Why Are Neurotransmitters Neurotoxic? An Evolutionary Perspective

Overview

Journal F1000Res

Specialties Biomedical Engineering
Science

Date 2015 Jan 20

PMID 25580225

Citations 5

Authors

Keith D Harris

Meital Weiss

Amotz Zahavi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

In the CNS, minor changes in the concentration of neurotransmitters such as glutamate or dopamine can lead to neurodegenerative diseases. We present an evolutionary perspective on the function of neurotransmitter toxicity in the CNS. We hypothesize that neurotransmitters are selected because of their toxicity, which serves as a test of neuron quality and facilitates the selection of neuronal pathways. This perspective may offer additional explanations for the reduction of neurotransmitter concentration in the CNS with age, and suggest an additional role for the blood-brain barrier. It may also suggest a connection between the specific toxicity of the neurotransmitters released in a specific region of the CNS, and elucidate their role as chemicals that are optimal for testing the quality of cells in that region.

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