Transcript Neurotransmitters - Mayfield City Schools

What is a neurotransmitter?
What kind of chemicals are they?
Neurotransmitters
Acetylcholine (ACh)
ACh
• Famous for neuromuscular junction
• ACh released tells muscles to contract
• Cool stuff: Botox inhibits release of ACh,
paralysing muscles
• Nerve gas blocks AChE
Biogenic Amines - Catecholamines
Biogenic Amines – Indolamines
• Serotonin
• modulate mood, emotion, sleep and
appetite
Dopamine
• helps control the brain's reward and
pleasure centers
• helps regulate movement and emotional
responses
• Dopamine deficiency results in Parkinson's
Disease
Norepinephrine (NE )
Noradrenaline
• Involved in attention and arousal in CNS
• In PNS involved in fight or flight
• As a neurotransmitter works to increase
heart rate
Purines – ATP and adenosine
• Neurotransmitters too!
• ATP – involved in pain sensation
• Adenosine – inhibitory neurotransmitter
(causes hyperpolarization… making
depolarization more difficult)
Amino Acid Neurotransmitters
• GABA (gamma aminobutyric acid) –
presynaptic inhibition
– Mess with GABA  seizure
• Glutamate – associated with learning
– Associated with learning
and memory
Peptides – amino acid chains
• substance P – pain mediator
• Endorphins – natural pain killers… reduce
perception of pain ~20 of them
– Endo = inside
– Oprh = morphine
endorphin = Morphine like substance
produced in body
Opiate - anything that causes dullness or
inaction or that soothes the feelings.
• Dynorphin
• Enkephalin