Neurotransmission: Neurotransmitters, Receptors, and Neuropharmacology
A special issue of Life (ISSN 2075-1729). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Research".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2021) | Viewed by 872
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The neurotransmitters that signal between synapses underlie some of the most critical functions of neurons. These small molecules act to transmit information across synapses, which serve as bridges to form the complex biological networks that make up the brain. Our earliest understanding of neurotransmitters was limited by an overly specific definition of what a neurotransmitter is, leaving us only with molecules such as glutamate, glycine, GABA, and acetylcholine. We now know that neurotransmission is mediated through diverse signaling molecules, including proteins, lipids, amino acids, and gases. The exact number of unique neurotransmitters in humans is unknown, but hundreds have been identified and many more are likely still to be discovered.
More excitingly, the pharmacology of neurotransmission—from the neurotransmitter to the receptor—is of both scientific and clinical interest as well. Upon binding specific receptors on the membranes of the postsynaptic neurons, neurotransmitters can potently influence the postsynaptic neuron in either an excitation or inhibitory way, depolarizing or repolarizing it, respectively. Beyond binding a receptor, neurotransmission is also regulated by altering the availability and synthesis of the neurotransmitter, the release of that neurotransmitter, the number of available postsynaptic receptors for the neurotransmitter to bind to, and the subsequent removal or deactivation of the neurotransmitter.
This Special Issues seeks to spotlight new discoveries in our understanding of neurotransmission. The issue will focus on the interactions of neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, enzymes, channels, and receptor proteins in the central and peripheral nervous systems. Special emphasis will be placed on molecular studies that explore how these molecules affect neurological disorders, including somatosensation, cognition, and neurodegenerative diseases.
Authors are invited to contribute original research papers, reviews, or commentaries that explore these foundational molecules to this Special Issue of Life.
Dr. Chirag Vasavda
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- neurotransmitters
- neuromodulators
- neuropharmacology
- synaptic signaling
- neurotransmission
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