central nervous system. It has been shown to produce a hyperpolarization of postsynaptic membranes through an increase in chloride conductance.

Disfunctioning of GABA-ergic synapses has been invoked for diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's chorea, epilepsy and some forms of schizophrenia. One of the possible ways to palliate GABA deficiency lies in the inhibition of the uptake mechanism of this neurotransmitter.