Central Postsynaptic Actions of Monoamine Neurotransmitters in Behaving Animals

摘要

This research program focusses on the brain serotonergic system and its functionin relation to integrative physiology and behavior. The primary experimental approaches have employed recording the electrophysiological activity (extracellularly recorded action potentials) of serotonergic neurons and measuring changes in extracellular levels of brain serotonin by means of in vivo brain microdialysis. Somewhat surprisingly and not expected on the basis of the existing literature, the major variable associated with activation of the brain serotonergic system is tonic and repetitive gross motor activity. Additional studies have explored the connectivity of the brain serotonergic system with other brain systems and the possibility that functional activity in this system induces morphological changes.