ABSTRACT
Contactin 5 (CNTN5) belongs to a subgroup of the immunoglobulin superfamily.It is highly expressed in the amygdala and occipital lobe of the human brain as well as in the presynaptic terminal of glutamatergic neurons in the auditory system.In recent years,researchers have used animal experiments to identify the biological functions of CNTN5.They have also investigated the relationship between CNTN5 and menial disorders including autism,Alzheimer's disease,and anorexia nervosa among others.Furthermore,immunofluorescence assays have shown that CNTN5 is expressed in glutamatergic neurons in the hypothalamus.A reduction in the number of glutamatergic neurons can cause the long-term potentiation of synapses.Long-term potentiation is an important mechanism in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).It suggests that mutation of CNTN5 may be one of the mechanisms underlying PTSD.We reviewed the research concerning CNTN5 to identify future research directions.