Neurotransmitters
Definition:
Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers in the human brain. They transmit signals between nerve cells called neurons. The brain then uses those neurotransmitters to tell your body to do important things, like make your heart beat or your lungs to breathe. If the neurotransmitters are not working properly, mental illnesses such as depression can happen. In addition to being chemical messengers, some of the messages can be electrical. When the electrical signals are not working properly, they can cause tremors or other symptoms found in Parkinson’s Disease.1
Types:
There are several types of neurotransmitters: serotonin dopamine, glutamate, GABA, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine
Serotonin
Serotonin assists in many functions within the human body. Some of these functions are mood, appetite and sleep. It has been shown that individuals who have a lower amount of serotonin are prone to having depression. The medications that are prescribed for treating depression work by block the recycling or reuptake of serotonin by the neuron that is sending it. Because of this, there is more serotonin in the synapse for the neuron to bind onto. This will lead to a more stable and normal mood.1
Dopamine
The main function of dopamine is to control movement and help the flow of information in the front of the brain. This area is connected to human thought and emotion. Difficulties in dopamine production can lead to Parkinson’s Disease symptoms. Symptoms such as stiffness, tremors or shaking as well as others are caused by lack of dopamine.1
Glutamate
Glutamate is the most common neurotransmitter of all and has numerous roles within the brain. It is what is called an excitatory transmitter, which means when it is released there is a greater chance that the neuron will fire. Glutamate helps with the flow of electricity within the brain that is necessary for normal brain function. IT also has a role in learning and memory. There are many mental disorders that have been connected to problems making or using glutamate: autism, obsessive compulsive disorder, schizophrenia and depression.1
GABA (gamma-aminobutryic acid)
GABA is a type of inhibitory neurotransmitter that helps control motor functions, vision and other cortical functions while also helping to control anxiety. GABA is thought to be associated with epilepsy. Some drugs increase the level of GABA in order to treat epilepsy and calm trembling of individuals suffering from Huntington’s disease.2
Norepinephrine
Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter that is important for emotions, sleeping, dreaming, learning and attentiveness. It is released as a hormone into the blood and causes heart rate to increase and blood vessels to constrict. It has a role in mood disorders like manic depression.2
Acetylcholine
Acetylcholine is an excitatory neurotransmitter that stimulates muscle contraction and the release of certain hormones. It assists with wakefulness, attentiveness, anger, aggression, sexuality and thirst. If an individual does not have enough acetylcholine it is associated with Alzheimer’s disease.2
History:
The discovery of how the nervous system works has been a long and complicated process. From the year 1838-1888, it was thought that the nervous system was one large network, not that neurons were made of individual cells like other bodily tissues. This was mainly due to a lack of technology that could identify the separate parts of the nervous system. The first neurotransmitter was discovered in 1921 by Otto Loewi. The experiment used two frog hearts; heart #1 was still connected to the vagus nerve and put into a fluid filled chamber. That chamber was connected to a second fluid filled chamber that contained heart #2. Electrical stimulation was then applied to the vagus nerve in heart #1. This caused heart #1 to slow down. After heart #1 slowed down, heart #2 slowed down. The conclusion that was drawn from this experiment was that the electrical stimulation of heart #1 caused a neurotransmitter to be released and it flowed into the second chamber with heart #2 making it also slow down. This chemical is now known to be the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.3
Today’s Situation/Diseases can be treated
There is a great deal of research being done on neurotransmitters and their impact on the human body. One area of research that is receiving attention is neuroregeneration. This is the regeneration or repair of nervous tissues, cells or cell products. This could be the regeneration of new neurons, glia, axons, myelin or synapses. Also, there is research being carried out with neurotransmitter devices being placed into the brain in order to send messages to help move limbs.4 Currently, many diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis, multiple system atrophy are ones that deal with dysfunction of neurotransmitters in the human body and require various clinical treatments.
Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers in the human brain. They transmit signals between nerve cells called neurons. The brain then uses those neurotransmitters to tell your body to do important things, like make your heart beat or your lungs to breathe. If the neurotransmitters are not working properly, mental illnesses such as depression can happen. In addition to being chemical messengers, some of the messages can be electrical. When the electrical signals are not working properly, they can cause tremors or other symptoms found in Parkinson’s Disease.1
Types:
There are several types of neurotransmitters: serotonin dopamine, glutamate, GABA, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine
Serotonin
Serotonin assists in many functions within the human body. Some of these functions are mood, appetite and sleep. It has been shown that individuals who have a lower amount of serotonin are prone to having depression. The medications that are prescribed for treating depression work by block the recycling or reuptake of serotonin by the neuron that is sending it. Because of this, there is more serotonin in the synapse for the neuron to bind onto. This will lead to a more stable and normal mood.1
Dopamine
The main function of dopamine is to control movement and help the flow of information in the front of the brain. This area is connected to human thought and emotion. Difficulties in dopamine production can lead to Parkinson’s Disease symptoms. Symptoms such as stiffness, tremors or shaking as well as others are caused by lack of dopamine.1
Glutamate
Glutamate is the most common neurotransmitter of all and has numerous roles within the brain. It is what is called an excitatory transmitter, which means when it is released there is a greater chance that the neuron will fire. Glutamate helps with the flow of electricity within the brain that is necessary for normal brain function. IT also has a role in learning and memory. There are many mental disorders that have been connected to problems making or using glutamate: autism, obsessive compulsive disorder, schizophrenia and depression.1
GABA (gamma-aminobutryic acid)
GABA is a type of inhibitory neurotransmitter that helps control motor functions, vision and other cortical functions while also helping to control anxiety. GABA is thought to be associated with epilepsy. Some drugs increase the level of GABA in order to treat epilepsy and calm trembling of individuals suffering from Huntington’s disease.2
Norepinephrine
Norepinephrine is a neurotransmitter that is important for emotions, sleeping, dreaming, learning and attentiveness. It is released as a hormone into the blood and causes heart rate to increase and blood vessels to constrict. It has a role in mood disorders like manic depression.2
Acetylcholine
Acetylcholine is an excitatory neurotransmitter that stimulates muscle contraction and the release of certain hormones. It assists with wakefulness, attentiveness, anger, aggression, sexuality and thirst. If an individual does not have enough acetylcholine it is associated with Alzheimer’s disease.2
History:
The discovery of how the nervous system works has been a long and complicated process. From the year 1838-1888, it was thought that the nervous system was one large network, not that neurons were made of individual cells like other bodily tissues. This was mainly due to a lack of technology that could identify the separate parts of the nervous system. The first neurotransmitter was discovered in 1921 by Otto Loewi. The experiment used two frog hearts; heart #1 was still connected to the vagus nerve and put into a fluid filled chamber. That chamber was connected to a second fluid filled chamber that contained heart #2. Electrical stimulation was then applied to the vagus nerve in heart #1. This caused heart #1 to slow down. After heart #1 slowed down, heart #2 slowed down. The conclusion that was drawn from this experiment was that the electrical stimulation of heart #1 caused a neurotransmitter to be released and it flowed into the second chamber with heart #2 making it also slow down. This chemical is now known to be the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.3
Today’s Situation/Diseases can be treated
There is a great deal of research being done on neurotransmitters and their impact on the human body. One area of research that is receiving attention is neuroregeneration. This is the regeneration or repair of nervous tissues, cells or cell products. This could be the regeneration of new neurons, glia, axons, myelin or synapses. Also, there is research being carried out with neurotransmitter devices being placed into the brain in order to send messages to help move limbs.4 Currently, many diseases such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), multiple sclerosis, multiple system atrophy are ones that deal with dysfunction of neurotransmitters in the human body and require various clinical treatments.
- National Institutes of Health. Brain Basics. Accessed on July 7, 2016 http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/educational-resources/brain-basics/brain-basics.shtml
- McGill University. The Brain from Top to Bottom. Accessed on July 7, 2016 http://thebrain.mcgill.ca/flash/i/i_01/i_01_m/i_01_m_ana/i_01_m_ana.html
- University of Washington. Neurotransmitters and Neuroactive Peptides. Accessed on July 7, 2016 https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/chnt1.html
- The Mayo Clinic. Center for Regenerative Medicine: Neuroregeneration. Accessed on July 7, 2016 http://www.mayo.edu/research/centers-programs/center-regenerative-medicine/focus-areas/neuroregeneration