Abstract
D-amino acids may play key roles for specific physiological functions in different organs including the brain. Importantly, D-amino acids have been detected in several neurological disorders such as schizophrenia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and age-related disorders, reflecting the disease conditions. Relationships between D-amino acids and neurophysiology may involve the significant contribution of D-Serine or D-Aspartate to the synaptic function, including neurotransmission and synaptic plasticity. Gut-microbiota could play important roles in the brain-function, since bacteria in the gut provide a significant contribution to the host pool of D-amino acids. In addition, the alteration of the composition of the gut microbiota might lead to schizophrenia. Furthermore, D-amino acids are known as a physiologically active substance, constituting useful biomarkers of several brain disorders including schizophrenia. In this review, we wish to provide an outline of the roles of D-amino acids in brain health and neuropsychiatric disorders with a focus on schizophrenia, which may shed light on some of the superior diagnoses and/or treatments of schizophrenia.
Highlights
The amino acid racemases have been broadly identified in humans, mice, invertebrate animals, and bacterial species [1]
D-amino acid studies have recognized the relative abundance of D-amino acids in the brain as much as in several body fluids together with blood plasma, urine, and/or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) [2,3]
D-amino acids including D-Tryptophan, D-Phenylalanine, D-Serine, and/or D-Alanine seem to have a sense of taste that is syrupier than sugar [6,7]
Summary
Several D-amino acids are detected in lactic fermentation foods [4]. The main quantity of D-amino acids in a body may usually result from the food intake and/or gut microbial synthesis [8,9]. Broad-spectrum amino acid racemases have been detected within certain gram-negative bacteria [11]. These racemases might have an impact on the microbial ecology [11]. D-amino acids have been known as signaling molecules in cells in order to keep embryonic neural homeostasis in the developing brain [14]. We would like to go over the roles of D-amino acids in brain health and/or neuropsychiatric disorders with a focus on schizophrenia. Several environmental and/or genetic factors have been reported to play key roles in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia [17]
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