| Author | : Jim R. Fadel,Joshua A. Burk |
| Publisher | : Academic Press |
| Release Date | : 2019-01-03 |
| ISBN 10 | : 0128137525 |
| Pages | : 188 pages |
The Orexins/Hypocretins System: Functional Roles and Therapeutic Potential summarizes research on both the physiological functioning of orexins, their impact on homeostatic processes, and related disorders. The book encompasses the effects on appetite, sleep, substance abuse, cognition, and anxiety. Additionally, it examines new therapeutic approaches utilizing orexins, including utilization of orexin receptors for drug development. It is essential reading for neuroscience researchers interested in brain-behavior relationships, as well as psychiatrists, endocrinologists and pharmacologists. Provides an overview of new research on orexins/hypocretins Includes an overview of intracellular signaling and orexin physiology Discusses the effects on arousal, appetite, cognition, addiction and anxiety Examines orexin based therapies and their potential use in disorders Explores orexin receptors for drug development
| Author | : Seiji Nishino,Takeshi Sakurai |
| Publisher | : Springer Science & Business Media |
| Release Date | : 2007-11-22 |
| ISBN 10 | : 1592599508 |
| Pages | : 416 pages |
Impairment of orexin/hypocretin signaling causes narcolepsy-cataplexy in animals and humans. Most human narcolepsy-cataplexy cases are associated with orexin/hypocretin ligand deficiency, which can be detected clinically using cerebrospinal orexin/hypocretin measures and may lead to future treatments with orexin/hypocretin replacement therapy. In The Orexin/Hypocretin System: Physiology and Pathophysiology, leading researchers and clinicians review these exciting developments to set the stage for further research on the loss of orexin/hypocretin neurons in humans, regulation of sleep and wakefulness by the orexin/hypocretin system, and the role of the orexin/hypocretin system in many other physiological processes, including feeding, autonomic regulation, and neuroendocrine regulation. Topics of interest include an assessment of the functions and the physiology of orexin/hypocretin, its pathophysiology in human narcolepsy-cataplexy, and possible pharmacological treatments. The authors also introduce several experimental methods for orexin/hypocretin research, and, using multidisciplinary approaches, explain their uses and limitations. Authoritative and state-of-the-art, The Orexin/Hypocretin System: Physiology and Pathophysiology will aid scientists in the search for novel bioactive peptides and their receptors, as well as novel physiological insights and opportunities for the clinical treatment of not only narcolepsy, but also a broad range of diseases associated with endocrine, feeding, and body weight regulation.
| Author | : Anantha Shekhar |
| Publisher | : Elsevier |
| Release Date | : 2012 |
| ISBN 10 | : 0444594892 |
| Pages | : 196 pages |
"In The Orexin/Hypocretin System: Physiology and Pathophysiology, leading researchers and clinicians set the stage for further research on the loss of orexin/hypocretin neurons in humans, regulation of sleep and wakefulness by the orexin/hypocretin system, and the role of the orexin/hypocretin system in many other physiological processes, including feeding, autonomic regulation, and neuroendocrine regulation. Topics of interest include an assessment of the functions and the physiology of orexin/hypocretin, its pathophysiology in human narcolepsy-cataplexy, and possible pharmacological treatments. The authors also introduce several experimental methods for orexin/hypocretin research, and, using multidisciplinary approaches, explain their uses and limitations." "Authoritative and state-of-the-art, The Orexin/Hypocretin System: Physiology and Pathophysiology will aid scientists in the search for novel bioactive peptides and their receptors, as well as novel physiological insights and opportunities for the clinical treatment of not only narcolepsy, but also a broad range of diseases associated with endocrine, feeding and body weight regulation."--Résumé de l'éditeur.
