you might thank your neurotransmitters.
These target cells may be in glands, muscles, or other neurons.
They can also affect various psychological functions, such as fear, mood, pleasure, and joy.
Verywell / Jessica Olah
They can influence everything from mood to focus, energy levels, sleep, and appetite.
How Neurotransmitters Work
Neurons are not directly connected to one another.
Instead, they need to find ways to communicate their signals to one another.
To do this, they use neurotransmitters.
This occurs through a process known as neurotransmission.
These cells contain receptors where the neurotransmitters can bind and trigger changes in the cells.
It can either have an excitatory or inhibitory effect on the receiving neuron, depending on the neurotransmitter.
Receptors and neurotransmitters act like a lock-and-key system.
If the neurotransmitter is able to work on the receptor site, it triggers changes in the receiving cell.
Inactivation of Neurotransmitters
So what happens to a neurotransmitter after its job is complete?
Some of the major excitatory neurotransmitters include epinephrine and norepinephrine.
Some major inhibitory neurotransmitters include serotonin andgamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA).
Neurotransmitters that act as neuromodulators include acetylcholine, dopamine, serotonin, histamine, and cannabinoids.
Types of Neurotransmitters
There are a number of different ways to classify and categorize neurotransmitters.
In some instances, they are simply divided into monoamines, amino acids, and peptides.
Diseases such as Alzheimer’s, epilepsy, and Parkinson’s are associated with deficits in certain neurotransmitters.
For example, dopamine is associated with such things as addiction and schizophrenia.
These drugs are capable of changing the effects of neurotransmitters, which can alleviate the symptoms of some diseases.
Illicit drugs such asheroin,cocaine, andmarijuanaalso affect neurotransmission.
Heroin acts as a direct-acting agonist, mimicking the brain’s natural opioids enough to stimulate their associated receptors.
Cocaine is an example of an indirect-acting drug that influences the transmission of dopamine.
This system is both complex and highly interconnected.
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