Bioactive Lipid Signaling in the Nervous System

Bioactive lipids, comprising sphingolipids, phosphoinositides, endocannabinoids, lysophospholipids, and eicosanoids, function as essential signaling mediators throughout the nervous system and operate at the interface of membrane biology, intracellular signal transduction, and transcriptional regulation. These molecules regulate neuronal polarity, axon guidance, synaptic vesicle cycling, receptor trafficking, myelination, and neuroinflammatory responses. Their signaling is tightly controlled by lipid-metabolizing enzymes, lipid transfer proteins, and compartment-specific membrane dynamics, where even subtle imbalances can compromise neural circuit integrity. Dysregulated lipid signaling is increasingly implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, demyelinating conditions, traumatic brain injury, and neurodevelopmental disorders, yet the molecular pathways linking specific lipid species to defined neural phenotypes remain incompletely understood.This Research Topic aims to showcase research that dissects how bioactive lipid signals are generated, transduced, and terminated in neural cells, and how these pathways shape nervous system development, plasticity, and disease. By bridging lipidomics, molecular neuroscience, and pharmacology, this collection seeks to map the diversity of lipid-mediated signaling in neurons and glia and to highlight emerging therapeutic strategies targeting lipid pathways for neuroprotection and repair.We welcome contributions using biochemical, genetic, imaging, electrophysiological, lipidomic, and computational approaches, including studies in genetically engineered model organisms, human-derived cells, and advanced in vitro systems. Submissions connecting molecular changes in lipid signaling to cellular, synaptic, or circuit-level outcomes are particularly encouraged. Topic editors: Sara Grassi, Irina Alecu, Santiago Sole Domenech Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/80828/bioactive-lipid-signaling-in-the-nervous-system