| Author | : Seiji Nishino,Takeshi Sakurai |
| Publisher | : Springer Science & Business Media |
| Release Date | : 2007-11-22 |
| ISBN 10 | : 1592599508 |
| Pages | : 416 pages |
Impairment of orexin/hypocretin signaling causes narcolepsy-cataplexy in animals and humans. Most human narcolepsy-cataplexy cases are associated with orexin/hypocretin ligand deficiency, which can be detected clinically using cerebrospinal orexin/hypocretin measures and may lead to future treatments with orexin/hypocretin replacement therapy. In The Orexin/Hypocretin System: Physiology and Pathophysiology, leading researchers and clinicians review these exciting developments to set the stage for further research on the loss of orexin/hypocretin neurons in humans, regulation of sleep and wakefulness by the orexin/hypocretin system, and the role of the orexin/hypocretin system in many other physiological processes, including feeding, autonomic regulation, and neuroendocrine regulation. Topics of interest include an assessment of the functions and the physiology of orexin/hypocretin, its pathophysiology in human narcolepsy-cataplexy, and possible pharmacological treatments. The authors also introduce several experimental methods for orexin/hypocretin research, and, using multidisciplinary approaches, explain their uses and limitations. Authoritative and state-of-the-art, The Orexin/Hypocretin System: Physiology and Pathophysiology will aid scientists in the search for novel bioactive peptides and their receptors, as well as novel physiological insights and opportunities for the clinical treatment of not only narcolepsy, but also a broad range of diseases associated with endocrine, feeding, and body weight regulation.
| Author | : Paul Shaw,Mehdi Tafti,Michael J. Thorpy |
| Publisher | : Cambridge University Press |
| Release Date | : 2013-10-24 |
| ISBN 10 | : 1107435617 |
| Pages | : 432 pages |
The first comprehensive book on the subject, The Genetic Basis of Sleep and Sleep Disorders covers detailed reviews of the general principles of genetics and genetic techniques in the study of sleep and sleep disorders. The book contains sections on the genetics of circadian rhythms, of normal sleep and wake states and of sleep homeostasis. There are also sections discussing the role of genetics in the understanding of insomnias, hypersomnias including narcolepsy, parasomnias and sleep-related movement disorders. The final chapter highlights the use of gene therapy in sleep disorders. Written by genetic experts and sleep specialists from around the world, the book is up to date and geared specifically to the needs of both researchers and clinicians with an interest in sleep medicine. This book will be an invaluable resource for sleep specialists, neurologists, geneticists, psychiatrists and psychologists.
| Author | : Takeshi Sakurai,S.R. Pandi-Perumal,Jaime M. Monti |
| Publisher | : Springer |
| Release Date | : 2015-09-22 |
| ISBN 10 | : 3319230786 |
| Pages | : 410 pages |
This volume is intended for neuropharmacologists, psychopharmacologists, pharmacologists, pharmacists, sleep researchers, translational neuroscience researchers, and other basic researchers and clinical scientists interested in an interdisciplinary approach to sleep medicine. The level of the book is aiming at CNS researchers, drug development scientists, basic and clinical sleep researchers, as well as senior medical students and fellows in psychiatry and neurology. Orexin and Sleep provides a unique resource, giving a comprehensive and highly readable summary of the basic concepts in orexin biology and pharmacology along with clinical applications in sleep medicine in general, and narcolepsy in particular.
| Author | : Michel Alexander Steiner,Christopher J Winrow |
| Publisher | : Frontiers E-books |
| Release Date | : 2014-11-11 |
| ISBN 10 | : 2889193306 |
| Pages | : 329 pages |
Orexin/hypocretin neuropeptides, produced by a few thousand neurons in the lateral hypothalamus, are of critical importance for the control of vigilance and arousal of vertebrates, from fish to amphibians, birds and mammals. Two orexin peptides, called orexin-A and orexin-B, exist in mammals. They bind with different affinities to two distinct, widely distributed, excitatory G-protein- coupled receptors, orexin receptor type 1 and type 2 (OXR-1/2). The discovery of an OXR mutation causing canine narcolepsy, the narcolepsy-like phenotype of orexin peptide knockout mice, and the orexin neuron loss associated with human narcoleptic patients laid the foundation for the discovery of small molecule OXR antagonists as novel treatments for sleep disorders. Proof of concept studies from Glaxo Smith Kline, Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd. and Merck have now consistently demonstrated the efficacy of dual OXR antagonists (DORAs) in promoting sleep in rodents, dogs, non-human primates and humans. Some of these antagonists have completed late stage clinical testing in primary insomnia. Orexin drug discovery programs have also been initiated by other large pharmaceutical companies including Hoffmann La Roche, Novartis, Eli Lilly and Johnson & Johnson. Orexins are increasingly recognized for orchestrating the activity of the organism’s arousal system with appetite, reward and stress processing pathways. Therefore, in addition to models of insomnia, pharmacological effects of DORAs have begun to be investigated in rodent models of addiction, depression and anxiety. The first clinical trials in diabetic neuropathy, migraine and depression have been initiated with Merck’s MK-6096 (www.clinicaltrials.gov). Whereas the pharmacology of DORAs is established for their effects on wakefulness, pharmacological effects of selective OXR-1 or OXR-2 antagonists (SORAs) have remained less clear. From an evolutionary point of view, the OXR-2 was expressed first in most vertebrate lineages, whereas the OXR-1 is believed to result from a gene duplication event, when