Neurotransmitters

What are neurotransmitters?

Neurotransmitters are chemical substances, synthesized and released by nerve cells, or glandular hormones that excite or inhibit other nerve, muscle, or gland cells. Known neurotransmitters include acetylcholine, aspartic acid, catecholamines, cholecystokinin, endorphins, gamma aminobutyric acid, glutamic acid, glycine, histamine, neurotensin, serotonin, and substance P.

What the Kennedy Center is doing:

Project 4: Neurogenomic model for dopamine transporter regulation--National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (2000-2005)
Randy Blakely, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

Regulation of serotonin transporters--National Institute on Drug Abuse (1994-2004)
Randy Blakely, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

Mechanisms of CaM kinase II signal transduction--National Institute of Mental Health (2001-2006)
Roger Colbran, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

Targeting of brain protein phosphatase 1--National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (1998-2003)
Roger Colbran, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

Project 2: Modulation of dendritic CaMKII by dopamine--National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (2002-2007)
Roger Colbran, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

Molecular physiology of brain cation-chloride cotransporters--National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (1999-2004)
Eric Delpire, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

Dopamine system interactions and schizophrenia--National Institute of Mental Health (1998-2004)
Ariel Deutch, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

Monoaminergic regulation of GABA and schizophrenia--National Institute of Mental Health (1997-2005)
Ariel Deutch, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

Project 1: Dopamine and dendritic spines--National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (2002-2007)
Ariel Deutch, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

Post-transcriptional regulation of serotonin receptors--National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (1997-2007)
Ronald Emeson, Ph.D., Principal Investigator, Elaine Sanders-Bush, Ph.D.
The major goals of these studies are to evaluate the signaling properties of distinct 5-HT2c receptor isoforms generated by RNA editing, to generate mutant strains of mice and to characterize the physiological consequences resulting from expression of a single, edited 5-HT2c R isoform, and to examine the role of 5-HT2c receptor editing and signaling in cellular transformation and tumorigenesis.

In vivo relevance of alpha2AR trafficking itineraries--National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (1995-2004)
Lee Limbird, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

Mechanisms for GPCR trafficking in polarized cells--National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (1993-2004)
Lee Limbird, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

Proteomic analysis of eukaryotic protein synthesis--National Institute of General Medical Sciences (2002-2007)
Andrew Link, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

Characterization of central serotonin receptors--National Institute of Mental Health (1980-2005)
Elaine Sanders-Bush, Ph.D., Principal Investigator, Ronald Emeson, Ph.D., and Randy Smith, Ph.D.
This project focuses on the regulation of serotonin receptor function in vitro and in vivo, using molecular, cellular, and behavioral strategies.

Hallucinogens and serotonin signal transduction--National Institute on Drug Abuse (1988-2003)
Elaine Sanders-Bush, Ph.D., Principal Investigator, Randy Smith, Ph.D.

Ethanol inhibition of NMDA receptor mediated responses--National Institute of Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (1991-2005)
Danny Winder, Ph.D., Principal Investigator, Roger Colbran, Ph.D.

Regulation of LTP by Gi linked receptors--National Institute of Drug Abuse (2001-2006)
Danny Winder, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

Learn more about neurotransmitters:

National Institute on Drug Abuse
National Institute of Mental Health
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes