Parts of Neuron and Neurotransmitters

Acetylcholine

enables muscle action, learning, and memory

dopamine

influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion

serotonin

affects mood, hunger, sleep, arousal

norepinephrine

helps control alertness and arousal

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)

a major inhibitory transmitter

glutamate

a major excitatory neurotransmitter

endorphins

neurotransmitters that influence the perception of pain or pleasure

Acetylcholine malfunction

with Alzheimer's disease, ACh-producing neurons deteriorate

dopamine malfunction

-Oversupplying linked to schizophrenia
-undersupply linked to tremors and decreased mobility in Parkinson's disease

serotonin malfunction

undersupply linked to depression. Some drugs that raise serotonin levels are used to treat depression

Norepinephrine malfunction

undersupply can depress mood

GABA malfunction

undersupply linked to seizures, tremors, and insomnia

glutamate malfunction

oversupply can overstimulate the brain, producing migraines or seizures

endorphins malfunction

oversupply with opiate drugs can suppress the body's natural endorphin supply

threshold

the level of stimulation required to trigger a neural impulse

resting potential

the potential difference between the two sides of the membrane of a nerve cell when the cell is not conducting an impulse

action potential

the local voltage change across the cell wall as a nerve impulse is transmitted