mammals emerged. Yet, both receptors do not have redundant function. Their brain expression pattern, their intracellular signaling, as well as their affinity for orexin-A and orexin-B differs. During the past decade most preclinical research on selective OXR-1 antagonism was performed with SB-334867. Only in recent years, other selective OXR-1 and OXR-2 antagonists with optimized selectivity profiles and pharmacokinetic properties have been discovered, and phenotypes of OXR-1 and OXR-2 knockout mice were described. The present Research Topic (referred to in the Editorial as “special topics issue”) comprises submissions of original research manuscripts as well as reviews, directed towards the neuropharmacology of OXR antagonists. The submissions are preclinical papers dealing with dual and/or selective OXR antagonists that shed light on the differential contribution of endogenous orexin signaling through both OXRs for cellular, physiological and behavioral processes. Some manuscripts also report on convergence or divergence of DORA vs. SORA effects with phenotypes expressed by OXR-1 or OXR-2 knockout animals. Ultimately these findings may help further define the potential of DORAs and SORAs in particular therapeutic areas in insomnia and beyond insomnia.
| Author | : Luis De Lecea,J. Gregor Sutcliffe |
| Publisher | : Springer Science & Business Media |
| Release Date | : 2007-04-25 |
| ISBN 10 | : 0387254463 |
| Pages | : 441 pages |
The first report that rapid eye movements occur in sleep in humans was published in 1953. The research journey from this point to the realization that sleep consists of two entirely independent states of being (eventually labeled REM sleep and non-REM sleep) was convoluted, but by 1960 the fundamental duality of sleep was well established including the description of REM sleep in cats associated with “wide awake” EEG patterns and EMG suppression. The first report linking REM sleep to a pathology occurred in 1961 and a clear association of sleep onset REM periods, cataplexy, hypnagogic hallucinations and sleep paralysis was fully established by 1966. When a naïve individual happens to observe a full-blown cataplexy attack, it is both dramatic and unnerving. Usually the observer assumes that the loss of muscle tone represents syncope or seizure. In order to educate health professionals and the general public, Christian Guilleminault and I made movies of full-blown cataplectic episodes (not an easy task). We showed these movies of cataplexy attacks to a number of professional audiences, and were eventually rewarded with the report of a similar abrupt loss of muscle tone in a dog. We were able to bring the dog to Stanford University and with this as the trigger, we were able to develop the Stanford Canine Narcolepsy Colony. Breeding studies revealed the genetic determinants of canine narcolepsy, an autosomal recessive gene we termed canarc1. Emmanuel Mignot took over the colony in 1986 and began sequencing DNA, finally isolating canarc1 in 1999.
| Author | : Laurette Dube |
| Publisher | : Academic Press |
| Release Date | : 2010-06-25 |
| ISBN 10 | : 9780080922096 |
| Pages | : 832 pages |
Over the years, approaches to obesity prevention and treatment have gone from focusing on genetic and other biological factors to exploring a diversity of diets and individual behavior modification interventions anchored primarily in the power of the mind, to the recent shift focusing on societal interventions to design "temptation-proof" physical, social, and economic environments. In spite of repeated calls to action, including those of the World Health Organization (WHO), the pandemic continues to progress. WHO recently projected that if the current lifestyle trend in young and adult populations around the world persist, by 2012 in countries like the USA, health care costs may amount to as much as 17.7% of the GDP. Most importantly, in large part due to the problems of obesity, those children may be the first generation ever to have a shorter life expectancy than that of their parents. Obesity Prevention presents the most current research and proposals for addressing the pandemic. Past studies have focused primarly on either genetic or behavioral causes for obesity, however today's research indicates that a strongly integrated program is the best prospect for success in overcoming obesity. Furthermore, focus on the role of society in establishing an affordable, accessible and sustainable program for implementing these lifestyle changes is vital, particularly for those in economically challenged situations, who are ultimately at the highest risk for obesity. Using studies from both neuroscience and behavioral science to present a comprehensive overview of the challenges and possible solutions, The brain-to-society approach to obesity prevention focuses on what is needed in order to sustain a healthy, pleasurable and affordable lifestyle. Explores the "brain-to-society" approach to obesity prevention, focusing on an integrative approach to addressing the obesity pandemic Presents both the nueroscientific and the behavioral factors that impact eating habits Identifies the challenges and suggests solutions for altering attitudes toward food on both an individual and a societal level
| Author | : N.A |
| Publisher | : N.A |
| Release Date | : 2014 |
| ISBN 10 | : |
| Pages | : 329 pages |
Abstract Histaminergic and orexin/hypocretin systems are components in the brain wake‐promoting system. Both are affected in the sleep disorder narcolepsy, but the role of histamine in narcolepsy is unclear. The histaminergic neurones are activated by the orexin/hypocretin system in rodents, and the development of the orexin/hypocretin neurones is bidirectionally regulated by the histaminergic system in zebrafish. This review summarizes the current knowledge of the interactions of these two systems in normal and pathological conditions in humans and different animal models.
