Demonstration of GABA immunoreactive cells in the inferior olive of baboons (Papio papio and Papio anubis)

The distribution of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-like immunoreactivity was studied in semithin sections through the inferior olivary complex in two baboon species. About 5% of the olivary neurons were GABA-immunoreactive. The GABA-immunoreactive neurons differed from the large majority of olivary neurons by their smaller size and their lower contents of aspartate, as judged by analysis of alternate sections labelled with an aspartate antiserum. The present observations raise the possibility that in primates the GABAergic modulation of the activity of the climbing fibre system is effected not only by the previously described input from the cerebellar nuclei and other extrinsic sources, but that intrinsic neurons also participate.