Peer Reviewed: The Chemistry of Thought: Neurotransmitters in the Brain

Abstract

1 2 1 A I nside a neuron, clusters of molecules shuttle toward a cell membrane tightly packaged within vesicles. The vesicles fuse with the cell membrane, expelling the molecules into the extracellular space. As the molecules reach their targets, electrical currents fly, and the brain hums along.Without these chemical and electrical transformations, we would not remember the smell of coffee, recognize our child's face, or appreciate a delicate melody. The intricate signals and cascades induce thought, behavior, and memory. Analytical chemists are in on the act of understanding the compounds that drive human contemplation, including the reading of this sentence; what will be remembered after reading it; and even what emotions it will evoke. The goal of this article is to provide a general overview of the methods used to characterize neurotransmission in the brain, update recent specialized articles on brain chemistry, and complement articles about imaging MS and new electroanalytical methods that examine the role of dopamine in addiction (1-3).The brain is composed of nervous system cells, or neurons, which communicate with one another through ports called synapses. Cell-cell communication, or neurotransmission, is embodied through electrical impulses or chemical messengers. Although electrophysiological signaling is an important facet of brain function, we will focus on chemical signaling in the brain and the analytical methods used to study it.The Chemistry of Thought:

Capillary Electrophoresis with Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometric Detection for Single-Cell Metabolomics

“…Both CE21–24 and LC23, 25, 26 are well-suited for single cell measurements. Using various detectors with CE has been effective for characterizing chemical content and even release from individual cells 22–24, 27–31.…”

O2 Evolution in the Fenton Reaction

“…Owing to small samples required and to a high separation efficiency, CE is a very convenient technique for monitoring of neurotransmitters and neuromodulators in the central nervous system (CNS) 1–3. The development of the technique has permitted monitoring of rapid time changes of the neurotransmitter levels within 10 s, and mapping of their spatial distribution in the CNS within ca.…”

CE‐MS with electrokinetic supercharging and application to determination of neurotransmitters

“…Previous work has reported EKS‐CE‐UV analysis of low abundance neurotransmitters ; however, the steps required to achieve sufficient LODs, namely counterflow to achieve longer injections, made the methods incompatible with MS detection, hence limiting the number of possible analytes and selectivity of detection. Measuring neurochemical concentrations can provide important insights into pathological states, pharmacological treatments, and brain functions . Biogenic amines are implicated in many different diseases/dysfunctions and drug therapies, including Parkinson's disease , Alzheimer's disease , and depression .…”