Ap Psychology Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitter

Special brain chemicals that carry an electrical charge across the synapse

• Responsible for movement, thinking, and emotions

• can be excitatory(firing) or inhibitory(prevents)

Acetylcholine (ACh)

- enables muscle movement

- Learning and memory

MALFUNCTION

- too little: Alzheimer’s (memory)

Dopamine

-attention (doom scrolling), voluntary movement, learning, emotion

MALFUNCTION

- Too little: Parkinson’s (shakiness, tremors)

-Too much: Schizophrenia (hallucinations)

Serotonin

“feel good” chemical

-Mood, hunger, sleep, dreaming, arousal, sensory

MALFUNCTION:

- Too little: depression, sleeping problems

Norepinphrine

- alertness, arousal, learning/memory, stress

MALFUNCTION:

- too little: depression, anxiety

- too much: agitation/chronic stress

GABA

Major INHIBITORY neurotransmitter

-inhibitory--slows down system, anxiety

MALFUNCTION

-Too little: seizures, anxiety, insomnia

Glutamate

-Major EXCITATORY Neurotransmitter

-Memory

Too much: overstimulates brain producing migraines/seizures

Endorphins

runner’s high —> exercise

- pleasurable sensations/control of pain, mood

Epinephrine (adrenaline)

neurotransmitter AND hormone

- memory storage, emotional arousal, metabolism

- fight or flight