Fig. 7.

Scheme of proposed ethanol effects on glycinergic synapses. At the presynaptic level, ethanol increases vesicular glycine release (red dots) by activation of adenylate cyclase (AC)/PKA (1) and PLC/inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP₃) receptor (IP₃R)/Ca²⁺ (2) pathways. Here, AC activation can increase PKA activity, leading to vesicular release. The data also support the idea that ethanol increases intracellular calcium release from the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) by IP₃R activation. At the postsynaptic level, GlyRs are located at synaptic (3) and nonsynaptic (4) sites. Modulation of GlyRs by Gβγ protein plays a key role in ethanol effects.