WordGarden.ioneurotransmitter
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /njˈuːrətrˌænsmɪtə/
US
Meanings
Noun
a chemical messenger that carries signals between nerve cells or other target cells
Beyond the definition
Imagine your brain as a busy city, always sending messages. Those messages are carried by tiny chemical messengers. They are like the text messages of your nervous system, passing information from one nerve cell to another. Without them, you would not be able to think, feel, move, or even breathe.
They are released when a nerve cell "fires." Then they cross a tiny gap and attach to receptors on the next cell. Different ones do different jobs: some help with reward and motivation, like dopamine, while others help calm brain activity, like GABA. You can think of them as part of the system behind your thoughts, emotions, and actions. Changes in their levels or signaling are linked to conditions such as depression and anxiety.
Neurotransmitters are chemicals made in the body that let nerve cells communicate with one another. In simple terms, they are one of the main ways the brain and nervous system send messages. Your nervous system is a huge network of nerve cells, called neurons, and these chemical messengers help connect their signals. Neurons do not usually touch each other directly. Between them is a tiny space called a synapse. When an electrical signal reaches the end of one neuron, it can trigger the release of these chemicals into that space.
These chemicals then cross the gap and bind to receptors on the next neuron. Some make the next cell more likely to fire, while others make it less likely. This process happens again and again throughout the body, helping control everything from heartbeat and digestion to mood, memory, learning, movement, and sleep.
There are many different types of neurotransmitters, each with specific roles. Some key examples include:
- Dopamine: Associated with pleasure, motivation, and reward.
- Serotonin: Influences mood, sleep, and appetite.
- GABA: A major inhibitory neurotransmitter that helps calm the nervous system.
- Acetylcholine: Involved in muscle movement, memory, and learning.
Problems with neurotransmitter levels or signaling are linked to a wide range of brain and nervous system conditions. For example, serotonin is often discussed in relation to depression, while dopamine changes are linked to disorders such as Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia. Many medicines work by affecting neurotransmitter systems. They may increase the amount available, slow reabsorption, or copy their effects.
So, the next time you have a thought, feeling, or action, remember the tiny chemical messengers working behind the scenes to help make it possible.
Examples
- 1
Brain chemistry
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter involved in movement, motivation, and reward.
- 2
Medication effect
The drug affects how the brain uses the neurotransmitter serotonin.
- 3
Stress response
Stress can change the levels of several neurotransmitters in the body.
- 4
Antidepressants
Some antidepressants work by increasing the amount of certain neurotransmitters available in the brain.
See also
Similar
- chemical messenger
- synaptic transmitter
Shades of meaning
- neuromodulator
Contrast
- electrical impulse
- receptor
Do not confuse
Used with (collocations)
- release a neurotransmitter
- neurotransmitter receptor
- neurotransmitter imbalance
- inhibit neurotransmitter release
Word family
- neurotransmission
Explore
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- neurotransmitternoun
Forms
- neurotransmitterspluralnoun