Neurotransmitters!

What is a neuron?

• Basic cells in the brain

What are neurotransmitters?

• “Chemical messengers”

• Cross the synapse to pass signal to the next neuron

• Must “fit” into receptor sites on receiving neuron’s dendrites”binding”

Once the neurotransmitters are released into the synapse…

• Binding = absorbed by receiving neuron

• Reabsorbed by the sending neuron

• Picked up by “clean-up” cells (glial cells)

• “Floats on”

“Famous” Neurotransmitters

Serotonin

• Responsibilities:– Appetite, Memory, Sleep, Pain, Regulating

body temp, Mood

• Linked to: depression, OCD, aggression

• Where can you find it? – Tryptophan!

• Turkey, bananas, milk, yogurt, eggs, meat, cheese

Dopamine

• Responsibilities– Motor control, emotional responses,

perception of pain and pleasure

• Linked to:– Too little: Parkinson’s– Too much: schizophrenia

Acetylcholine

• Responsibilities:– Muscle contraction, attentiveness,

aggression, thirst

• Linked to:– Alzheimer’s disease

GABA

• Responsibilities:– Motor control, vision, regulates anxiety

Norepinephrine

• Responsibilities:– Attentiveness, emotions, sleep, learning

• Linked to: mood disorders – bipolar disorder

Neural Inhibitors

• Drugs that counteract or reduce another that naturally exists.

Synthetic Neurotransmitters •Drugs that increase another that is naturally occurring.