Amines And Schizophrenia

Amines and Schizophrenia is a collection of articles that survey and discuss the biochemical basis present, if any, in schizophrenia, focusing on the role of certain amines. The book discusses certain hypotheses dealing with the field of bio-chemistry as the basis for diseases such as schizophrenia, manic-depressive psychosis, and related diseases. Discussions start with the properties of mescaline, because the psychotic effect of the drug has some aspects similar to that of a schizophrenic syndrome. One paper examines the presence of certain amines, such as norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin in the brain, including their role in the synaptic transmission of nerve impulses in the central nervous system. Other papers review the role of derangements of tryptophan metabolism in psychotic behavior; the metabolic interrelationships of tryptophan and methionine in mental illness; and the results obtained with psychomimetic and non-psychomimetic congeners of three classes of indoleamines including LSD. The book gives more details on the actions of various biological amines on single neurons in the limbic system of the brain. The text also evaluates the use of hallucinogenic drugs in considering their heuristic value in the study of the biochemical basis of mental function. The selection will prove relevant for psychologists, psychiatrists, drug researchers, pharmacologists, and chemical laboratory workers and technicians.

Trace Amines and Neurological Disorders: Potential Mechanisms and Risk Factors explores trace amines which, under normal conditions, are present in the mammalian brain and peripheral nervous tissues at very low (nanomolar) concentrations. However, in a diverse array of human pathologies ranging from substance abuse, depression, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, eating disorders, schizophrenia, and other neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases, the levels of trace amines are unusually high with an imbalance in their functions. Furthermore, the rapid turnover of trace amines is evidenced by their dramatic increases following treatment with monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOI) or deletion of the MAO genes. This suggests that the concentration of trace amines may be considerably higher at neuronal synapses than predicted by steady-state measures, implicating some pathophysiological role. Therefore, understanding molecular mechanisms and developing selective agonists and antagonists for trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs) has become a good approach for treating these diseases. Although the effects of trace amines at low physiological concentrations in mammalian species have been difficult to demonstrate, they may serve to maintain the neuronal activity of other monoamine neurotransmitters by possessing postsynaptic modulatory effects, particularly dopamine and serotonin, within defined physiological limits. Such an effect of trace amines makes them ideal candidates for the development of novel therapeutics for a wide range of human disorders. This book presents up-to-date, cutting-edge, and comprehensive information on the link between trace amines and neurological disorders. Focuses on recent findings on trace amines, providing insights into the functional significance, molecular mechanisms, and biological relevance of TAARS in neurological disorders Edited work with chapters authored by leaders in the field from around the globe, the broadest, most expert coverage available Provides cutting-edge research on trace amines-mediated signaling in vertebrate model systems