Neurotransmitters
Neurotransmitters are endogenous chemicals that enable neurotransmission. They transmit signals across a chemical synapse, from one neuron to another target neuron, muscle cell, or gland cell.
Primary Amino Acid Transmitters
- Glutamate: The primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the CNS. Crucial for LTP.
- GABA (Gamma-aminobutyric acid): The primary inhibitory neurotransmitter. Regulates excitability.
Monoamines
- Dopamine: Reward, motor control, arousal. Crucial in the Basal Ganglia (Anatomy).
- Serotonin (5-HT): Mood, sleep (Circadian rhythms), digestion.
- Norepinephrine: Arousal, alertness, readiness for action.
Receptor Binding Kinetics
Understand the affinity of ligands to receptors using the Michaelis-Menten approximation.