Chemical messengers in the brain

Abstract

Ensuing issues of Trends in NeuroSciences will have articles covering various of the putative neurotransmitters and will be aimed at the question “how putative are they?”. In different issues we will be considering neuropeptides, invertebrate ‘putative’ neurotransmitters, or substances which already have an accepted role as transmitters in the peripheral nervous system. As a start to this series Dr. Iversen has provided an introductory background to the concept of, and principles for studies of, neurotransmitters, and, in doing so, has indicated some of the new ideas and insights which neurotransmitter research is engendering at this time.