Nonclassic Signaling in the Brain

This chapter outlines the different types of chemical communication, focusing on the way these signaling systems function in the brain. The nonclassic neurotransmitters share many of the same fundamental properties of the classic neurotransmitters. They are not always locally synthesized, some being derived from other tissues in the body or regions of the brain. Nor are they always stored to await a specific release signal; in some cases the signaling mechanism for release is the same as the stimulus for synthesis, and thus these messengers are released as quickly as they are synthesized. The biochemical aspects of chemically coded interneuronal transmission are discussed in the chapter. Neuroscience is multidisciplinary, requiring an appreciation of several different aspects of cellular function to come to grips with the basic principles of integrated neuronal function. Synaptic transmission is a dynamic process that is constantly changing; therefore, the study of synaptic transmission is also dynamic, requiring frequent reevaluation and revision.