This action is to give partial support to a symposium to be held at the annual meeting of the American Society of Zoologists. The symposium deals with neuromodulators and scientists from around the U.S. and two from other countries will come together to discuss important aspects of this topic. The following issues will be addressed: 1. What is a neuromodulator? 2. Do modulators have distinctive chemical properties 3. Is there a hierachichal functional organization among the various classes of neuromodulators? 4. Do particular modulators subserve similar behavioral functions over great, or only over short, taxonomic distance? 5. Are the lessons from neuromodulators in the behavior of invertebrates applicable to vertebrates? to mammals? 6. Are there behavioral consequences in the co localization and release of modulators and transmitters by single neurons? 7. Are certain classes of modulators associated with specific mechanisms (e.g., certain ion channels or intracellular messengers)? 8. Are all behaviors equally capable of modulation? The Integrative Neural Systems Program is pleased to aid in the support of this symposium.
