Numerous phenomenal advances have been made towards understanding the role of neurotransmitters in the pathophysiology of neurological disorders, and these have resulted in a large number of novel molecules with the potential to revolutionize the treatment and prevention of such disorders. This book provides a comprehensive and detailed explanation of brain neurotransmitters and their receptors and associated channels. It includes a basic introduction, and also discusses the functions and recent advances and their pharmacology, highlighting the role of various computer aided drug design (CADD) strategies for the development of therapeutic ligands to modulate these receptors/ion channels. Written in an easy-to-read style, it is intended for neuroscience and pharmaceutical students and researchers working in the area of brain neurotransmitters.

This eBook is a collection of articles from a Frontiers Research Topic. Frontiers Research Topics are very popular trademarks of the Frontiers Journals Series: they are collections of at least ten articles, all centered on a particular subject. With their unique mix of varied contributions from Original Research to Review Articles, Frontiers Research Topics unify the most influential researchers, the latest key findings and historical advances in a hot research area! Find out more on how to host your own Frontiers Research Topic or contribute to one as an author by contacting the Frontiers Editorial Office: frontiersin.org/about/contact.

A comprehensive, multidisciplinary review, Neural Plasticity and Memory: From Genes to Brain Imaging provides an in-depth, up-to-date analysis of the study of the neurobiology of memory. Leading specialists share their scientific experience in the field, covering a wide range of topics where molecular, genetic, behavioral, and brain imaging techniq

Brain aminergic pathways are organized in parallel and interacting systems, which support a range of functions, from homoeostatic regulations to cognitive, and motivational processes. Despite overlapping functional influences, dopamine, serotonin, noradrenaline and histamine systems provide different contributions to these processes. The histaminergic system, long ignored as a major regulator of the sleep-wake cycle, has now been fully acknowledged also as a major coordinator of attention, learning and memory, decision making. Although histaminergic neurons project widely to the whole brain, they are functionally heterogeneous, a feature which may provide the substrate for differential regulation, in a region-specific manner, of other neurotransmitter systems. Neurochemical preclinical studies have clearly shown that histamine interacts and modulates the release of neurotransmitters that are recognized as major modulators of cognitive processing and motivated behaviours. As a consequence, the histamine system has been proposed as a therapeutic target to treat sleep-wake disorders and cognitive dysfunctions that accompany neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory pathologies. Last decades have witnessed an unexpected explosion of interest in brain histamine system, as new receptors have been discovered and selective ligands synthesised. Nevertheless, the complete picture of the histamine systems fine-tuning and its orchestration with other pathways remains rather elusive. This Research Topic is intended to offer an inter-disciplinary forum that will improve our current understanding of the role of brain histamine and provide the fundamentals necessary to drive innovation in clinical practice and to improve the management and treatment of neurological disorders.

With recent studies using genetic, epigenetic, and other molecular and neurochemical approaches, a new era has begun in understanding pathophysiology of suicide. Emerging evidence suggests that neurobiological factors are not only critical in providing potential risk factors but also provide a promising approach to develop more effective treatment and prevention strategies. The Neurobiological Basis of Suicide discusses the most recent findings in suicide neurobiology. Psychological, psychosocial, and cultural factors are important in determining the risk factors for suicide; however, they offer weak prediction and can be of little clinical use. Interestingly, cognitive characteristics are different among depressed suicidal and depressed nonsuicidal subjects, and could be involved in the development of suicidal behavior. The characterization of the neurobiological basis of suicide is in delineating the risk factors associated with suicide. The Neurobiological Basis of Suicide focuses on how and why these neurobiological factors are crucial in the pathogenic mechanisms of suicidal behavior and how these findings can be transformed into potential therapeutic applications.

How we raise young children is one of today's most highly personalized and sharply politicized issues, in part because each of us can claim some level of "expertise." The debate has intensified as discoveries about our development-in the womb and in the first months and years-have reached the popular media. How can we use our burgeoning knowledge to assure the well-being of all young children, for their own sake as well as for the sake of our nation? Drawing from new findings, this book presents important conclusions about nature-versus-nurture, the impact of being born into a working family, the effect of politics on programs for children, the costs and benefits of intervention, and other issues. The committee issues a series of challenges to decision makers regarding the quality of child care, issues of racial and ethnic diversity, the integration of children's cognitive and emotional development, and more. Authoritative yet accessible, From Neurons to Neighborhoods presents the evidence about "brain wiring" and how kids learn to speak, think, and regulate their behavior. It examines the effect of the climate-family, child care, community-within which the child grows.

The orexin system, discovered in 1998, has emerged as a crucial player in regulating the sleep and wake balance inside our brain. This discovery has sparked a burst of novel and dynamic research on the physiology and pathology of sleep. The Orexin System: Basic Science and Role in Sleep Pathology honors this research and the authors share their ideas and perspectives on the novel developments within the field. The book examines the intricate role of the orexin system in regulating sleep and wake, and its interaction with other wake-regulating systems. The orexin system is dissected at the cellular and molecular level to explore the diversity of the orexin-producing neurons, their projections, and their signaling pathways. Additionally, the book discusses the diseases which are associated with a dysfunctional orexin system, such as narcolepsy, insomnia, substance abuse, and Alzheimer’s disease, and explores the new potential therapeutic applications derived from the burst of research around this fascinating system. This publication is essential reading for neurobiologists, neurologists, psychopharmacologists, sleep researchers, and other researchers and clinical scientists interested in sleep, sleep research, insomnia, and medicine in general.

“Nerve-Driven Immunity: Neurotransmitters and Neuropeptides in the Immune System” summarizes, analyzes and sheds new light on an unrecognized, yet very important role of key neurotransmitters and neuropeptides in the immune system. Each chapter of the book deals with a different neurotransmitter/neuropeptide from the following list: Dopamine, Adrenaline, Noradrenaline, Acetylcholine, Glutamate, GABA, Somatostatin, Neuropeptide Y (NPY), Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), Calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP), Opioids and Cannabinoids. For each of these neurotransmitters/neuropeptides, the following four topics are discussed: The specific receptors for the neurotransmitter/neuropeptide expressed in various types of immune cells The direct effects induced by the neurotransmitter/neuropeptide in various types of immune cells (either resting or activated), and the specific immune functions and features it activates/elevates or rather inhibits in specific concentrations The production of the neurotransmitter/neuropeptide in, and its release by, various types of immune cells The involvement of the neurotransmitter/neuropeptide in various diseases of the immune system (among them autoimmune diseases, immunodeficiency diseases and hematological cancers) The book includes many original figures, overview tables, and proposed models of events which are instrumental, enriching and stimulating for the reader. In light of the above-mentioned aspects, “Nerve-Driven Immunity: Neurotransmitters and Neuropeptides in the Immune System” is ideally suited as a textbook for new courses in Immunology, Neurology, Neuro-immunology or Pharmacology. The book chapters were written by highly skilled authors from 10 countries: the USA, the United Kingdom, Italy, Israel, Sweden, France, Germany, Spain, Serbia and Romania. “Nerve-Driven Immunity” is a term first coined by Dr. Mia Levite (the editor of the book).