Neurotransmitter Topics

• selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor
• serotonin reuptake inhibitor
• degradation pathways
• synaptic junctions
• postsynaptic neuron
• monoamine oxidase
• physical addiction
• regulatory points
• types of receptors
• excess intake
• electrical potentials
• recreational drugs
• dopamine levels
• target
• deprenyl
• ampt
• reserpine
• action potential
• neurotransmitters
• electrical stimulation

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Neurotransmitter, Neurotransmitter

Release of neurotransmitters usually follows arrival of an action potential at the synapse, but may follow graded electrical potentials. Low level "baseline" release also occurs without electrical stimulation.

The only thing that a neurotransmitter does directly is to activate one or more types of receptors.

Excess intake of cocaine can lead to physical addiction. The physical addiction of cocaine is when the neurotransmitters stay in the synapse so long , the body removes some receptors from the postsynaptic neuron. After the effects of the drug wear off, the person usually feels unhappy, because now the neurotransmitters are less likely to hit the receptor since the body removed many of them during the drug intake. Prozac is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), hence potentiating the effect of naturally released serotonin. AMPT prevents the conversion of tyrosine to L-DOPA, the precursor to dopamine; reserpine prevents dopamine storage within vesicles; and deprenyl inhibits monoamine oxidase (MAO)-B and thus increases dopamine levels.

Choline is taken up and recycled by the pre-synaptic neuron to synthesize more ACH.Other neurotransmitters such as dopamine are able to diffuse away from their targeted synaptic junctions and are eliminated from the body via the kidneys, or destroyed in the liver. Each neurotransmitter has very specific degradation pathways at regulatory points, which may be the target of the body's own regulatory system or recreational drugs.

Source: Wikipedia > Neurotransmitter