Pharmacology and Mechanism of Action of Peptides in the Brain
A special issue of Pharmaceuticals (ISSN 1424-8247). This special issue belongs to the section "Pharmacology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 25 August 2025 | Viewed by 361
Special Issue Editor
Interests: neuroscience; neuropharmacology; antioxidants; neuroinflammation; models of neurodegenerative diseases; aging
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue aims to cover recent progress in the pharmacology and brain activity of endogenous and newly synthetized peptide derivatives and peptidomimetics. Brain peptides play crucial roles as neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, and neuroprotective agents. They are involved in a wide range of physiological functions, including pain modulation, stress response, seizure susceptibility, appetite regulation, and the sleep–wake cycle. Their mechanisms of action typically involve receptor binding, whereby peptides exert their effects by binding to specific receptors on the surface of neurons or other cell types. Most neuropeptides act on protein-coupled receptors, which can initiate intracellular signaling cascades upon activation, such as cyclic AMP signaling or the inositol trisphosphate pathway. This pathway can lead to the release of calcium from the endoplasmic reticulum, affecting cellular functions. Neuropeptides can modulate neurotransmitter release and synaptic strength, enhance or inhibit the effects of classical neurotransmitters like glutamate or GABA, influencing overall neuronal excitability and circuit dynamics, and lead to long-term changes in gene expression and neuronal plasticity, impacting learning and memory processes. The dysregulation of peptide systems is implicated in various conditions, including epilepsy, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, and neurodegenerative diseases. For example, targeting opioid receptors can provide analgesic effects or alter one’s mood. Peptides’ therapeutic applications are due to their specific actions: for instance, peptide antagonists and agonists are versatile molecules with complex roles in neural function. Understanding their pharmacology and mechanisms of action is essential for developing novel therapeutic strategies for neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders. Further research into peptide signaling pathways and receptor interactions continues to be a prominent area of study in neuroscience and pharmacology.
This Special Issue will publish original high-quality papers, short commentaries, and comprehensive reviews presenting results and insights related to the pharmacology and mechanisms of action of endogenous and newly synthetized peptide derivatives and peptidomimetics. These reports may come from disciplines ranging from chemistry to neuroscience, characterizing peptide molecules in animal models of neurodegenerative diseases.
Dr. Jana Tchekalarova
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Pharmaceuticals is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- peptide derivatives
- neuropeptides
- receptors
- brain
- pain
- epilepsy
- depression
- anxiety
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