Enables diazepam binding activity. Contributes to GABA receptor activity. Involved in GABAergic synaptic transmission and cellular response to histamine. Located in membrane. Is integral component of plasma membrane. Part of GABA receptor complex. Is active in GABA-ergic synapse. Is integral component of postsynaptic specialization membrane. Biomarker of hepatic encephalopathy. Human ortholog(s) of this gene implicated in developmental and epileptic encephalopathy 19 and idiopathic generalized epilepsy 13. Orthologous to human GABRA1 (gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor subunit alpha1). [provided by Alliance of Genome Resources, Apr 2022]