Current Pharmaceutical Design - Volume 9, Issue 8, 2003

L-Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in mammalian central nervous system, and excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) are essential for terminating synaptic excitation and for maintaining extracellular glutamate concentration below toxic levels. Although the structure of these channel-like proteins has not been yet reported, their membrane topology has been hypothesised based on biochemical and prote Read More

Energy balance is a highly regulated, complex process which is modulated by central and peripheral systems. Dysregulation of energy homeostasis can result in metabolic disorders, such as obesity and type II diabetes. Obesity and type II diabetes are two of the most prevalent and challenging clinical conditions in society today. A growing body of evidence has implicated the melanocortin system as an important component in th Read More

The dopamine D3 receptor has been the subject of a tremendous amount of research since its discovery in 1990. A previous review of this subject [3] described the advances in molecular biology and neuroanatomical localization of the D3 receptor, with a special emphasis on schizophrenia. In the current review, we attempt to describe recent advances in the biochemistry and pharmacology of the D3 receptor from the molecul Read More

[123I]Epidepride, [18F]fallypride, and [76Br]isoremoxipride (FLB-457) and their corresponding [11C]labeled derivatives belong to a class of high-affinity radioligands for SPECT or PET imaging of dopamine D2 receptors in the human brain. In contrast to previously used imaging agents, these ligands are capable of identifying extrastriatal dopamine D2 receptors. The design of these substituted benzamides derive its origin fro Read More