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The auditory dorsal stream in both humans and non-human primates is responsible for sound localization, and is accordingly known as the auditory 'where' pathway. In humans, this pathway (especially in the left hemisphere) is also responsible for speech production, speech repetition, lip-reading, and phonological working memory and long-term memory.
Adenosine is a neuromodulator that is responsible for motor function, mood, memory, and learning. Its main purpose is the coordination of responses to different neurotransmitters. [5] Adenosine plays many important roles in biological systems, for example in the central nervous-, cardiovascular-, hepatic-, renal- and respiratory system.
Adenosine is a key factor in regulating the body's sleep-wake cycle. [40] Adenosine levels rise during periods of wakefulness and lowers during sleep. Higher adenosine levels correlate with a stronger feeling of sleepiness, also known as sleep drive or sleep pressure. [41]
Caffeine keeps you awake by blocking adenosine receptors. Each type of adenosine receptor has different functions, although with some overlap. [3] For instance, both A 1 receptors and A 2A play roles in the heart, regulating myocardial oxygen consumption and coronary blood flow, while the A 2A receptor also has broader anti-inflammatory effects throughout the body. [4]
In neutrophils, tissue adenosine can either activate or inhibit various neutrophil functions, depending on the inflammatory microenvironment, the expression of adenosine receptors on the neutrophil, and the affinity of these receptors for adenosine. Micromolar concentrations of adenosine activate A2A and A2B receptors.
The adenosine A2A receptor has also been shown to play a regulatory role in the adaptive immune system. In this role, it functions similarly to programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic t-lymphocyte associated protein-4 ( CTLA-4 ) receptors, namely to suppress immunologic response and prevent associated tissue damage.
The pre-Bötzinger complex is responsible for generating the wide variety of components that make up the respiratory rhythm. The accomplishment of these precise activities requires distinct neuron populations that overlap to allow the generation of different respiratory actions.
Adenosinergic means "working on adenosine". An adenosinergic agent (or drug) is a chemical which functions to directly modulate the adenosine system in the body or brain. Examples include adenosine receptor agonists, adenosine receptor antagonists (such as caffeine), and adenosine reuptake inhibitors.