Chemicals

Agonosists - Fits receptor well and acts like the NT, ex: nicotine

Antagonists - Fits receptor poorly, occupying the site without activating the receptor (blocks the NT)

Serotonin - Affects mood; hunger (and satiety), sleep and arousal, Undersupply linked to depression

Found in the CNS

Norepinephrine - Helps control alertness and arousal, Oversupply- fight or flight response, Undersupply- can depress mood, Found in CNS and ANS

Acetylcholine - Enables muscle action, learning and memory, Alzheimer's Disease, Found in CNS and PNS

Anandamide - Involved in working memory, Possibly involved in eating and sleep patterns, motivation, pleasure and pain relief, Found in CNS

GABA - Main inhibitory neurotransmitter, Undersupply - linked to seizures, tremors, and insomnia, Found in CNS

Glutamate - Major excitatory neurotransmitter, Involved in memory, Oversupply - associated with epileptic seizures and migraine headaches, Found in CNS and PNS

Endorphins - Natural, opiate-like neurotransmitters, Linked to pain control and to pleasure, Released in response to pain

Dopamine - Involved in movement, attention, learning, pleasure and emotion, Excess - receptor activity linked to schizophrenia, Loss- tremors and decreased mobility of Parkinson's disease, Found in CNS and PNS

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