Enhancer substance

By Joseph Knoll

The term “enhancer substance” refers to chemicals which increase the activity of special neurons which are sensitive to them, as for example, selegiline increases the activity of catecholamine producing neurons. The term was coined by Joseph Knoll in his monograph “The Brain and Its Self” published in 2005. It was based on Knoll and Miklya’s findings reported in 1994 that subcutaneous administration of selegiline in the daily dose range from 0.01 to 0.1 mg/kg to rats for 21 days significantly increased catecholamine levels in the striatum, substantia nigra, tuberculum olfactorium (dopamine) and locus coeruleus (norepinephrine).

Knoll J. The Brain and Its Self. A Neurochemical Concept of the Innate and Acquired Drives. Springer, Berlin/Heidelberg/New York, 2005. pp.25-94

Knoll J., Miklya I. Multiple small dose administration of (-)-deprenyl enhances catecholaminergic activity and diminshes serotonergic activity in the brain and these effects are unrelated to MAO-B inhibition. Archives internationales Pharmacodynamie de Therapie. 1994; 328: 1-15 

Joseph Knoll

October 16, 2014