Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Cognitive Enhancers: Cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists01:30

Cognitive Enhancers: Cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists

106
Cognitive enhancers, also known as "smart drugs," are substances used to enhance memory, mental alertness, and concentration. These can be natural or synthetic and improve cognition in conditions like Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases. Some common examples include caffeine, amphetamines, methylphenidate, modafinil, arecoline, donepezil, vortioxetine, and piracetam. These enhancers work on the principle of synaptic plasticity and altered circuit function.
106
Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory01:14

Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory

381
The cerebellum, while traditionally associated with motor control, also plays a crucial role in memory, particularly in procedural memory, which involves learning motor tasks that become automatic through repetition. For example, studies have shown that when the cerebellum is damaged, individuals or animals lose the ability to learn conditioned motor responses, such as the conditioned eye-blink response in classical conditioning experiments with rabbits. This study demonstrates the...
381
Role of Neurotransmitters in Memory01:23

Role of Neurotransmitters in Memory

466
Neurotransmitters are integral to the brain's communication system, enabling neurons to transmit signals across synapses. This chemical exchange underpins various cognitive functions, including memory processes. The role of neurotransmitters in memory is multifaceted, influencing the encoding, consolidation, and retrieval of memories through their action on different neural circuits.
 Glutamate and Synaptic Plasticity
Glutamate, the brain's main excitatory neurotransmitter, is...
466
Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Release or Uptake01:21

Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Release or Uptake

979
Certain drugs can affect how neurotransmitters called catecholamines, are released or taken back up in the adrenergic neuron. They can have different effects on the body's sympathetic transmission. Reserpine, a natural compound found in the Rauwolfia shrub, blocks a transporter called vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT), which leads to a buildup of catecholamines in the cell and reduces sympathetic transmission. Another drug called guanethidine works in multiple ways, including blocking...
979
Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Synthesis01:29

Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Synthesis

1.3K
Drugs affecting neurotransmitter synthesis can impact the adrenergic neuron and the synthesis of neurotransmitters. For example, α-methyltyrosine and carbidopa target specific enzymes involved in catecholamine synthesis. α-methyltyrosine inhibits the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase, which converts tyrosine into dopamine. By blocking this enzyme, α-methyltyrosine reduces dopamine production and other catecholamines. Carbidopa, on the other hand, inhibits the enzyme dopa decarboxylase,...
1.3K
Long-term Depression01:03

Long-term Depression

2.5K
Long-term depression, or LTD, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTD is the process of synaptic weakening that occurs over time between pre and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic weakening of LTD works in opposition to synaptic strengthening by long-term potentiation (LTP) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
Calcium Ion Concentration Mechanism
If over...
2.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

MeCP2 Deficiency Alters the Response Selectivity of Prefrontal Cortical Neurons to Different Social Stimuli.

eNeuro·2024
Same author

The metabolic effect of gut microbiota on drugs.

Drug metabolism reviews·2020
Same author

Population-based preference weights for the Adult Social Care Outcomes Toolkit (ASCOT) for service users for Austria: Findings from a best-worst experiment.

Social science & medicine (1982)·2020
Same author

Dissymmetric On-Surface Dehalogenation Reaction Steered by Preformed Self-Assembled Structure.

The journal of physical chemistry letters·2020
Same author

Exosomes mediate intercellular transfer of non-autonomous tolerance to proteasome inhibitors in mixed-lineage leukemia.

Cancer science·2020
Same author

Neuroprotective Effects of Selective Inhibition of Histone Deacetylase 3 in Experimental Stroke.

Translational stroke research·2020

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 11, 2025

Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses
06:42

Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses

Published on: September 28, 2018

11.6K

Monoaminergic Modulation of Learning and Cognitive Function in the Prefrontal Cortex.

Natalie Boyle1, Sarah Betts1, Hui Lu1

  • 1Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, The George Washington University, Washington, DC 20037, USA.

Brain Sciences
|September 28, 2024
PubMed
Summary

This review covers how neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) regulate cognition, learning, and memory. It details their roles in higher cognitive functions.

Keywords:
cognitiondopaminelearningmonoaminesnorepinephrineprefrontal cortexserotonin

More Related Videos

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Memory-Enhancing Effect of Emotion
15:57

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Memory-Enhancing Effect of Emotion

Published on: May 4, 2011

16.3K
A Computerized Test Battery to Study Pharmacodynamic Effects on the Central Nervous System of Cholinergic Drugs in Early Phase Drug Development
07:02

A Computerized Test Battery to Study Pharmacodynamic Effects on the Central Nervous System of Cholinergic Drugs in Early Phase Drug Development

Published on: February 11, 2019

9.8K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 11, 2025

Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses
06:42

Continuous Theta Burst Stimulation of the Posterior Medial Frontal Cortex to Experimentally Reduce Ideological Threat Responses

Published on: September 28, 2018

11.6K
Brain Imaging Investigation of the Memory-Enhancing Effect of Emotion
15:57

Brain Imaging Investigation of the Memory-Enhancing Effect of Emotion

Published on: May 4, 2011

16.3K
A Computerized Test Battery to Study Pharmacodynamic Effects on the Central Nervous System of Cholinergic Drugs in Early Phase Drug Development
07:02

A Computerized Test Battery to Study Pharmacodynamic Effects on the Central Nervous System of Cholinergic Drugs in Early Phase Drug Development

Published on: February 11, 2019

9.8K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Science

Background:

  • The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is crucial for higher cognitive functions.
  • Neurotransmitters regulate cognitive state and arousal levels within the PFC.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the organization and signaling of monoamines in the PFC.
  • To elucidate the roles of monoamines in learning and higher cognitive function.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of existing research on monoamine neurotransmitters and the PFC.
  • Analysis of studies investigating cognitive processes, learning, and memory.

Main Results:

  • Monoamines, including dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine, are key regulators in the PFC.
  • These neurotransmitters play multifaceted roles in cognitive processes, learning, and memory.

Conclusions:

  • Monoamine neurotransmission in the PFC is vital for synchronizing cognitive state and arousal.
  • Understanding these pathways is essential for comprehending learning, memory, and higher cognitive functions.