NEUROTRANSMITTERS AND HOW DRUGS AFFECT THEM: ch 3

3 broad classes of neurotransmitters

amino acids (glutamate, GABA); monoamines (dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine); acetylcholine

Oxytocin

a neuropeptide/hormone associated with social bonding; it does not fit neatly into the three class schema

Norepinephrine

supports alertness and physiological responses to threatening or demanding situations

Dopamine

Contributes to reward, motivation, and movement; not simply a “pleasure chemical”

Serotonin

contributes to mood and other functions

Acetylcholine

involved in muscle activation, attention, and memory

Agonist

increases or mimics a neurotransmitter’s actions at its receptors

Antagonist

blocks or reduces a neurotransmitter’s action at its receptors

Agonist examples

Acetylcholine, Endorphins, Morphine & Heroin

Antagonist examples

Dopamine, Acetylcholine, & Opioid (naloxene)