Download Bio LOA Neurotransmitters are your friends

Neurotransmitters Are Your Friends
Some Basics on Neurotransmission
• Neurotransmitters either excite or inhibit
other neurons
– Agonists bind to receptor cells and cause the cell
to respond, while antagonists inhibit the cell
from responding.
• Can affect mood, memory decision making,
problem solving and long term health
Serotonin
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CNS: regulation of mood
Obsessions and compulsions
Motivation/emotional responses
Anti-depressants are designed to selectively
block the re-uptake of serotonin in the brain
Dopamine
• CNS:basal ganglia motor loop
• Memory, attention, problem solving
• Released w/food and sex, pleasure and
reward
– Cocaine blocks the re-uptake of Dopamine
• Also released when we are anticipating or
making predictions about what might occur
in the future and adjusting expectations
when we are right/wrong
Norepinephrine
• CNS: involved in hypothalamus with Hunger,
also interacts with dopamine and Serotonin
• Alertness and Attention
• Concentration and Energy
• Anti-depressants will also target
Norepinephrine
Epinephrine
• CNS: readies body or fight/fight
– increase HR, BP, Blood to skeletal muscles
– Adrenaline acts as a neurotransmitter in the
central nervous system and as a hormone in the
blood circulation.
Acetylcholine
• CNS/PNS: muscle contraction, sweating,
fight/flight response back to normal
(sympathetic/parasympathetic)
• Acts to help return to Homeostasis
• Acts as an inhibitor to cardiac tissue
• Is excitatory in skeletal muscles
• Nicotine mimics acetylcholine, it fits into the
same chemical locks
GABA
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CNS: decrease neural activity
Acts as a depressant at the neural level
Decrease inhibitions/anxiety/tension
Alcohol mimics GABA
Glutamate
• CNS: Excitatory, long term memory and
learning
• Essential for Long Term Potentiation (LTP)
and encoding memory
• A precursor for the synthesis of GABA which
helps explain the impaired cognitive
functioning when drunk