Almeida Lab

Despite the attention devoted to studying how neurons communicate through neurotransmitters released at synapses, many neurons also release neurotransmitters away from the synapse. Neurotransmitters released non-synaptically in vivo have a potentially broad reach, placing non-synaptic release as a potentially fundamental mode of circuit regulation. Such non-synaptic release is implicated in many cognitive functions, but we have a poor understanding of it occurs and how it can alter neural circuit function in the intact CNS.

Furthermore, non-synaptic release involves some proteins typically studied only in synapses and encoded by genes implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders. However, the mechanistic overlap and distinctions in synaptic and non-synaptic release remain unclear, and how dysregulated non-synaptic signalling contributes to such neurodevelopmental disorders is unknown.

Due to their optical and genetic access, we use zebrafish to study intact neurons embedded in their natural circuits and gain insights into the molecular mechanisms and circuit roles of this understudied mode of communication in vivo.