A new way to study the role of a critical neurotransmitter in disorders such as epilepsy, anxiety, insomnia, depression, schizophrenia, and alcoholism has been developed. The new method involves molecularly engineering a model synapse that can precisely control a variety of receptors for a neurotransmitter that is important in brain chemistry. The research opens the door to the possibility of creating safer and more-efficient drugs that target GABA receptors and that cause fewer side effects.