Warm-up! You enter a small room. The door closes. The door opens, and you’re in a different place. Where are you?
Jul 07, 2015
Warm-up!
You enter a small room.
The door closes.
The door opens, and you’re in a different place.
Where are you?
Nerves!
Nerves send signals from the skin to the brain to process sensory information.
The brain sends signals along nerves to the muscles to produce movements.
But how does this happen???
Nerves don’t even touch!
Neurons do not physically touch one another where they connect, so how do they send messages?
Nerves send messages when an electrical signal passes down the axon.
At the end of the axon is a Synapse, which is where it meets with the dendrite or the cell body of another neuron (target cell).
The electrical signal triggers the release of chemical signals through the synapse to the target cell.
Those chemical signals are………..
Neurotransmitters!
What is a neurotransmitter?
A chemical produced by a neuron that causes a reaction in a target neuron.
May excite or turn on a neuron
May inhibit or prevent the neuron from turning on
May cause a series of reactions called a “cascade”
How do neurotransmitters work? Neurons create and store neurotransmitters until they
are needed.
Neurons are stimulated by creation of an electrical charge.
This electrical charge causes the neurotransmitters to be released into the synapse of the axon.
The neurotransmitters bind to special receptors on the target cell to cause a specific response.
What types of response? Excitement of a target cell
Responsible for motivation, boosting energy, and increased alertness
Inhibitory Responsible for mood stabilization, sleep cycle, appetite
control, and blood pressure regulation.
Cascade reactions Series of reactions where there is a series of stimulations
along a pathway of neurons.
Frequently seen in drug use, addictions, and near-death experiences.
Types of neurotransmitters Acetylcholine
Motor control, learning, memory, sleep, dreams
Serotonin
Emotion, impulses, dreams
Norepinephrine
Alertness, vigilance, fear reaction
Epinephrine
Energy boost
Types of neurotransmitters Dopamine
Rewards, motivations, motor control
Frequently associated with addictions
Melatonin
Sleep cycle regulation
Endorphins
Rewards, pain reduction
Glutamate
Regulates learning and memory
Types of neurotransmitters GABA
Slows excitation of cells
When neurons get overstimulated, GABA calms them
Oxytocin
“love hormone”
Increases trust, bonding, and feelings of love in women
Vasopressin
Regulates blood pressure
Increases paternal feelings, social interaction, and trust and bonding reactions in men
What if something goes wrong?If neurotransmitter levels get out of balance, many things can happen within the body.
Imbalances of acetylcholine can cause twitching and paralysis
Imbalances of serotonin can cause aggression and depression
Imbalances of dopamine are related to Parkinson’s disease
What can cause imbalances? There are many things that naturally occur or can
happen that will cause imbalances of neurotransmitters within the body
Heredity
Injury
Drug abuse
Stress
Poor diet
Hormone imbalance
Lack of sleep
Tomorrow….
We will discuss the effects of various drugs on the brain and how they influence the balance of neurotransmitters within the body.