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Several pyrazoloquinolinone (PQ) ligands were recently discovered as functionally selective positive modulators at the PQ site of α6‐containing GABAA receptors. PQs are also neutral modulators at the benzodiazepine site. We assessed the influence of PQ compounds from three structural groups (PZ‐II‐029 and related deuterated analogues DK‐I‐56‐1, RV‐I‐029, DK‐I‐60‐3 and DK‐I‐86‐1; LAU 463 and related analogues DK‐I‐58‐1 and DK‐II‐58‐1; and DK‐I‐87‐1), alone and in combination with diazepam, on the behaviour of male Sprague–Dawley rats. An excellent behavioural safety profile of all tested PQs was demonstrated in the spontaneous locomotor activity, rotarod, loss of righting reflex and pentylenetetrazol tests. In interaction studies, only PZ‐II‐029 and its analogues prevented the ataxic effects of the benzodiazepine, as assessed in the rotarod test and during monitoring of rat locomotor activity after awakening from the loss of righting reflex. Published electrophysiological profiles of PQ ligands imply that positive modulation elicited at α6‐GABAA receptors that contain the γ2 and δ subunit, rather than their neutral modulatory action at the benzodiazepine site, may prevent the ataxic action of diazepam. Thus, PZ‐II‐029 and its deuterated analogues are not prone to untoward interactions with benzodiazepines and may indeed completely abolish their ataxic action, seen at therapeutic, and especially toxic concentrations.

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