Neurotransmitter Chemicals
Effects and Malfunctions
Two Processes
Excitatory – makes things happen
Inhibitory – keeps things from happening
Serotonin
Affects mood, hunger, sleep, and
arousal
Undersupply linked to depression
 SSRIs
 Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor
Acetylcholine (ACh)
Enables muscle action, learning, and
memory
An undersupply of ACh has been linked
to the development of Alzheimer’s
Disease
Dopamine
Influences movement, learning,
attention, and emotion
Oversupply linked to schizophrenia
Undersupply linked to Parkinson’s
disease
Norepinephrine
Helps control alertness and arousal
Undersupply can depress mood
GABA
(gamma-aminobutyric acid)
A major inhibitory neurotransmitter
Keeps certain neurons from firing too
often
Undersupply linked to seizures, tremors,
and insomnia
Glutamate
A major excitatory neurotransmitter
involved in memory
Oversupply can overstimulate the
brain, producing migraines or seizures
 This is why some people avoid MSG
(monosodium glutamate) in food