What are neurotransmitters?
Q: What are neurotransmitters?
A: Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that send information between neurons by crossing a synapse. They act mostly on chemical synapses and once they reach the next neuron, they are absorbed and changed back into an electrical signal called an action potential.
Q: How many neurotransmitters have been identified?
A: More than 100 chemical messengers have been identified.
Q: What is the function of dopamine?
A: Dopamine is used in reward and pleasure.
Q: What is noradrenaline used for?
A: Noradrenaline is used in an animal's "fight or flight" response.
Q: What is the threshold required to release neurotransmitters?
A: The strength required to release the neurotransmitter is called a threshold.
Q: What is the most common transmitter in humans?
A: The most common transmitter in humans is glutamate, which is excitatory at well over 90% of the synapses in the human brain.
Q: How are neurotransmitters transported within neurons?
A: Neurotransmitters are transported within neurons by small "sacks" called vesicles which come into contact with the neuron's cell membrane and open, releasing them into the synaptic cleft.
