Abstract:

Neuromodulation is mediated by neurotransmitters that typically act on G-protein-coupled receptors. It can confer behavioural flexibility by modifying the functional properties of anatomically hard-wired neural circuits.Single neuromodulators generally have divergent cellular and synaptic effects , and different modulators, of which there are many in even simpler systems, can interact by converging onto the same effectors. These interactions can generate synergistic, antagonistic,or novel effects. Further modulator complexity is offered by the potential for concentration, time,and state-dependent influences.All of these effects can make neuromodulation highly flexible, making it difficult to predict or explain the functional effects resulting from the targeting of even a single modulatory system. As many clinically used drugs target G-protein-coupled receptors, being able to explain and predict these effects is important.