2014
DOI: 10.12688/f1000research.4828.2
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Why are neurotransmitters neurotoxic? An evolutionary perspective

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 … Show more

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Cited by 16 publications
(15 citation statements)
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References 84 publications
(93 reference statements)
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“…The results of the neurotransmitters analysis show improvement in levels of the DOPAC, dopamine, norepinephrine, PEA, serotonin, and taurine, all having a 0.2 -0.3 impact, which would categorize as a small effect according to Cohen's method (see Table 1, Table 2 and Figure 1). This effect of reduction in excitatory neurotransmitter levels results in a decrease of inflammation in the neurological system, as well the reduction of neurodegenerative tendencies and positive tendency of restoration of nerve cell, which is similar to the findings of other authors [68] [69]. For instance, if serotonin as one of the modulators for glutamate causes significantly high level of glutamate, this could result in nerve dam-age or its death [70] [71].…”
Section: Study Groupsupporting
confidence: 86%
“…The results of the neurotransmitters analysis show improvement in levels of the DOPAC, dopamine, norepinephrine, PEA, serotonin, and taurine, all having a 0.2 -0.3 impact, which would categorize as a small effect according to Cohen's method (see Table 1, Table 2 and Figure 1). This effect of reduction in excitatory neurotransmitter levels results in a decrease of inflammation in the neurological system, as well the reduction of neurodegenerative tendencies and positive tendency of restoration of nerve cell, which is similar to the findings of other authors [68] [69]. For instance, if serotonin as one of the modulators for glutamate causes significantly high level of glutamate, this could result in nerve dam-age or its death [70] [71].…”
Section: Study Groupsupporting
confidence: 86%
“…The concepts of signaling and honesty or reliability are thus directly applicable to the questions of the evolutionary origins and role of pain. Harris et al (2014) invoked the idea of intra-individual costly signaling as an explanation for the otherwise puzzling neurotoxicity of neurotransmitters in the central nervous system: "In the CNS [central nervous system], 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.…”
Section: The Conceptual Framework: Honest Signalingmentioning
confidence: 99%
“…Could non-neural somatic tissues be performing information-processing tasks by exploiting ion flows, albeit in different ways and on different timescales than brains? While developmental biologists are not yet used to thinking of non-neural tissues making decisions, the emerging field of primitive cognition [67,68] and the recent data on the phylogeny of ion channel and neurotransmitter signals [69][70][71] have highlighted the fact that brains did not invent their tricks de novo -the basic machinery of bioelectrical computation (Fig. 2A′) was present very early on in evolution and is ubiquitous in animal, plant, and fungal bodies.…”
Section: Prediction 1: Ion Channels and Voltage Gradients Are Involved In Planarian Patterningmentioning
confidence: 99%