Topic: monoamines

Neuromodulators such as monoamines or neuropeptides play crucial roles in modulating diverse brain functions. They can be released phasically, i.e. in response to stimuli, or tonically, in a spontaneous and more discrete manner. Understanding how these spontaneous releases occur is challenging yet essential, as their disruption is associated with behavioral and psychiatric disorders. A paradigm shift in this domain has been the generation of fluorescent probes sensitive enough to detect, using 2-photons microscopy, discrete tonic release of specific neuromodulators including dopamine, noradren

The activity of microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS), is controlled by various neurotransmitters and modulators. For instance, monoamines such as serotonin (5-HT) and norepinephrine (NE), have been reported to modulate the physiological functions of microglia. However, altered concentrations of monoamines have been observed in pathologies of the CNS, such as Alzheimer's disease or major depressive disorder. Remarkably, changes in monoamine levels happen in synchrony with altered microglial functions during CNS diseases. Thus, a reduced immune modulation thro