What is the role of the gamma-hydroxybutyrate receptor?

A possible functional role for endogenous gamma-hydroxybutyrate has been disputed. However, there are receptor sites for this molecule, which are highly enriched in the synaptosomal membrane fraction in the rat brain and are functionally linked to a guanosine triphosphate-binding protein. These data suggest that they play a neurological role. The binding sites recognize some drug molecules that bear no structural similarity to gamma-hydroxybutyrate. Recent experimental evidence indicates the existence of endogenous hydrophobic ligands. As a minor brain metabolite directly or indirectly involved in scavenging oxygen-derived free radicals, gamma-hydroxybutyrate demonstrates similarities with melatonin. The gamma-hydroxybutyrate receptor is compared to the cannabis receptor, for which an endogenous hydrophobic ligand has been identified. Structurally similar molecules to this ligand are believed to be implicated in the sleep process. As gamma-hydroxybutyrate itself can induce sleep, a search amongst these molecules as possible ligands for the gamma-hydroxybutyrate receptor might be enlightening.