Allosterism - definition

also known as neuromodulation or allosteric modulation, allosterism occurs when a ligand binds to a receptor at a site separate from the binding site where the endogenous ligand (e.g. neurotransmitter) normally binds. Binding produces an allosteric effect, which increases or decreases the likelihood that the endogenous ligand will bind to its typical binding site, or modifies the effect it has when it does bind. Thus, allosterism can indirectly affect neural transmission.

Watch this 2-Minute Neuroscience video to learn more about allosteric modulation.

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YOUR BRAIN, EXPLAINED

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This book shows a whole other side of how brains work by examining the most unusual behavior to emerge from the human brain. In it, you'll meet a woman who is afraid to take a shower because she fears her body will slip down the drain, a man who is convinced he is a cat, a woman who compulsively snacks on cigarette ashes, and many other unusual cases. As uncommon as they are, each of these cases has something important to teach us about everyday brain function.

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