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Related Concept Videos

Chemical Synapses01:26

Chemical Synapses

Chemical synapses are specialized sites between two neurons or between a neuron and a non-neuronal cell like a muscle, glandular or sensory cell.
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
Chemical Synapses01:26

Chemical Synapses

Chemical synapses are specialized sites between two neurons or between a neuron and a non-neuronal cell like a muscle, glandular or sensory cell.
Because chemical synapses depend on the release of neurotransmitter molecules from synaptic vesicles to pass on their signal, there is an approximately one millisecond delay between when the axon potential reaches the presynaptic terminal and when the neurotransmitter leads to opening of postsynaptic ion channels. Additionally, this signaling is...
Parkinson Disease ll: Pathophysiology01:24

Parkinson Disease ll: Pathophysiology

Parkinson disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder primarily affecting movement, with additional non-motor features. Its pathophysiology involves complex interactions among genetic susceptibility, environmental exposures, and cellular dysfunction, including dopaminergic neuron loss, protein aggregation, and mitochondrial impairment.Selective NeurodegenerationA key feature is the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta, leading to reduced...
The Synapse02:47

The Synapse

Neurons communicate with one another by passing on their electrical signals to other neurons. A synapse is the location where two neurons meet to exchange signals. At the synapse, the neuron that sends the signal is called the presynaptic cell, while the neuron that receives the message is called the postsynaptic cell. Note that most neurons can be both presynaptic and postsynaptic, as they both transmit and receive information.
Excitatory and Inhibitory Effects of Neurotransmitters01:29

Excitatory and Inhibitory Effects of Neurotransmitters

When an action potential reaches the presynaptic axon terminal, it releases neurotransmitters from the neuron into the synaptic cleft at a chemical synapse. The released neurotransmitter can be excitatory or inhibitory. The critical criteria commonly used to determine whether a molecule is a neurotransmitter at a chemical synapse are the molecule's presence in the presynaptic neuron. Second, its release is in response to strong presynaptic depolarization. And lastly, the presence of specific...
Neural Regulation01:37

Neural Regulation

Digestion begins with a cephalic phase that prepares the digestive system to receive food. When our brain processes visual or olfactory information about food, it triggers impulses in the cranial nerves innervating the salivary glands and stomach to prepare for food.

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Studying Pre-formed Fibril Induced α-Synuclein Accumulation in Primary Embryonic Mouse Midbrain Dopamine Neurons
10:03

Studying Pre-formed Fibril Induced α-Synuclein Accumulation in Primary Embryonic Mouse Midbrain Dopamine Neurons

Published on: August 16, 2020

alpha-Synuclein at the synaptic gate.

D James Surmeier1

  • 1Department of Physiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA. j-surmeier@northwestern.edu <j-surmeier@northwestern.edu>

Neuron
|February 16, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Modest increases in alpha-synuclein expression heighten Parkinson's disease risk by impairing neurotransmitter release. This subtle overexpression disrupts brain networks, potentially causing long-term pathology.

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Recombinant α- β- and γ-Synucleins Stimulate Protein Phosphatase 2A Catalytic Subunit Activity in Cell Free Assays

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Sequential Extraction of Soluble and Insoluble Alpha-Synuclein from Parkinsonian Brains
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Sequential Extraction of Soluble and Insoluble Alpha-Synuclein from Parkinsonian Brains

Published on: January 5, 2016

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 16, 2026

Studying Pre-formed Fibril Induced &#945;-Synuclein Accumulation in Primary Embryonic Mouse Midbrain Dopamine Neurons
10:03

Studying Pre-formed Fibril Induced α-Synuclein Accumulation in Primary Embryonic Mouse Midbrain Dopamine Neurons

Published on: August 16, 2020

Recombinant &#945;- &#946;- and &#947;-Synucleins Stimulate Protein Phosphatase 2A Catalytic Subunit Activity in Cell Free Assays
09:36

Recombinant α- β- and γ-Synucleins Stimulate Protein Phosphatase 2A Catalytic Subunit Activity in Cell Free Assays

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Sequential Extraction of Soluble and Insoluble Alpha-Synuclein from Parkinsonian Brains
09:27

Sequential Extraction of Soluble and Insoluble Alpha-Synuclein from Parkinsonian Brains

Published on: January 5, 2016

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Neurodegenerative Diseases
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Parkinson's disease (PD) is linked to alpha-synuclein aggregation.
  • The precise impact of moderate alpha-synuclein overexpression on PD pathogenesis remains unclear.

Discussion:

  • Nemani et al. demonstrate that doubling or tripling alpha-synuclein levels impairs glutamate and dopamine release.
  • This neurotransmitter dysregulation occurs without immediate overt toxicity.
  • The findings suggest a mechanism for network dysfunction preceding overt PD symptoms.

Key Insights:

  • Moderate alpha-synuclein overexpression disrupts synaptic function.
  • Impaired glutamate and dopamine release are early consequences.
  • Network-level dysfunction may underlie eventual PD pathology.

Outlook:

  • Further research into early-stage PD mechanisms.
  • Potential therapeutic targets for modulating neurotransmitter release.
  • Understanding the long-term effects of alpha-synuclein dysregulation.