<p><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurotransmitter#Actions" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Neurotransmitters</a> can broadly be categorised as excitatory or inhibitory (+ modulatory):</p>
<p>Excitatory neurotransmitters act to depolarise the synaptic membrane thus increasing the likelihood that an impulse will travel across the synapse.</p>
<p>Inhibitory neurotransmitters act to maintain membrane polarisation, decreasing the likelihood of an impulse being forwarded.</p>
<p>A <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inhibitory_postsynaptic_potential" rel="nofollow noreferrer">post-synaptic inhibitory potential</a> affects the post-synaptic neuron acting to decrease the likelihood of an impulse traveling down it.</p>
<p>So, <em>inhibit</em> or <em>inhibitory</em> in this sense would refer to decreasing or damping-down of activity at some specific place in the nervous system, whereas <em>excitatory</em> would increase that activity. (Or sometimes having a broader more general effect, depending on the specifics.)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-10-20T05:16:51.197Z
2022-10-20T05:47:30.893Z
2022-10-20T05:47:30.893Z
Jiminy Cricket.
<p>I searched for the word &quot;inhibition&quot; in Google dictionary and here is the result:
&quot;a feeling that makes one self-conscious and unable to act in a relaxed and natural way.&quot;
It doesn't make sense to me. Can someone explain this to me? To me, it seems exactly the opposite.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-10-20T14:30:23.643Z
It's not very clear what exactly you're asking, because "inhibition" is indeed used in multiple ways in neuroscience. One is related to behavior, the other is related to neurotransmission.
Bryan Krause
CC BY-SA 4.0
2022-10-21T05:01:33.077Z
I think this question is more of an English Language question so it is more on topic in say, English Language and Usage or English Language Learners. If you look at the synonyms provided by Google and example word usage, it matches what @BryanKrause said and the answer provided. You have to **lose** your inhibitions to act in a relaxed way because inhibitions *hamper* actions for various reasons.
Chris Rogers
<neuroscience>
The meaning of inhibition compared to what it means in neuroscience
iBM
# The meaning of inhibition compared to what it means in neuroscience

(Asked by: username_0 on 2022-10-20)

I searched for the word "inhibition" in Google dictionary and here is the result:
"a feeling that makes one self-conscious and unable to act in a relaxed and natural way."
It doesn't make sense to me. Can someone explain this to me? To me, it seems exactly the opposite.

**Tags:** neuroscience

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: It's not very clear what exactly you're asking, because "inhibition" is indeed used in multiple ways in neuroscience. One is related to behavior, the other is related to neurotransmission.  
> **username_2**: I think this question is more of an English Language question so it is more on topic in say, English Language and Usage or English Language Learners. If you look at the synonyms provided by Google and example word usage, it matches what @BryanKrause said and the answer provided. You have to **lose** your inhibitions to act in a relaxed way because inhibitions *hamper* actions for various reasons.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2022-10-20. Score: 2

[Neurotransmitters](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neurotransmitter#Actions) can broadly be categorised as excitatory or inhibitory (+ modulatory):

Excitatory neurotransmitters act to depolarise the synaptic membrane thus increasing the likelihood that an impulse will travel across the synapse.

Inhibitory neurotransmitters act to maintain membrane polarisation, decreasing the likelihood of an impulse being forwarded.

A [post-synaptic inhibitory potential](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inhibitory_postsynaptic_potential) affects the post-synaptic neuron acting to decrease the likelihood of an impulse traveling down it.

So, *inhibit* or *inhibitory* in this sense would refer to decreasing or damping-down of activity at some specific place in the nervous system, whereas *excitatory* would increase that activity. (Or sometimes having a broader more general effect, depending on the specifics.)


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