Patient/caregiver was instructed upon mechanism of action of Baclofen as follows:
- Nerve impulses travel from the brain and spinal cord (central nervous system) along the nerves to the muscles. Upon conduction to the muscles, these impulses cause the muscle to contract.
- Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that are synthesized in the nervous system and help the nerve cells to communicate with each other in conducting or inhibiting the nerve impulse. These chemicals can have multiple roles and other functions in the body.
- Gama-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is one such neurotransmitter in the nervous system. Upon release, GABA inhibits the conduction of impulses to the muscles.
- Baclofen is an analog of GABA and works on the same lines, inhibiting the conduction of nerve impulses from the spinal cord and to the muscles.
- Conduction of nerve impulse to the muscle results in muscle contraction. Upon intake of baclofen, inhibition of nerve impulse conduction from the spinal cord to the muscle leads to muscle relaxation.
