VMAT2

The Vesicular Monoamine Transporter 2 or VMAT2 is an integral membrane protein that acts to transport monoamines—particularly neurotransmitters such as dopamine, norepinephrine,serotonin, and histamine—from cellular cytosol into synaptic vesicles.

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Binding sites and ligands

One binding site is that of DTBZ. Lobeline binds at this site. At a distinct site dextroamphetamine binds. Its activity at VMAT2 is a crucial part of its monoamine releasing action.

Impairment and dysfunction

Cocaine users display a marked reduction in VMAT2 immunoreactivity. Sufferers of cocaine-induced mood disorders displayed a significant loss of VMAT2 immunoreactivity, this might reflect damage to striatal dopamine fibers. These neuronal changes could play a role in causing disordered mood and motivational processes in more severely addicted users.^[1]

"God gene"

Geneticist Dean Hamer identified the VMAT2 gene as correlating with spirituality using data from a smoking survey, which included questions intended to measure "self-transcendence". Hamer performed the spirituality study on the side, independently of the National Cancer Institute smoking study. His findings were published in the mass-market book The God Gene: How Faith Is Hard-Wired Into Our Genes.^[2][3] According to Carl Zimmer, Hamer's study has not been academically published and depends on a minor statistical variance.^[4]

See also

• God gene
• Neurotheology

References