These lectures deal with neurotransmitters, how their activity is involved in brain function. After a consideration of which substances can be classified as neurotransmitter and neuromodulator, the release, effects on neuronal excitability and receptor interaction, as well as location, pathways and possible brain function of each neurotransmitter will be covered in some detail. Special attention will be given to acetylcholine, glutamate, GABA, noradrenaline, dopamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine and the neuroactive peptides. Special part of lecture will concentrate on seeing how the different neurotransmitters may be involved in the initiation and maintenance of some brain disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, epilepsy, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety, dementia, as well as in the sensation of pain and how the drugs which are used in these conditions produce their effects by modifying appropriative neurotransmitter function.
Tutor of the course:
Dr. E. Belova, A.B. Kogan Research Institute for Neurocybernetics, Southern Federal University, Rostov-on-Don, Russia