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AP Psych
Some neurotransmitters and their functions
Neurotransmitter | Function | Examples of Malfunctions |
---|---|---|
Acetylcholine (ACh) | Enables muscle action, learning, and memory | With Alzheimer's disease, ACh-producing neurons deteriorate |
Dopamine | Influences movement, learning, attention, and emotion | Excess dopamine receptor activity is linked to schizophrenia. Starved of dopamine, the brain produces the tremors and decreased mobility of Parkinson's disease |
Serotonin | Affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal. | Undersupply linked to depression. Prozac and other antidepressant drugs raise serotonin levels |
Norepinephrine | Helps control alertness and arousal | Undersupply can depress mood |
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) | A major inhibitory neurotransmitter | Undersupply linked to seizures, tremors, and insomnia |
Glutamate | A major excitatory neurotransmitter; involved in memory | Oversupply can overstimulate brain, producing migraines or seizures (which is why some ppl avoid MSG in food) |