Description
Galanin is an endogenous neuropeptide that binds GAL receptors and is involved in action potential signaling and propagation in neurons. Galanin exhibits anticonvulsant/antiepileptic activity, inhibiting glutamate and suppressing seizures. Galanin also inhibits insulin secretion and plays a role in nociception, sleep regulation, cognition, feeding, blood pressure, and mood. Galanin displays both neuroprotective and neurotoxic activities, as galanin expression is increased in the brain tissue of Alzheimer’s disease patients; it is also involved in modulation of cholinergic signaling.
References
Mitsukawa K, Lu X, Bartfai T. Galanin, galanin receptors and drug targets. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2008 Jun;65(12):1796-805. PMID: 18500647.
Counts SE, Perez SE, Mufson EJ. Galanin in Alzheimer's disease: neuroinhibitory or neuroprotective? Cell Mol Life Sci. 2008 Jun;65(12):1842-53. PMID: 18500641.
Lang R, Gundlach AL, Kofler B. The galanin peptide family: receptor pharmacology, pleiotropic biological actions, and implications in health and disease. Pharmacol Ther. 2007 Aug;115(2):177-207. PMID: 17604107.
Mazarati A, Lu X, Shinmei S, et al. Patterns of seizures, hippocampal injury and neurogenesis in three models of status epilepticus in galanin receptor type 1 (GalR1) knockout mice. Neuroscience. 2004;128(2):431-41. PMID: 15350653.