| Author | : Antonio Guglietta |
| Publisher | : Springer |
| Release Date | : 2014-11-28 |
| ISBN 10 | : 3319115146 |
| Pages | : 297 pages |
Following reviews on sleep physiology, regulation, pharmacology, and the neuronal networks regulating sleep and awakening, as well as a classification of sleep disorders, this book presents a number of major breakthroughs in the treatment of those disorders. These include recently approved drugs for treating insomnia, such as Doxepin; variations on previously approved molecules, e.g. Zolpidem sublingual preparation; or new chemical entities in advanced stages of clinical development, e.g. Orexin antagonists. Further topics discussed include drugs acting on the GABA receptor, such as Lorediplon and Eszopiclone; the treatment of excessive daytime drowsiness with cell therapy and drugs such as Modafinil, Armodafinil and Sodium oxybate; and the use of Tasimelteon in the treatment of circadian sleep disorders.
| Author | : Meeta Goswami,Seithikurippu Ratnas Pandi-Perumal,Michael J. Thorpy |
| Publisher | : Springer Science & Business Media |
| Release Date | : 2011-04-08 |
| ISBN 10 | : 1441908552 |
| Pages | : 330 pages |
Narcolepsy serves as a prototype of how the interaction of high quality clinical research and groundbreaking basic science can collaborate to defne the cause of a disease and change forever how we evaluate and treat it. There is scarcely a topic in this book that would have been covered in the same way 10 years ago as it is d- cussed today. We are also fortunate that many of the players in this dramatic tu- around have contributed to this volume, so that the result is a tapestry of the events that have transformed the feld over the last decade that is both authentic and detailed. The frst section of the book provides much of the basic science background. As described in the frst two chapters, the dramatic convergence of lines of evidence from two different laboratories frst demonstrated in 1999 that narcolepsy is a disease of loss of neurotransmission by lateral hypothalamic neurons making the peptides that have been called orexins or hypocretins. These fndings did much to clarify and unify a feld that had puzzled for decades over the fundamental nature of this puzzling disease, as refected in the chapters that review its epidemiology and neuroanatomical and imaging fndings.
