Monoamines, namely, indole- (serotonin/5-HT and melatonin), imidazole- (histamine), and catecholamines (norepinephrine and dopamine), are an important family of neurotransmitters of the vertebrate central nervous system (CNS).
One of the main roles of monoamines is to modulate the information flow within the CNS in accordance with the actual emotional state when the information flow per se is primarily carried out by amino acid-based neurotransmitters (glutamate and ?-aminobutyric acid/GABA). As primary CNS neuromodulators, monoamines are fundamental in the pathophysiology of mental disorders, both affective (e.g., depression) and psychotic (e.g., schizophrenia) ones. Understanding the mechanisms involved in the regulation of monoaminergic systems is therefore critical for the development of effective antidepressant and antipsychotic treatment strategies.
Monoaminergic systems of the brain have important features of auto- (e.g., regulation of 5-HT neurotransmission by 5-HT) and cross-regulation (e.g., regulation of dopamine neurotransmission by 5-HT). In addition, monoamines modulate, and in turn they are modulated, by glutamate and GABA. Auto- and cross-regulation of monoaminergic pathways and their interactions with central amino acids have been extensively studied in the past.
Recently, other groups of biomolecules were found to interact with monoamines and these interactions were revealed as relevant to the pathophysiology and treatment of depression.
These biomolecules are trace amines (organic substances structurally and metabolically related to monoamines but expressed in the brain in trace concentrations), tissue growth factors (which are not necessarily neural trophic factors, e.g., fibroblast growth factor 2/FGF2), opioids, steroids, and purines (e.g., adenosine).
This collection of papers will be dedicated to these biomolecules interacting with monoamines which receives until recently limited attention.
Monoamines, namely, indole- (serotonin/5-HT and melatonin), imidazole- (histamine), and catecholamines (norepinephrine and dopamine), are an important family of neurotransmitters of the vertebrate central nervous system (CNS).
One of the main roles of monoamines is to modulate the information flow within the CNS in accordance with the actual emotional state when the information flow per se is primarily carried out by amino acid-based neurotransmitters (glutamate and ?-aminobutyric acid/GABA). As primary CNS neuromodulators, monoamines are fundamental in the pathophysiology of mental disorders, both affective (e.g., depression) and psychotic (e.g., schizophrenia) ones. Understanding the mechanisms involved in the regulation of monoaminergic systems is therefore critical for the development of effective antidepressant and antipsychotic treatment strategies.
Monoaminergic systems of the brain have important features of auto- (e.g., regulation of 5-HT neurotransmission by 5-HT) and cross-regulation (e.g., regulation of dopamine neurotransmission by 5-HT). In addition, monoamines modulate, and in turn they are modulated, by glutamate and GABA. Auto- and cross-regulation of monoaminergic pathways and their interactions with central amino acids have been extensively studied in the past.
Recently, other groups of biomolecules were found to interact with monoamines and these interactions were revealed as relevant to the pathophysiology and treatment of depression.
These biomolecules are trace amines (organic substances structurally and metabolically related to monoamines but expressed in the brain in trace concentrations), tissue growth factors (which are not necessarily neural trophic factors, e.g., fibroblast growth factor 2/FGF2), opioids, steroids, and purines (e.g., adenosine).
This collection of papers will be dedicated to these biomolecules interacting with monoamines which receives until recently limited attention.
