Abstract
Tonic activation of excitatory and inhibitory receptors, by the ambient concentration of neurotransmitters in the extracellular space of the brain, has been suggested to underlie phenomena as diverse as relapse to cocaine use by reward pathways in the striatum, sparse coding of motor information in the cerebellum, and control of the development of the cerebral and cerebellar cortices. Here we assess the mechanisms which may determine the ambient levels of excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters, and consider their likely effect on information processing.
Publication types
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Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
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Review
MeSH terms
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Animals
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Biophysical Phenomena
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Biophysics
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Central Nervous System / growth & development
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Central Nervous System / physiology
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Glutamic Acid / pharmacology
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Glutamic Acid / physiology
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Humans
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Mental Processes / physiology
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Neurons / physiology*
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Neurotransmitter Agents / physiology*
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Receptors, AMPA / drug effects
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Receptors, AMPA / physiology
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Receptors, GABA-A / physiology
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Receptors, Kainic Acid / drug effects
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Receptors, Kainic Acid / physiology
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Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / drug effects
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Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / physiology
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Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / drug effects
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Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / physiology
Substances
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Neurotransmitter Agents
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Receptors, AMPA
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Receptors, GABA-A
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Receptors, Kainic Acid
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Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate
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Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate
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Glutamic Acid