Neurochemistry and behavior in man.

The distribution and functions of certain neurotransmitter substances seem to correlate with clinical, anatomical and physiological evidence about the mediation of normal and abnormal behaviors in man, though much remains to be learned. The biosynthetic and metabolic pathways, receptors and reuptake mechanisms, and relationships to cyclic nucleotides for several major neurotransmitters are characterized, as well as the specific actions of many behavior-modifying drugs employed clinically. Experimental systems, including nerve cells in culture, permit tests of molecular actions inferred from biochemical and neurophysiological analyses in intact brain. This selective review emphasizes advances in neurochemistry which provide a context for current and future research on neurological and psychiatric disorders encountered in clinical practice.