Given the success of the previous edition of this Research Topic, we are pleased to announce the release of its second volume.

Neurotransmitter release and recycling in neurons trigger excitatory and inhibitory neuronal circuits, which is crucial for various neuronal functions. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the regulatory mechanisms of neurotransmission. Although neurotransmitters play important regulatory roles in normal aging as well as age-related neurological or mental disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, presbycusis and depression, however many underlying mechanisms remain elusive, owing to difficulties in quantifying and direct detecting neurotransmitters. Recent advances in multi-modality imaging, including MRI, PET and fluorescence imaging, may provide direct evidence in neurotransmitter assessment. Also, thanks to the development and advancement of methodology for measuring neurotransmitters in biological fluids and specimens, many studies of neurotransmitter changes can be conducted in vivo and ex vivo. These studies have significantly improved our understanding of the underlying mechanisms in normal aging and neurological disorders and provided valuable markers for detecting disease progression and measuring therapeutic efficacy.

So far, we have achieved many advancements in understanding the regulatory mechanisms of healthy and dysfunctional neurotransmission by using different methods to detect different neurotransmitters, including glutamate, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), acetylcholine, dopamine, serotonin, both in vivo and ex vivo. Also, Magnetic resonance spectral editing has recently been used to establish non-invasive measurements of GABA and glutamate that are free of overlap with other abundant molecules. Positron emission tomography (PET) with various radiotracers and fluorescence-based live-imaging allow us to investigate the changes of molecules or receptor-associated with neurotransmitters in vivo.

This Research Topic aims to enhance our understanding of brain aging and age-related dysfunction by employing novel neuroimaging methods that measure the spatial and temporal profiles of neurotransmitters. Furthermore, previous studies have shown that neurotransmitter interventions or modifications are a promising pharmaceutical therapy for neurodegenerative diseases and mental disorders. Therefore, the goal of this Research Topic is also to investigate how medications influence neurotransmitter changes during various disease courses.

We would like to bring together laboratory and clinical neurotransmitter research focusing on normal aging processes as well as pathogenesis and treatment of age-related neurological or mental disorders. Neuroimaging studies on neurotransmitters would be of great interest. Genetic, molecular, immunological, and pharmacological studies in neurotransmitters, as well as their modulation in health and disease, are also welcome. Studies focus on the following techniques and analytical methods are especially encouraged:

- Protein pathology in the neuronal synapse associated with aging and age-related diseases

- Molecular and cellular mechanism of the regulatory role of neurotransmitters in aging and age-related diseases

- Molecular and cellular mechanism of neurotransmitter modifications by oxidative stress, inflammation, and vascular dysfunction

- Genomics study of neurotransmitters in age-related neurological or mental disorders.

- Multi-modality imaging analysis, such as brain connectome, PET and fluorescence imaging for studying neurotransmitter

- Machine learning and deep learning for imaging neurotransmitter

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Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience

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