Brain Norepinephrine Neurobiology and Therapeutics

Norepinephrine is a chemical neurotransmitter. Drugs that directly manipulate central nervous system (CNS) norepinephrine are being developed targeting noradrenergic neurons to deliver therapeutic effects. Noradrenergic drugs have been proven effective for depression and ADHD, and new disease indications are being identified. Recent discoveries about norepinephrine’s contribution to health, disease, and therapy make this synthesis of evidence, practice and research very timely. A team of experts provides the reader with a thorough understanding of the anatomy, physiology, molecular biology, pharmacology, and therapeutics of norepinephrine in the brain, including an extensive review of the role of norepinephrine in brain diseases. The book is divided into four sections: the basic biology of norepinephrine; the role that norepinephrine plays in behavior; evidence of norepinephrine’s role in CNS diseases, and the pharmacology and therapeutics of noradrenergic drugs in the treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders.

Introduction: revision of an old transmitter Gregory A. Ordway; Part I. The Neurobiology of Norepinephrine: 1. Neuroanatomical and chemical organization of the locus coeruleus Kimberly L. Simpson and Rick C. S. Lin; 2. Interactions of norepinephrine with other neurotransmitter systems: anatomical basis and pharmacology Craig A. Stockmeier and Gregory A. Ordway; 3. Receptors for norepinephrine and signal transduction pathways David B. Bylund; 4. Regulation of gene transcription in the central nervous system by norepinephrine Ronald S. Duman and Samuel S. Newton; 5. The norepinephrine transporter and regulation of synaptic transmission Subbu Apparsundaram; Part II. Norepinephrine and Behavior: 6. Role of the locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system in arousal and circadian regulation of the sleep wake cycle Gary S. Aston-Jones, Monica Gonzalez and Scott Doran; 7. Locus coeruleus and regulation of behavioral flexibility and attention: clinical implications Gary S. Aston-Jones, Michiyo Iba, Edwin Clayton, Janusz Rajkowski and Jonathan Cohen; 8. Norepinephrine and long-term memory function Benno Roozendaal; 9. Norepinephrine and stress David A. Morilak; Part III. The Biology of Norepinephrine in CNS Pathology: 10. Animal models of psychopathology: focus on norepinephrine Leonie A. M. Welberg and Paul Plotsky; 11. Neuropathology of central norepinephrine in psychiatric disorders: postmortem research Gregory A. Ordway; 12. Norepinephrine in mood disorders Pedro L. Delgado and Cristinel Coconcea; 13. Noradrenergic pathology and pain Antti Pertovaara; 14. Norepinephrine in cognitive disorders Amy F. T. Arnsten; 15. Norepinephrine in neurological disorders Francesco Fornai; 16. Genetics of noradrenergic neurobiology Inna Belfer and David Goldman; Part IV. Psychopharmacology of Norepinephrine: 17. Actions of antidepressant and other drugs on norepinephrine systems Elliott Richelson; 18. The clinical role of norepinephrine antidepressants in depression and anxiety disorders J. Craig Nelson; 19. Norepinephrine in attention deficit hyperactivity disorder Fred W. Riemherr, Michael A. Schwartz, B. K. Marchant and E. Higgins; 20. Psychopharmacology of norepinephrine in eating disorders Katherine A. Halmi and Sun Young Yum; 21. Role of norepinephrine in substance abuse Susan L. Broom and Bryan K. Yamamoto.

Norepinephrine is a chemical neurotransmitter. Noradrenergic drugs have been proven effective for depression and ADHD, and drugs that directly manipulate central nervous system norepinephrine are being developed for new disease indications. This 2007 book synthesizes evidence, practice and research to highlight norepinephrine's contribution to disease and therapy.