| Author | : Victor R. Preedy |
| Publisher | : Academic Press |
| Release Date | : 2019-03-20 |
| ISBN 10 | : 0128130369 |
| Pages | : 566 pages |
Neuroscience of Nicotine: Mechanisms and Treatment presents the fundamental information necessary for a thorough understanding of the neurobiological underpinnings of nicotine addiction and its effects on the brain. Offering thorough coverage of all aspects of nicotine research, treatment, policy and prevention, and containing contributions from internationally recognized experts, the book provides students, early-career researchers, and investigators at all levels with a fundamental introduction to all aspects of nicotine misuse. With an estimated one billion individuals worldwide classified as tobacco users—and tobacco use often being synonymous with nicotine addiction—nicotine is one of the world’s most common addictive substances, and a frequent comorbidity of misuse of other common addictive substances. Nicotine alters a variety of neurological processes, from molecular biology, to cognition, and quitting is exceedingly difficult because of the number of withdrawal symptoms that accompany the process. Integrates cutting-edge research on the pharmacological, cellular and molecular aspects of nicotine use, along with its effects on neurobiological function Discusses nicotine use as a component of dual-use and poly addictions and outlines numerous screening and treatment strategies for misuse Covers both the physical and psychological effects of nicotine use and withdrawal to provide a fully-formed view of nicotine dependency and its effects
| Author | : N.A |
| Publisher | : Elsevier |
| Release Date | : 2010-06-03 |
| ISBN 10 | : 0080453961 |
| Pages | : 1816 pages |
Behavioral Neuroscientists study the behavior of animals and humans and the neurobiological and physiological processes that control it. Behavior is the ultimate function of the nervous system, and the study of it is very multidisciplinary. Disorders of behavior in humans touch millions of people’s lives significantly, and it is of paramount importance to understand pathological conditions such as addictions, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, autism among others, in order to be able to develop new treatment possibilities. Encyclopedia of Behavioral Neuroscience is the first and only multi-volume reference to comprehensively cover the foundation knowledge in the field. This three volume work is edited by world renowned behavioral neuroscientists George F. Koob, The Scripps Research Institute, Michel Le Moal, Université Bordeaux, and Richard F. Thompson, University of Southern California and written by a premier selection of the leading scientists in their respective fields. Each section is edited by a specialist in the relevant area. The important research in all areas of Behavioral Neuroscience is covered in a total of 210 chapters on topics ranging from neuroethology and learning and memory, to behavioral disorders and psychiatric diseases. The only comprehensive Encyclopedia of Behavioral Neuroscience on the market Addresses all recent advances in the field Written and edited by an international group of leading researchers, truly representative of the behavioral neuroscience community Includes many entries on the advances in our knowledge of the neurobiological basis of complex behavioral, psychiatric, and neurological disorders Richly illustrated in full color Extensively cross referenced to serve as the go-to reference for students and researchers alike The online version features full searching, navigation, and linking functionality An essential resource for libraries serving neuroscientists, psychologists, neuropharmacologists, and psychiatrists
| Author | : William Olds |
| Publisher | : CRC Press |
| Release Date | : 2014-08-04 |
| ISBN 10 | : 1482262657 |
| Pages | : 378 pages |
This title includes a number of Open Access chapters. Providing a nuanced study of the connections between sleep, circadian rhythms, and metabolis, this informative book examines how circadian actions affect the liver and adipose tissue, the brain, and metabolism. This important book introduces the reader to circadian rhythms in the body and the external cues that set them, discusses on a molecular and organ level how disrupting these clocks results in metabolic and sleep disorders, and looks at the clinical applications of circadian rhythms, with a focus on sleep. The book covers a variety of important research in the field, including: • The power of computational biology to uncover new nodes in the network of circadian rhythms • Circadian rhythms as they relates to obesity • How late-night shift conditions impair the body’s ability to keep time and promote metabolic diseases and how this can be mitigated by strategic planning of feeding times • The relationship between the suprachiasmatic nuclei and orexin neurons, demonstrating the elegant interplay between our biological clocks and wakefulness • How sleep disorders can result from irregular circadian rhythms and potential ways to diagnose this in individuals • How sleeping behaviors can disturb the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the repercussions of this disruption on female reproduction • How disruption of sleep can be clinically beneficial for depressed patients • How mental state is influenced by circadian rhythm
| Author | : N.A |
| Publisher | : Academic Press |
| Release Date | : 2017-10-31 |
| ISBN 10 | : 0128124741 |
| Pages | : 304 pages |
