Impact of Neuromodulation During Development, Adulthood and Aging

Neuromodulators, such as norepinephrine, serotonin, acetylcholine, and dopamine have been implicated in the regulation of neuronal activity, synaptic plasticity, cognition and behavior across the lifespan. Most of our knowledge on the neuromodutalory mechanisms come from pharmacological studies carried out in vivo and in vitro models. However, in the last years, the advent of new techniques such as optogenetics and fiber photometry has allowed us to understand more directly how neuromodulators shape neural activity during behavioral tasks. Given the widespread distribution of dopaminergic, serotonergic, noradrenergic, and cholinergic fibers throughout the brain, neuromodulatory systems have been also identified as a target of many pharmacological treatments for psychiatric and neurological conditions such as dementia, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and drug abuse.

The goal of this Research Topic is to provide:

(1) the basics of the four principal neuromodulators and the organization of neuromodulatory innervation;
(2) how neuromodulators promote continuous adjustment of neural networks in the developing and in the mature brain;
(3) how these circuits contribute to neural processes engaged during memory formation, emotional responses, attention and motor behavior;
(4) the impact of neuromodulation decline on brain functions during aging.
We would like to encourage the submission from researchers adopting diverse methodological approaches and model systems, from invertebrates to rodents and humans. We are also interested to clinical studies related to neuromodulatory dysregulation in brain diseases.

The Topic image is courtesy of Luisa Speranza and Carla Perrone Capano and shows the expression of 5-HT7 receptors in the cerebellum.