In previous reports, we have described the use of primary neuronal cultures derived from chick brain to study the regulation of the gamma-aminobutyric acidA (GABAA) receptor complex. Chronic exposure of cultures to GABA, benzodiazepines, or methylxanthines results in decreased enhancement of [3H]flunitrazepam binding by GABA, consistent with an allosteric uncoupling of GABA and benzodiazepine recognition sites of the GABAA receptor. In the present communication, we extend our studies of the pharmacology of benzodiazepine- and methylxanthine-induced uncoupling of GABA/benzodiazepine recognition site interactions and present evidence to show that certain barbiturates (barbital and pentobarbital) also induce uncoupling. Chronic exposure to flurazepam (a high efficacy benzodiazepine) elicits no change in the number of benzodiazepine binding sites or the affinity of benzodiazepine binding in the absence of GABA. Whereas flurazepam and theophylline decrease coupling, Ro15-1788 (a low efficacy benzodiazepine) inhibits flurazepam-induced but not theophylline-induced uncoupling, suggesting that theophylline and flurazepam act through separate receptors. Flurazepam-induced uncoupling is not prevented by SR-95531 or picrotoxin (specific inhibitors of GABA action) and, therefore, is not an indirect effect mediated by endogenous GABA. The onset of flurazepam-induced uncoupling (EC50 approximately 1 microM) exhibits a t 1/2 of about 18 hr, in general agreement with the half-time for receptor turnover. Uncoupling is reversible following washout and recovery at 37 degrees. These results are discussed in terms of mechanisms of GABAA receptor regulation in response to chronic exposure to functionally homologous or heterologous ligands.