Download Roles of Different Neurotransmitters

Roles of Different Neurotransmitters
Some Neurotransmitters and Their Functions
Neurotransmitter
Function
Mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal
Problems Caused by Imbalances
Depression, anxiety, OCD
Serotonin
Some antidepressant drugs raise serotonin levels
Movement, thought Oversupply linked to processes (learning, schizophrenia; Dopamine attention), and Undersupply linked to ADHD and emotion
tremors/decreased mobility in Parkinson’s disease
Learning and ACh‐producing neurons Acetylcholine memory
deteriorate as Alzheimer’s (ACh)
Muscle contraction disease progresses
Muscular disorders
Roles of Different Neurotransmitters
Some Neurotransmitters and Their Functions
Neurotransmitter Function
Problems Caused by Imbalances
Norepinephrine
Alertness and arousal
GABA (gamma‐
aminobutyric acid
A major inhibitory Undersupply linked to seizures, neurotransmitter of tremors, and insomnia
brain activity
Anxiety
Glutamate
A major excitatory Oversupply can overstimulate neurotransmitter; the brain, producing migraines or involved in memory seizures; this is why some people avoid MSG (monosodium glutamate) in food
Undersupply can depress mood and cause ADHD‐like attention problems
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Drug Effects on the Nervous System
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• Psychoactive drugs have inhibitory or excitatory effects on the nervous system
• Agonists are drugs that mimic the effect of the neurotransmitter
• Antagonists are drugs that inhibit the effect of the neurotransmitter
• Prozac is an antidepressant drug that works as an agonist of serotonin
• Many psychoactive drugs have side effects because the drug of choice may work on different neural pathways. For example, Prozac treats depression, but can alter sleep, eating patterns, and other thought processes
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