Receptors and Brain Function

Analyses of regional and laminar distributions of multiple receptors not only enable the identification and mapping of cortical areas on a molecular basis, but also broaden our understanding of the molecular principles underlying structural and functional segregation of neuronal networks. "Receptor fingerprints", i.e., the balance in the expression levels of different receptor types in a given architectonic entity provide crucial insights into the relationship between receptor gradients and known functional hierarchies and cognitive networks.