The Role of Neuropeptides in Addiction and Disorders of Excessive Consumption, Volume 136 in the International Review of Neurobiology series, provides an overview of the top candidate neuropeptides in the modulation of alcohol and drug abuse, also covering eating disorders and obesity. Topics covered in this latest release include Corticotropin Releasing Factor (CRF) and Addictive Behaviors, Dynorphin/Kappa Opioid Receptor Signaling in Pre-clinical Models of Alcohol, Drug, and Food Addiction, The Role of Ghrelin Signaling in Additive Behaviors, The Role of the Melanocortin System in Drug and Eating Disorders, Substance P and the Neurokinin-1 Receptor: The New CRH, and the Role of Neuropeptide Y (NPY) in Drug and Eating Disorders. The book uniquely highlights the overlapping central mechanisms that contribute to both drug and alcohol abuse and eating disorders. Presents a recent overview of some of the top candidate neuropeptides in the modulation of alcohol and drug abuse, and in eating disorders and obesity Highlights the overlapping central mechanisms that contribute to both drug and alcohol abuse and eating disorders Contains chapters that focus on a specific neuropeptide
| Author | : Christian R. Baumann,Claudio L. Bassetti,Thomas E. Scammell |
| Publisher | : Springer Science & Business Media |
| Release Date | : 2011-07-01 |
| ISBN 10 | : 9781441983909 |
| Pages | : 428 pages |
The field of narcolepsy has developed enormously within the last 10 years. Indeed the understanding of the basics of sleep-wake regulation and the discovery of new neurotransmitter systems (the hypocretins) has boosted research and key findings in the field, providing important insights into how sleep is regulated. Consequently narcolepsy now receives a great deal of attention from both clinicians and scientists throughout the world. Narcolepsy: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment not only offers an engaging and comprehensive treatment of a fascinating disorder but also includes a DVD that offers a unique and large collection of movies displaying the symptoms of narcolepsy in people and animals. Written by some of the best experts in the field, the book focuses on the pathophysiology of the problem and also provides critical, up-to-date insights on the key clinical issues: how to diagnose the disorder, how to treat it, and how to best manage psychosocial problems. The first and only guide to span the latest advances in narcolepsy, this reference provides sections in etiology, neurochemistry, the role of the hypocretins in sleep-wake regulation, animal models in narcolepsy, the key role of the hypothalamus, REM-sleep dysregulation, diagnosis and classification, and treatment. Compiled by an international group of more than 30 authors, Narcolepsy: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment is an indispensable resource for all clinicians and scientists with an interest in narcolepsy.
| Author | : Stavros Baloyannis,Jan Gordeladze |
| Publisher | : BoD – Books on Demand |
| Release Date | : 2018-12-05 |
| ISBN 10 | : 1789844444 |
| Pages | : 142 pages |
The human hypothalamus, a small structure at the base of the brain, has strategic importance for the harmonic function of the human body. It controls the autonomic nervous system, neuroendocrine function, circadian and circannual rhythms, somatic activities, and behavior, and is situated at the borders between the brain and the body and the brain and the soul, meeting points for mind and body. The hypothalamus is involved in a wide range of higher mental functions, including attention, learning and reinforcement of mnemonic processes, emotional control, mood stability, and cognitive-emotional interactions. It also has a role to play in behavioral disorders, panic reactions, cluster headache, gelastic epilepsy, mental deficiency, periodic disorders, depression, autism, and schizophrenia, and in a substantial number of neurodegenerative diseases. It enlarges greatly the dimensions of the hypothalamic contribution in controlling psychosomatic equilibrium and retaining internal unity of the human existence.
| Author | : Andrew J Lawrence,Luis de Lecea |
| Publisher | : Springer |
| Release Date | : 2017-05-29 |
| ISBN 10 | : 331957535X |
| Pages | : 322 pages |
This issue of Current Topics in Behavioral Neuroscience focuses on the neuropeptide orexin (hypocretin) and brings together scientists from around the world who will provide a timely discussion of how this peptide regulates behavior. This is a fast-moving field, and with the incorporation of novel technologies, new breakthroughs are likely to continue. For example, the use of optogenetic approaches has enabled the identification of the role of orexin-containing neurons in arousal states, critical for higher order functioning. From a clinical perspective, genetic polymorphisms in hypocretin/orexin and orexin receptors are implicated in a number of psychiatric disorders. In addition, advanced clinical trials are currently underway for orexin receptor antagonists in the treatment of insomnia and sleep disorders. We aim to capture a broad audience of basic scientists and clinicians.
| Author | : Jae Young Seong,Hubert Vaudry |
| Publisher | : Frontiers E-books |
| Release Date | : 2014-11-07 |
| ISBN 10 | : 2889192679 |
| Pages | : 329 pages |
The human genome encompasses ˜ 860 G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) including 374 non-chemosensory GPCRs. Half of these latter GPCRs recognize (neuro)peptides as natural ligands. GPCRs thus play a pivotal role in neuroendocrine communication. In particular, GPCRs are involved in the neuroendocrine control of feeding behavior, reproduction, growth, hydromineral homeostasis and stress response. GPCRs are also major drug targets and hence possess a strong potential for the development of innovative pharmaceuticals. The aim of this Research Topic was to assemble a series of review articles and original research papers on neuropeptide GPCRs and their ligands that would illustrate the different facets of the studies currently conducted in this domain.