Trace Amines and the Trace Amine-Associated Receptor 1: Emerging role and clinical implications

Trace Amines and the Trace Amine-Associated Receptor 1: Emerging role and clinical implications will explore trace amines (TA) different role which, under normal conditions, are present in the mammalian brain and peripheral nervous tissues at very low (nanomolar) concentrations. The TA have been investigated in mammalian brain for about 40 years and their existence has been known of since p-tyramine was first identified and synthesized. Despite being present at low concentrations, these amines have been implicated in the etiology and pharmacotherapy of several psychiatric and neurological disorders ranging from substance abuse, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, eating disorders, schizophrenia, and other neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases. At the turn of the century, the discovery of the trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1), a phylogenetically conserved G protein-coupled receptor that is responsive to both TAs, such as β-phenylethylamine, octopamine, and tyramine, and structurally-related amphetamines, unveiled mechanisms of action for TAs other than interference with aminergic pathways, laying the foundations for deciphering the functional significance of TAs and its mammalian CNS receptor, TAAR1. It is now recognized that TAAR1 plays a functional role in the regulation of brain monoamines and the mediation of action of amphetamine-like psychostimulants. The emerging idea is that TA may serve to maintain the neuronal activity of other monoamine neurotransmitters by possessing postsynaptic modulatory effects, particularly dopamine and serotonin. Such an effect of trace amines makes them ideal candidates for the development of novel therapeutics for a wide range of human disorders. The aim of this Research Topic is to collect recent and important findings related to the role of TA and TAAR1 in preclinical studies and their potential as novel therapeutic strategies.