The basal ganglia are a chain of subcortical nuclei that facilitate action selection. Two striatal
projection systems—so-called direct and indirect pathways—form the functional backbone of …

Voltage-gated sodium channels are responsible for the rising phase of the action potential in
the membranes of neurons and most electrically excitable cells. Exploration of the molecular …

It is widely recognized that the neural basis of brain function can be fully understood only by
integrating many disciplines at many levels. Studies of synaptic organization are bringing …

Dopamine shapes a wide variety of psychomotor functions. This is mainly accomplished by
modulating cortical and thalamic glutamatergic signals impinging upon principal medium …

Mesocotical dopamine (DA) inputs to the prefrontal cortex (PFC) play a crtical role in normal
cognitive process and neuropsychiatic pathologies. This DA input regulates aspects of …

Dopamine has been implicated in the cognitive process of working memory but the cellular
basis of its action has yet to be revealed. By combining iontophoretic analysis of dopamine …

The D1-like (D1, D5) and D2-like (D2, D3, D4) classes of dopamine receptors each has
shared signaling properties that contribute to the definition of the receptor class, although …

Loss-of-function mutations in parkin are the major cause of early-onset familial Parkinson's
disease. To investigate the pathogenic mechanism by which loss of parkin function causes …

The striatum represents the main input into the basal ganglia. Neurons projecting from the
striatum receive a large convergence of afferents from all areas of the cortex and transmit …

The striatum and its ventral extension, the nucleus accumbens, are involved in behaviors as
diverse as motor planning, drug seeking, and learning. Invariably, these striatally mediated …