Neuroscience research reveals synapse functions, relationships in detail

New research from Colorado State University into the ways neurons regulate chemical balance in the brain could provide valuable insights toward developing therapies for disorders such as epilepsy.

Neurons are specialized nerve cells that send and receive messages in the brain. They make up a complex network that uses electrical and chemical signals to move muscles or regulate body functions.

The study was led by researchers in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. It focused on a type of neurotransmitter – chemical messengers that help neurons communicate – called GABA. GABA helps calm brain activity and prevents neurons from firing too much, which makes it of interest for the treatment of a variety of disorders, including autism and schizophrenia. By tracking different enzymes that synthesize GABA, the paper shows that neurons can maintain effective communication with each other even when this chemical is produced far from the actual synapses where it is ultimately used.

Associate Professor Soham Chanda led the work in collaboration with Matthew Xu-Friedman from the University at Buffalo and Thomas Bartol from the Salk Institute, which was published in the Journal of Neuroscience. Two former undergraduate students from CSU, Orion Benner and Charles Karr, also contributed to this study.

“Much of our work across the lab examines the cellular and molecular mechanisms that shape information processing and neurotransmission at these key synaptic connections,” Soham Chanda said. “By investigating where neurotransmitter-synthesizing enzymes are located within neurons and how their spatial distribution influences neurotransmitter synthesis and release at synaptic junctions, this paper advances our ongoing efforts to define the fundamental principles that govern human synapse properties.”

Chanda’s team has been studying this topic since 2019. This current paper builds on two others that were published in Nature Communications in 2022 and PNAS in 2024. He said this work provides insights that are critical for better understanding of healthy brain circuitry.

“This contributes to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms that go awry in neurological and psychiatric disorders – where neurotransmitter production can be disrupted,” he said. “This knowledge could one day inform the development of targeted therapies that restore proper balance to neurotransmitter synthesis and synaptic activities.”