3B-O1-0910 PDF
Mapping the brain neurotransmitter network with mass spectrometry imaging directly in tissue sections
Small-molecule neurotransmitters, their precursors and metabolites are involved in the brain chemical network and transmit signals between neurons. Changes in their concentrations are associated with numerous normal neuronal processes, such as sleep and aging, but also in several disease states, including neurological disorders (e.g., Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease), depression and drug addiction. Knowledge about their relative abundance and spatial distribution would provide insights into these complex neurological processes and disorders. At present, researchers rely on indirect histochemical, immunohistochemical, and ligand-based assays to detect these small-molecule transmitter substances. Current neuroimaging techniques have very limited abilities to directly identify and quantify neurotransmitters from brain sections.