Neurology Research Project
To enhance your understanding of this unit and to grasp the importance of understanding how your brain
works, you will create a small project related to the Nervous System. This project is worth 50 points
and will be due on Monday, December 01. 10 points of extra credit can be earned if you turn the
assignment in early (but only if it is complete). You will create a series of 3”x5” trading cards, similar
to commercially available trading cards like baseball or football cards. Your project requires the
creation of 10 cards worth 5 points each. Note that you can create up to 10 additional cards for extra
credit if you so desire.
On the front of each card, name the neurotransmitter in bold letters. Underneath the name, draw a
picture that represents what the neurotransmitter does. The picture should fill most of the front of the
card and be in color. It may include speech bubbles, if you wish to make it more like a cartoon. The
back of the card is where you provide the “stats” for the neurotransmitter, much like the information you
would find on the back of a baseball card. Text can be typed or hand written, but cannot be plagiarized
from the InterNet.
On the back of the card provide the following information:
 Main Function
 Related Diseases (describe symptoms and how it relates to the neurotransmitter and/or receptor
and/or transporter)
 What happens if you get too much?
 What happens if you get too little?
 What can you do to ensure you have the right amount (How do you maintain homeostasis?)
Below is a list of several neurotransmitters you may research. There are many more you could find and
create cards for if you are interested in extra credit.
Acetylcholine
Glutamate
Anandamide
Norepinephrine
Aspartate
Oxytocin
Beta Endorphin
Prolactin
Dimethyltriptamine
Serotonin
Dopamine
Substance P
Epinephrine
Vassopressin
GABA
In addition to the ten cards, you must provide a Bibliography card with at least 2 references for each
neurotransmitter. At least one reference for each neurotransmitter must be a book or magazine article,
though the same book or article can be used for multiple neurotransmitters if page numbers are
referenced. Note that Google.com is a search engine, not a citation. Search engines do not count. You
must cite the specific web site that refers to that neurotransmitter (simply copy the url). Also, given the
unreliability of Wikipedia, this site will not be accepted. Wikipedia is a good place to give you an idea
of what to look for, but any information must be confirmed elsewhere. Sites that end with .org or .edu
are usually more reliable sources of information than those ending with .com (though not necessarily).
The bibliography is required and the assignment will not be accepted without it.
This project is due on Monday, December 01, 2014