Which receptor does Strychnine block?

Strychnine is a well-known neurotoxin that acts primarily by blocking glycine receptors in the central nervous system. Glycine is an inhibitory neurotransmitter, and its receptors are predominantly located in the spinal cord and brainstem. When strychnine binds to these receptors, it effectively prevents glycine from exerting its inhibitory effects, leading to increased neuronal excitability and muscle spasms. This action can result in severe consequences, including convulsions and hyperreflexia.

While GABA receptors are involved in inhibitory neurotransmission in the brain, strychnine does not block them. In fact, strychnine's mechanism of action is more closely related to the disruption of glycine signaling rather than GABA signaling, which is a different pathway involving separate receptors. Therefore, the assertion that strychnine blocks a post-synaptic GABA receptor is not accurate in describing the toxin's primary action.