3B - Neurotransmitters & Neuromodulators

Question 1

what are neurons?

Answer 1

individual nerve cells specialised to recieve, process and transmit information within the nervous system

Question 2

neural transmission diagram (5)

Answer 2

neural impulse reaches axon terminals of pre - synaptic neuron

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this causes vesicles to release neurotransmitters into the synaptic gap

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the neurotransmitters bind to the receptor sites on the dendrite of the post - synaptic neuron

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this causes the post - synaptic neuron to either be more likely to fire (excitatory) or be less likely to fire (inhibitory)

Question 3

what are the excitatory and inhibitory transmitters ?

Answer 3

excitatory - glutamate
inhibitory - GABA

Question 4

what do excitatory neurotransmitters do?

Answer 4

stimulates or activates post - synaptic neurons, increasing their likelihood of firing

Question 5

what do inhibitory neurotransmitters do?

Answer 5

suppresses or slows down post - synaptic neurons, decreasing their likelihood of firing

Question 6

what do excitatory neurons have an important role in?

Answer 6

learning and memory

Question 7

what do inhibitory neurons have an important role in?

Answer 7

regulating post - synaptic activation in neural pathways, preventing the over excitation of neurons

Question 8

effects of excitatory neurotransmitters

Answer 8

strengthen synaptic connections between neurons that are repeatedly activated during learning

Question 9

effects of inhibitory transmitters

Answer 9

reduces anxiety and seizures

Question 10

what are neurotransmitters?

Answer 10

chemical released by a presynaptic neuron to send signals to the post-synaptic neuron

Question 11

what are neuromodulators?

Answer 11

chemicals released by neurons to alter the effectiveness of neural transmission

Question 12

what does modulate mean?

Answer 12

to adjust, vary or change

Question 13

role of neurotransmitters

Answer 13

to transmit chemical signals to the adjacent neuron

Question 14

role of neuromodulators

Answer 14

to alter the neural transmission of neurons by controlling the synthesis and release of neurotransmitters

Question 15

site of release neurotransmitters

Answer 15

into the synapses

Question 16

site of release neuromodulators

Answer 16

outside the synapses into the neural tissue in brain regions

Question 17

target neurotransmitters

Answer 17

a single post - synaptic neuron

Question 18

target neuromodulators

Answer 18

groups of neurons

Question 19

speed of actions neurotransmitters

Answer 19

moderately fast

Question 20

speed of action neuromodulators

Answer 20

moderately slow and last for longer periods