Basic Nervous Processes - Excitation and Inhibition
as Adaptive Reactions: A Review. 2. Criticism
of the Ideas about the Existence of Excitatory and Inhibitory
Neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitter Effects as Cellular
Adaptive Reactions

S. E. Murik

List of issues > Series «Biology. Ecology». 2024. Vol 48

Basic Nervous Processes - Excitation and Inhibition as Adaptive Reactions: A Review. 2. Criticism of the Ideas about the Existence of Excitatory and Inhibitory Neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitter Effects as Cellular Adaptive Reactions

Author(s)

S. E. Murik

Abstract

The idea about excitation and inhibition as the main nervous processes which are caused by the activity of specific excitatory and inhibitory systems is being criticized in the article. The literature analysis shows that the currently dominant neurophysiology approach, which is justifying the existence of such systems, mainly relies on facts received under in vitro conditions. Nevertheless, in vitro conditions are far from normal conditions for the existence of nerve cells. Presented literature data indicates the dependence of the neuron response on its current adaptive (biological) state and the cytotoxicity of the neurotransmitter. In particular, it is shown that the typical response of cells of the nervous system in good living conditions (in vivo) to the exciting neurotransmitter glutamate will always be the hyperpolarizing postsynaptic potential (HPSP), ending with the generation of action potentials (AP) by the mechanism of post-hyperpolarizing recoil. As it often happens in vitro case in relatively bad vital state, nerve cells will respond to the same glutamate with a depolarizing postsynaptic potential (DPSP), which firstly leads to the generation of nerve impulses by the cell, but then, as vital state deteriorates, to depolarizing inhibition. The pattern of the response of neurons to GABA also depends on their life state. In response to GABA (a neurotransmitter less toxic than glutamate), brain neurons in both good (in vivo) and relatively bad (in vitro) vital state will respond to HPSP, either without excitation – the phenomenon of hyperpolarizing inhibition, or with the generation of nerve impulses, by the mechanism of post-hyperpolarizing recoil. In very poor vital state, the response of neurons to the GABA will always be DPSP with or without AP generation, i.e. in that case, as well as to glutamate in bad vital conditions, the state of depolarizing inhibition has been observed. Thus, there is every reason to consider the active states of nerve cells: excitation and inhibition, as well as postsynaptic potentials, as a function that derivatives from the current adaptive (vital) state of the neuron and the cytotoxicity of the neurotransmitter.

About the Authors

Murik Sergey Eduardovich, Candidate of Science (Biology), Associate Professor, Irkutsk State University, 1, K. Marx st., Irkutsk, 664003, Russian Federation, e-mail: sergey_murik@mail.ru

For citation

Murik S.E. Basic Nervous Processes – Excitation and Inhibition as Adaptive Reactions: A Review. II. Criticism of the Ideas about the Existence of Excitatory and Inhibitory Neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitter Effects as Cellular Adaptive Reactions. The Bulletin of Irkutsk State University. Series Biology. Ecology, 2024, vol. 48, pp. 53-81. https://doi.org/10.26516/2073-3372.2024.48.53 (in Russian)

Keywords

main nervous processes, excitation, inhibition, inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP), exciting postsynaptic potential (EPSP), hyperpolarizing postsynaptic potential (HPSP), depolarizing postsynaptic potential (DPSP), membrane potential, depolarization, hyperpolarization, adaptive state, functional state, neuron.

UDC

612.82(2)(812)+577.3

DOI

https://doi.org/10.26516/2073-3372.2024.48.53

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List of issues > Series «Biology. Ecology». 2024. Vol 48

Basic Nervous Processes - Excitation and Inhibition as Adaptive Reactions: A Review. 2. Criticism of the Ideas about the Existence of Excitatory and Inhibitory Neurotransmitters. Neurotransmitter Effects as Cellular Adaptive Reactions

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