New insight into SIDS--can seratonin alone cause death?

Role of GSK3β in behavioral abnormalities induced by serotonin deficiency

sumsung submitted, created time 11 months 2 weeks (www.pnas.org)

Dysregulation of brain serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission is thought to underlie mental conditions as diverse as depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, autism, and schizophrenia. Despite treatment of these conditions with serotonergic drugs, the molecular mechanisms by which 5-HT is involved in the regulation of aberrant emotional behaviors are poorly understood.

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The immune-mediated alteration of serotonin and glutamate: towards an integrated view of depression

yangjane submitted, created time 1 year 2 months (www.nature.com)

Beside the well-known deficiency in serotonergic neurotransmission as pathophysiological correlate of major depression (MD), recent evidence points to a pivotal role of increased glutamate receptor activation as well. However, cause and interaction of these neurotransmitter alterations are not understood. In this review, we present a hypothesis integrating current concepts of neurotransmission and hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation with findings on immunological alterations and alterations in brain morphology in MD

1 comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: glutamate immune system serotonin neurotransmitters IDO psychoneuroimmunology depression

Similar brain chemicals influence aggression in fruit flies and humans

daphne submitted, created time 1 year 8 months (www.eurekalert.org)

Serotonin is a major signaling chemical in the brain, and it has long been thought to be involved in aggressive behavior in a wide variety of animals as well as in humans. Another brain chemical signal, neuropeptide Y (known as neuropeptide F in invertebrates), is also known to affect an array of behaviors in many species, including territoriality in mice.

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Serotonergic vulnerability and depression: assumptions, experimental evidence and implications

alpha submitted, created time 1 year 9 months (www.nature.com)

"In recent years, the term serotonergic vulnerability (SV) has been used in scientific literature, but so far it has not been explicitly defined. This review article attempts to elucidate the SV concept. SV can be defined as increased sensitivity to natural or experimental alterations of the serotonergic (5-HTergic) system."

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5-Hydroxytryptamine Induces a Protein Kinase A/Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase-Mediated and Macromolecular Synthesis-Dependent Late Phase of Long-Term Potentiation in the Amygdala

alpha submitted, created time 1 year 9 months (www.jneurosci.org)

"The amygdala is a critical site for the acquisition of learned fear memory in mammals, and the formation and long-term maintenance of fear memories are thought to be associated with changes of synaptic strength in the amygdala."

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Dynamics of Protein Kinase A Signaling at the Membrane, in the Cytosol, and in the Nucleus of Neurons in Mouse Brain Slices

medal submitted, created time 1 year 9 months (www.jneurosci.org)

"The cAMP-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) plays a ubiquitous role in the regulation of neuronal activity, but the dynamics of its activation have been difficult to investigate."

Submit comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: neuromodulation serotonin PKA cyclic AMP genetically encoded fluorescent probe FRET