Yizhang Chen1 · Lin Xiao2 · Jian Qiu31 Institute of Neuroscience, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
2 Institute for Brain Research and Rehabilitation, Key Laboratory of Brain, Cognition and Education Sciences of Ministry of Education, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China
3 Department of Chemical Physiology and Biochemistry, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA
Abstract
Neuronomodulation refers to the modulation of neural conduction and synaptic transmission (i.e., the conduction process involved in synaptic transmission) of excitable neurons via changes in the membrane potential in response to chemical substances, from spillover neurotransmitters to paracrine or endocrine hormones circulating in the blood. Neuronomodulation can be direct or indirect, depending on the transduction pathways from the ligand binding site to the ion pore, either on the same molecule, i.e. the ion channel, or through an intermediate step on different molecules. The major players in direct neuronomodulation are ligand-gated or voltage-gated ion channels. The key process of direct neuronomodulation is the binding and chemoactivation of ligand-gated or voltage-gated ion channels, either orthosterically or allosterically, by various ligands. Indirect neuronomodulation involves metabotropic receptor-mediated slow potentials, where steroid hormones, cytokines, and chemokines can implement these actions. Elucidating neuronomodulation is of great significance for understanding the physiological mechanisms of brain function, and the occurrence and treatment of diseases.
Keywords
Neuron; Membrane potential; Excitability; Chemoactivation; Neuronomodulation
