Mental Illness, Synapses and the Brain – Behavioral Disorders by a System of Molecules within a System of Neurons?

Abstract

The multi-level systems view conceiving the brain as a “network of networks of neurons” rises the question how it could be possible to understand this complex system with respect to mental functions and dysfunctions. One crucial issue is related to the analysis of the connectivity of these networks by the study of synapses. Also synapses are complex dynamical molecular systems that can only be understood by computer-based methodologies in order to analyze complex data sets and for modeling complex molecular networks. Many data are available but there is a lack models that capture the dynamic features of synapses that are involved in psychiatric disorders and psychopharmaceutical treatment. One strategy of research could be offered by Systems Biology. Here some challenges for modeling synapses in mental disorders are discussed.

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