Specific Neurotransmitters- The Biology of Behavior

Lecture 3

Acetylcholine (ACh)

• Enables muscle action learning & memory

  • Alzheimers disease, ACh begins to deteriorate

Dopamine

• Influences movement learning, attention and emotion

  • oversupply linked to schizophrenia

  • undersupply linked to tremors and decreased mobility in Parkinson’s

Serotonin

• Affects mood, hunger, sleep & arousal

  • undersupply linkeddepression

    • some drugs that raise serotonin levels are used to treat depression

Epinephrine & Norepinephrine

• Affects mood, hunger, sleep & arousal

  • undersupply can depress mood

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)

• a major inhibitory neurotransmitter

  • undersupply linked to seizures, tremors & insomnia

Glutamate

• A major excitatory neurotransmitter involved in learning & memory

  • oversupply can overstimulate the brain producing migraines & seizures

Endorphins

• Neurotransmitters that influence the perception of pain and pleasure

  • oversupply with opioid drugs can suppress the body’s natural endorphin supply

Agnostics

• increase normal activity of a neurotransmitter

  • treats muscle movement in parkinson’s (undersupply of dopamine)

Antagonists

• decrease in activity of a neurotransmitter

  • treats schizophrenia (oversupply of dopamine)