The Physiology of Synapses covers the considerable advances in understanding the complex physiology of synapses. This book is divided into 16 chapters that emphasize the mechanism of synaptic transmission. The first chapters describe the structural and physiological features of chemically transmitting synapses. The subsequent chapters deal with the excitatory postsynaptic responses to presynaptic impulse and the release of transmitter by presynaptic impulses. These topics are followed by discussions of the impulse generation by the excitatory postsynaptic potential; the postsynaptic electrical events produced by chemically transmitting inhibitory synapses; the ionic mechanism generating the inhibitory postsynaptic potential. The last chapters consider the mechanism of inhibitory transmitter substances, pathways responsible for postsynaptic inhibitory action, and the trophic and plastic properties of synapses. This book will prove useful to physiologists, neurologists, and researchers.

I must thank my friend, Professor HANS WEBER, for being, as it were, the prime mover in causing this book to be written. He persuaded me in 1960 to contribute a review to the Ergebnisse der Physiologie. As originally planned, it was to be relatively short. However, the interest and scope of the whole subject of synapses stimulated me to write a much more comprehensive and extensive account. I was not even then satisfied, particularly as so many new and attractive investigations and ideas were being evolved during and after the writing of this review; and during the writing of this book most interesting developments are occurring in so many centres of research. Through the kind cooperation of my friends I have been given the opportunity to quote and even to illustrate from these new and fascinating developments before their final publication. There would be some justification if the author were to make the claim that this book is the fruit of a life-time of enquiry into the physiology of synapses. In 1927 the subject of Excitatory and Inhibitory Synapses was chosen for investigation in the course leading to the Oxford D. Phil. But there have been such remarkable developments during the last 12 years that in this book very little reference will be made to work earlier than 1951 except in the historical introductions.

Synaptic Transmission is a comprehensive guide to the topic of neurotransmission that provides an in-depth discussion on many aspects of synapse structure and function—a fundamental part of the neuroscience discipline. Chapters include boxes that describe renowned/award-winning researchers and their contributions to the field of synaptic transmission, diseases relevant to the material presented, details of experimental approaches used to study synaptic transmission, and interesting asides that expand on topics covered. This book will inspire students to appreciate how the basic cellular and molecular biology of the synapse can lead to a better understanding of nervous system function and neurological disorders. Provides a comprehensive reference on synaptic structure, physiology, function and neurotransmission Discusses many landmark experiments in the field of synaptic transmission to emphasize core principles Includes references to primary scientific literature, relevant review articles and books, many of which could be assigned as discussion material for courses focused on this topic

Easily understood, up-to-date and clinically relevant, this book provides junior anaesthetists with an essential physiology resource.

Molecular and Cellular Physiology of Neurons: Second Edition is a comprehensive, up-to-date introduction to essential concepts of cellular neuroscience. Emphasizing experimental approaches and recent discoveries, it provides an in-depth look at the structure and function of nerve cells, from protein receptors and synapses to the biochemical processes that drive the mammalian nervous system. Starting with the basics of electrical current flow across cell membranes, Gordon Fain covers voltage gating and receptor activation in the context of channel diversity, excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission, neuromodulation, and sensory transduction. Emphasizing long-term processes of synaptic potentiation and depression involved in memory, consciousness, and attention, he demonstrates how cells produce neural signals and regulate signal flow to enhance or impede cell-to-cell communication. Fain also addresses the relation of molecular and cellular mechanisms to evolving theories of neurological disease and addiction. Enhanced by more than two hundred illustrations, Molecular and Cellular Physiology of Neurons: Second Edition is intended for anyone who seeks to understand the fundamentals of nerve cell function, including undergraduate and graduate students in neuroscience, students of bioengineering and cognitive science, and practicing neuroscientists who want to deepen their knowledge of recent discoveries in molecular and cellular neurophysiology.

Brain aminergic pathways are organized in parallel and interacting systems, which support a range of functions, from homoeostatic regulations to cognitive, and motivational processes. Despite overlapping functional influences, dopamine, serotonin, noradrenaline and histamine systems provide different contributions to these processes. The histaminergic system, long ignored as a major regulator of the sleep-wake cycle, has now been fully acknowledged also as a major coordinator of attention, learning and memory, decision making. Although histaminergic neurons project widely to the whole brain, they are functionally heterogeneous, a feature which may provide the substrate for differential regulation, in a region-specific manner, of other neurotransmitter systems. Neurochemical preclinical studies have clearly shown that histamine interacts and modulates the release of neurotransmitters that are recognized as major modulators of cognitive processing and motivated behaviours. As a consequence, the histamine system has been proposed as a therapeutic target to treat sleep-wake disorders and cognitive dysfunctions that accompany neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory pathologies. Last decades have witnessed an unexpected explosion of interest in brain histamine system, as new receptors have been discovered and selective ligands synthesised. Nevertheless, the complete picture of the histamine systems fine-tuning and its orchestration with other pathways remains rather elusive. This Research Topic is intended to offer an inter-disciplinary forum that will improve our current understanding of the role of brain histamine and provide the fundamentals necessary to drive innovation in clinical practice and to improve the management and treatment of neurological disorders.