Brain acid sphingomyelinase controls addiction-related behaviours in a sex-specific way.

Addiction is a chronic and severe mental disorder with high gender- and sex-specificity. However, the pathogenesis of this disorder is not fully elucidated, and no targeted pharmacotherapy is available. A growing body of evidence points out the potential involvement of the ceramide system in the pathophysiology of addiction.

Acid sphingomyelinase activity suggests a new antipsychotic pharmaco-treatment strategy for schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is a chronic and severe mental disorder. It is currently treated with antipsychotic drugs (APD). However, APD's work only in a limited number of patients and may have cognition impairing side effects.

Compromising tyrosine hydroxylase function extends and blunts the temporal profile of reinforcement by dopamine neurons in .

For a proper representation of the causal structure of the world, it is adaptive to consider both evidence for and evidence against causality. To take punishment as an example, the causality of a stimulus is unlikely if there is a temporal gap before punishment is received, but causality is credible if the stimulus immediately precedes punishment. In contrast, causality can be ruled out if the punishment occurred first.

Neutral sphingomyelinase controls acute and chronic alcohol effects on brain activity.

Alcohol consumption is a widespread phenomenon throughout the world. However, how recreational alcohol use evolves into alcohol use disorder (AUD) remains poorly understood. The Smpd3 gene and its coded protein neutral sphingomyelinase (NSM) are associated with alcohol consumption in humans and alcohol-related behaviors in mice, suggesting a potential role in this transition.

Serotonin Signaling through Lipid Membranes.

Serotonin (5-HT) is a vital modulatory neurotransmitter responsible for regulating most behaviors in the brain. An inefficient 5-HT synaptic function is often linked to various mental disorders. Primarily, membrane proteins controlling the expression and activity of 5-HT synthesis, storage, release, receptor activation, and inactivation are critical to 5-HT signaling in synaptic and extra-synaptic sites.