Histamine in the Neocortex: Towards Integrating Multiscale Effectors

Histamine is a modulatory neurotransmitter, which has received relatively less attention in the central nervous system, compared to other neurotransmitters. The functional role of histamine in the neocortex, the brain region which controls higher-order cognitive functions such as attentions, learning and memory, remains largely unknown. This mini-review article focuses on the emerging roles and mechanisms of histamine in the neocortex. We describe gaps in current knowledge, and propose the application of interdisciplinary tools to dissect the detailed multiscale functional logic of histaminergic action in the neocortex ranging from sub-cellular, cellular, dendritic, and synaptic scales, to microcircuits and mesoscale effects.