TY - JOUR
T1 - The Top 5 Neurotransmitters from a Clinical Neurologist's Perspective
AU - Kondziella, Daniel
PY - 2017/6/1
Y1 - 2017/6/1
N2 - Neurologists are proficient in neuroanatomy and -physiology but their understanding of neurochemistry tends to be mediocre. As a rule, we do not think in biochemical pathways and complex metabolic interactions but rather associate a few neurotransmitters with well-known brain diseases or drugs that we routinely prescribe. Most of us can hardly come up with more than a handful of relevant neurochemicals. From our point of view the most important neurotransmitters are, in alphabetical order, acetylcholine (associated with Alzheimer's disease and myasthenia gravis), dopamine (Parkinson's disease), glutamate and GABA (epilepsy and seizures), and serotonin (major depression; although this is arguably the domain of psychiatrists). In this commentary, the author presents the knowledge derived from neurochemistry research that has proven useful for clinical neurological practice. In addition, he explains what biochemists, basic neuroscientists and other non-neurologists need to consider in the encounter with a clinical neurologist.
AB - Neurologists are proficient in neuroanatomy and -physiology but their understanding of neurochemistry tends to be mediocre. As a rule, we do not think in biochemical pathways and complex metabolic interactions but rather associate a few neurotransmitters with well-known brain diseases or drugs that we routinely prescribe. Most of us can hardly come up with more than a handful of relevant neurochemicals. From our point of view the most important neurotransmitters are, in alphabetical order, acetylcholine (associated with Alzheimer's disease and myasthenia gravis), dopamine (Parkinson's disease), glutamate and GABA (epilepsy and seizures), and serotonin (major depression; although this is arguably the domain of psychiatrists). In this commentary, the author presents the knowledge derived from neurochemistry research that has proven useful for clinical neurological practice. In addition, he explains what biochemists, basic neuroscientists and other non-neurologists need to consider in the encounter with a clinical neurologist.
KW - Acetylcholine/metabolism
KW - Dopamine/metabolism
KW - Glutamic Acid/metabolism
KW - Humans
KW - Nervous System Diseases/diagnostic imaging
KW - Neurologists
KW - Neurotransmitter Agents/metabolism
KW - Serotonin/metabolism
KW - gamma-Aminobutyric Acid/metabolism
U2 - 10.1007/s11064-016-2101-z
DO - 10.1007/s11064-016-2101-z
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 27822666
SN - 0364-3190
VL - 42
SP - 1767
EP - 1771
JO - Neurochemical Research
JF - Neurochemical Research
IS - 6
ER -