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Brain Research Aug 2018The gut microbiota - the trillions of bacteria that reside within the gastrointestinal tract - has been found to not only be an essential component immune and metabolic... (Review)
Review
The gut microbiota - the trillions of bacteria that reside within the gastrointestinal tract - has been found to not only be an essential component immune and metabolic health, but also seems to influence development and diseases of the enteric and central nervous system, including motility disorders, behavioral disorders, neurodegenerative disease, cerebrovascular accidents, and neuroimmune-mediated disorders. By leveraging animal models, several different pathways of communication have been identified along the "gut-brain-axis" including those driven by the immune system, the vagus nerve, or by modulation of neuroactive compounds by the microbiota. Of the latter, bacteria have been shown to produce and/or consume a wide range of mammalian neurotransmitters, including dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, or gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA). Accumulating evidence in animals suggests that manipulation of these neurotransmitters by bacteria may have an impact in host physiology, and preliminary human studies are showing that microbiota-based interventions can also alter neurotransmitter levels. Nonetheless, substantially more work is required to determine whether microbiota-mediated manipulation of human neurotransmission has any physiological implications, and if so, how it may be leveraged therapeutically. In this review this exciting route of communication along the gut-brain-axis, and accompanying data, are discussed.
Topics: Animals; Brain; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Humans; Neurotransmitter Agents
PubMed: 29903615
DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2018.03.015 -
Sleep Medicine Clinics Jun 2018The regulated alternations between wakefulness and sleep states reflect complex behavioral processes, orchestrated by distinct neurochemical changes in brain parenchyma.... (Review)
Review
The regulated alternations between wakefulness and sleep states reflect complex behavioral processes, orchestrated by distinct neurochemical changes in brain parenchyma. No single neurotransmitter or neuromodulator controls the sleep-wake states in isolation. Rather, fine-tuned interactions within organized neuronal circuits regulate waking and sleep states and drive their transitions. Structural or functional dysregulation and medications interfering with these ensembles can lead to sleep-wake disorders and exert wanted or unwanted pharmacological actions on sleep-wake states. Knowledge of the neurochemical bases of sleep-wake states, which will be discussed in this article, provides the conceptual framework for understanding pharmacological effects on sleep and wake.
Topics: Animals; Brain Chemistry; Humans; Neurotransmitter Agents; Sleep; Sleep Wake Disorders; Wakefulness
PubMed: 29759265
DOI: 10.1016/j.jsmc.2018.03.002 -
Current Biology : CB Mar 2005
Review
Topics: Brain; Humans; Models, Neurological; Neurons; Neurotransmitter Agents; Receptors, Neurotransmitter; Signal Transduction; Synapses
PubMed: 15753022
DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2005.02.037 -
Alcohol Research & Health : the Journal... 2008Nerve cells (i.e., neurons) communicate via a combination of electrical and chemical signals. Within the neuron, electrical signals driven by charged particles allow... (Review)
Review
Nerve cells (i.e., neurons) communicate via a combination of electrical and chemical signals. Within the neuron, electrical signals driven by charged particles allow rapid conduction from one end of the cell to the other. Communication between neurons occurs at tiny gaps called synapses, where specialized parts of the two cells (i.e., the presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons) come within nanometers of one another to allow for chemical transmission. The presynaptic neuron releases a chemical (i.e., a neurotransmitter) that is received by the postsynaptic neuron's specialized proteins called neurotransmitter receptors. The neurotransmitter molecules bind to the receptor proteins and alter postsynaptic neuronal function. Two types of neurotransmitter receptors exist-ligand-gated ion channels, which permit rapid ion flow directly across the outer cell membrane, and G-protein-coupled receptors, which set into motion chemical signaling events within the cell. Hundreds of molecules are known to act as neurotransmitters in the brain. Neuronal development and function also are affected by peptides known as neurotrophins and by steroid hormones. This article reviews the chemical nature, neuronal actions, receptor subtypes, and therapeutic roles of several transmitters, neurotrophins, and hormones. It focuses on neurotransmitters with important roles in acute and chronic alcohol effects on the brain, such as those that contribute to intoxication, tolerance, dependence, and neurotoxicity, as well as maintained alcohol drinking and addiction.
Topics: Alcoholism; Animals; Brain; Humans; Neurons; Neurotransmitter Agents; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; Receptors, Neurotransmitter; Synapses
PubMed: 23584863
DOI: No ID Found -
Frontiers in Immunology 2022Progress in neuroimmunology established that the nervous and the immune systems are two functionally related physiological systems. Unique sensory and immune receptors... (Review)
Review
Progress in neuroimmunology established that the nervous and the immune systems are two functionally related physiological systems. Unique sensory and immune receptors enable them to control interactions of the organism with the inner and the outer worlds. Both systems undergo an experience-driven selection process during their ontogeny. They share the same mediators/neurotransmitters and use synapses for intercellular communication. They keep a memory of previous experiences. Immune cells can affect nervous cells, nervous cells can affect immune cells, and they regulate each other. I however argue that the two systems differ by three major points: 1) Unlike the nervous system, the immune system has a loose anatomical structure, in which molecular and cellular events mostly occur at random; 2) The immune system can respond to the whereas the nervous system can respond to ; 3) Responses of the immune system act both on the organism and on the stimulus that triggered the response, whereas responses of the nervous system act on the organism only. The nervous and the immune systems therefore appear as two complementary that closely work together, and whose reactivities are well-suited to deal with physical and biological stimuli, respectively. Its ability both to adapt the organism to the living world and to adapt the living world to the organism endows the immune system with powerful adaptive properties that enable the organism to live in peace with itself and with other living beings, whether pathogens or commensals.
Topics: Cell Communication; Immune System; Nervous System; Neuroimmunomodulation; Neurotransmitter Agents
PubMed: 36177051
DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.984678 -
Nature Reviews. Neuroscience Jun 2008Micturition, or urination, occurs involuntarily in infants and young children until the age of 3 to 5 years, after which it is regulated voluntarily. The neural... (Review)
Review
Micturition, or urination, occurs involuntarily in infants and young children until the age of 3 to 5 years, after which it is regulated voluntarily. The neural circuitry that controls this process is complex and highly distributed: it involves pathways at many levels of the brain, the spinal cord and the peripheral nervous system and is mediated by multiple neurotransmitters. Diseases or injuries of the nervous system in adults can cause the re-emergence of involuntary or reflex micturition, leading to urinary incontinence. This is a major health problem, especially in those with neurological impairment. Here we review the neural control of micturition and how disruption of this control leads to abnormal storage and release of urine.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Physiological Phenomena; Neural Pathways; Neurotransmitter Agents; Trauma, Nervous System; Urinary Incontinence; Urination
PubMed: 18490916
DOI: 10.1038/nrn2401 -
Neuron Mar 2019We define the chemoconnectome (CCT) as the entire set of neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, neuropeptides, and their receptors underlying chemotransmission in an...
We define the chemoconnectome (CCT) as the entire set of neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, neuropeptides, and their receptors underlying chemotransmission in an animal. We have generated knockout lines of Drosophila CCT genes for functional investigations and knockin lines containing Gal4 and other tools for examining gene expression and manipulating neuronal activities, with a versatile platform allowing genetic intersections and logic gates. CCT reveals the coexistence of specific transmitters but mutual exclusion of the major inhibitory and excitatory transmitters in the same neurons. One neuropeptide and five receptors were detected in glia, with octopamine β2 receptor functioning in glia. A pilot screen implicated 41 genes in sleep regulation, with the dopamine receptor Dop2R functioning in neurons expressing the peptides Dilp2 and SIFa. Thus, CCT is a novel concept, chemoconnectomics a new approach, and CCT tool lines a powerful resource for systematic investigations of chemical-transmission-mediated neural signaling circuits underlying behavior and cognition.
