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"These data revealed that there are substantially more unique types of brain cells in a single mouse or human brain than previously thought — upwards of 100 or more in just one or two regions of the cortex. ... the variation among synapses, the connection points between neurons. ... a possible connection between brain cell diversity and synapse diversity: a large class of small proteins known as neuropeptides. You’ve probably heard of the most famous neuropeptide, endorphins, but there are close to 100 more kinds. ... The genes that code for neuropeptides were not only switched on, or expressed, in pretty much every individual mouse neuron, their expression was incredibly diverse. Each type of neuron in the dataset switches on a different collection of neuropeptide genes. That diversity isn’t the case for other kinds of neuro-signaling molecules, like neurotransmitters. ... Neuropeptides could also prove a good target for new psychiatric therapies, ... Most modern psychiatric drugs target other types of brain signaling molecules, such as dopamine and serotonin, which are much more ubiquitous across the brain. Targeting a single neuropeptide could instead limit a therapy’s effects to a smaller set of neurons, or even a specific brain cell type, which might mean fewer side effects. "
These small proteins reveal a new kind of brain diversity: Endorphins and other neuropeptides vary widely between brain cell types and point to new possible targets for psychiatric drugs, study finds
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