Excitatory Neurotransmitters

Created by

Amber Foster

Cards (36)

What functions does acetylcholine serve?
Muscle movement, arousal, and attention
What are excitatory neurotransmitters stored in?
Synaptic vesicles
What are excitatory neurotransmitters? 
Messengers that activate neurons
What functions does norepinephrine serve?
Arousal, alertness, and stress response
What is the abbreviation for dopamine?
DA
What is temporal summation in the context of excitatory neurotransmitters?
It involves repeated stimuli over time
What happens to excitatory neurotransmitters after they are released?
They bind to specific receptors on dendrites
How are neurotransmitters broken down after use?
By enzymes
What happens to brain activity when neurons are excited by excitatory neurotransmitters?
Brain activity increases
What is one way neurotransmitters can leave the synaptic cleft?
By diffusion
What are the processes involved in the fate of excitatory neurotransmitters?
Reabsorbed by reuptake transporters
Broken down by enzymes
Drift away by diffusion
How does spatial summation work in excitatory neurotransmitter systems?
It involves multiple simultaneous stimuli
How do excitatory neurotransmitters affect neurons?
They increase the likelihood of action potentials
What sensory perceptions are enhanced by excitatory neurotransmitters?
Sight, sound, and touch
How does increased brain activity affect a person?
It makes them more alert and focused
What is the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain?
Glutamate
What are the two types of summation that excitatory neurotransmitters can trigger impulses through?
Spatial summation and temporal summation
What are the overall physiological effects of excitation in neurons?
Increased alertness, muscle contraction, enhanced sensory perception
What does the image illustrate about weak signals in excitatory neurotransmitter systems?
Few weak signals fail to reach threshold
Many signals combine to reach threshold
Triggering an action potential requires multiple signals
What physical activities can be performed due to the contraction of muscles from excitatory neurotransmitters?
Moving around and doing physical activities
What is an action potential in the context of neurons?
A rapid rise and fall in membrane potential
Why is reaching the threshold important for neuron activation?
It triggers the action potential
Why do we need multiple neurotransmitter releases to activate a neuron fully?
To combine signals from different locations
What are the mechanisms of excitatory neurotransmitters?
Stored in synaptic vesicles at axon terminal
Released into synaptic cleft
Bind to specific receptors on dendrite
Trigger depolarization leading to action potential
What is the role of reuptake transporters for neurotransmitters?
They reabsorb neurotransmitters after use
What are the three fates of excitatory neurotransmitters after use?
Reabsorbed, broken down, or drift away
What happens when an action potential is fired in a neuron?
The neuron sends a signal down its axon
What is the abbreviation for serotonin?
5-HT
What is the function of serotonin?
Mood regulation and sleep
What is the result of excitatory neurotransmitters binding to receptors?
Trigger depolarization leading to action potential
What is the role of excitatory neurotransmitters in neuron communication?
They facilitate signal transmission between neurons
What are the common excitatory neurotransmitters?
Glutamate (Glu): Learning and memory
Acetylcholine (ACh): Muscle movement, arousal, attention
Serotonin (5-HT): Mood regulation, sleep
Norepinephrine (NE): Arousal, alertness, stress response
Dopamine (DA): Motivation, reward, motor control
What is the abbreviation for acetylcholine?
ACh
What is the function of glutamate?
Important for learning and memory
What functions does dopamine serve?
Motivation, reward, and motor control
What is the abbreviation for norepinephrine?
NE