Topics: Animals; Connectome; Drosophila melanogaster; Neuroglia; Neurons; Neurotransmitter Agents; Synaptic Transmission
PubMed: 30799021
DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2019.01.045 -
International Journal of Molecular... Jul 2018Pain has been considered as a concept of sensation that we feel as a reaction to the stimulus of our surrounding, putting us in harm's way and acting as a form of... (Review)
Review
Pain has been considered as a concept of sensation that we feel as a reaction to the stimulus of our surrounding, putting us in harm's way and acting as a form of defense mechanism that our body has permanently installed into its system. However, pain leads to a huge chunk of finances within the healthcare system with continuous rehabilitation of patients with adverse pain sensations, which might reduce not only their quality of life but also their productivity at work setting back the pace of our economy. It may not look like a huge deal but factor in pain as an issue for majority of us, it becomes an economical burden. Although pain has been researched into and understood by numerous researches, from its definition, mechanism of action to its inhibition in hopes of finding an absolute solution for victims of pain, the pathways of pain sensation, neurotransmitters involved in producing such a sensation are not comprehensively reviewed. Therefore, this review article aims to put in place a thorough understanding of major pain conditions that we experience-nociceptive, inflammatory and physiologically dysfunction, such as neuropathic pain and its modulation and feedback systems. Moreover, the complete mechanism of conduction is compiled within this article, elucidating understandings from various researches and breakthroughs.
Topics: Animals; Humans; Hyperalgesia; Neuralgia; Neurogenic Inflammation; Neurotransmitter Agents; Nociceptive Pain; Quality of Life; Sensation; Synaptic Transmission
PubMed: 30042373
DOI: 10.3390/ijms19082164 -
Frontiers in Public Health 2021With the rapid development of electronic information in the past 30 years, technical achievements based on electromagnetism have been widely used in various fields... (Review)
Review
With the rapid development of electronic information in the past 30 years, technical achievements based on electromagnetism have been widely used in various fields pertaining to human production and life. Consequently, electromagnetic radiation (EMR) has become a substantial new pollution source in modern civilization. The biological effects of EMR have attracted considerable attention worldwide. The possible interaction of EMR with human organs, especially the brain, is currently where the most attention is focused. Many studies have shown that the nervous system is an important target organ system sensitive to EMR. In recent years, an increasing number of studies have focused on the neurobiological effects of EMR, including the metabolism and transport of neurotransmitters. As messengers of synaptic transmission, neurotransmitters play critical roles in cognitive and emotional behavior. Here, the effects of EMR on the metabolism and receptors of neurotransmitters in the brain are summarized.
Topics: Brain; Cell Phone; Electromagnetic Radiation; Humans; Neurotransmitter Agents; Radio Waves
PubMed: 34485223
DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2021.691880 -
Physiological Reviews Apr 2001Swallowing movements are produced by a central pattern generator located in the medulla oblongata. It has been established on the basis of microelectrode recordings that... (Review)
Review
Swallowing movements are produced by a central pattern generator located in the medulla oblongata. It has been established on the basis of microelectrode recordings that the swallowing network includes two main groups of neurons. One group is located within the dorsal medulla and contains the generator neurons involved in triggering, shaping, and timing the sequential or rhythmic swallowing pattern. Interestingly, these generator neurons are situated within a primary sensory relay, that is, the nucleus tractus solitarii. The second group is located in the ventrolateral medulla and contains switching neurons, which distribute the swallowing drive to the various pools of motoneurons involved in swallowing. This review focuses on the brain stem mechanisms underlying the generation of sequential and rhythmic swallowing movements. It analyzes the neuronal circuitry, the cellular properties of neurons, and the neurotransmitters possibly involved, as well as the peripheral and central inputs which shape the output of the network appropriately so that the swallowing movements correspond to the bolus to be swallowed. The mechanisms possibly involved in pattern generation and the possible flexibility of the swallowing central pattern generator are discussed.
Topics: Animals; Brain Stem; Deglutition; Esophagus; Humans; Motor Activity; Motor Neurons; Nerve Net; Neurons; Neurotransmitter Agents
PubMed: 11274347
DOI: 10.1152/physrev.2001.81.2.929