What is All the Hype About Neurotransmitters?
Neurotransmitters are a type of chemical formed in the brain which facilitates communication among the cells in the brain. These cells are called neurons. Neurons don’t touch each other (like well behaved children). There is a gap between them. This gap lies at the end of the first neuron and at the beginning of a second neuron. The gap has a name too. It is called synapse. Messages are moved from one neuron to the next in a long line of succession until they reach their determined destination.
These messages travel to the end of the neuron and neurotransmitter chemicals are released into the synapse. The transmitters travel across the gap (synapse) and come into contact with the beginning of the following neuron. Thus the chain of communication (literally) is formed. The following neuron is then triggered to pass the message onto to the next one right on down the line.
The type of drugs designed as “psychiatric” take action on our brains at this at this level. When these psychiatric drugs are present in our brains they change the amount of neurotransmitters that are accessible to complete the journey from one to the next of the neurons. The Synapse xt efficiency of these messages traveling from one neuron to the other can be manipulated by the use of these drugs by adjusting the level of the drug in your system. This is what doctors who prescribe these medications are attempting to do. The drugs allow them to manipulate which kinds of messages are transmitted along the neurons in your brain. This creates the ability to control how you think and feel. There are three kinds of neurotransmitters. They are serotonin, noradrenalin and dopamine. All of these affect your moods.
There are a few things that can go wrong with the process. These lead to a serotonin deficit. Here are some of the possibilities for such an occurrence:
• An insufficient amount of serotonin is produced.
• An insufficient number of receptor sites may become available to receive the serotonin.
• The serotonin may be returning back too quickly and never reach the receptor sites.
• The molecules that serotonin are made by (chemical precursors) could be inadequate in number.
If the pathways along the neurons are broke down at any point your brain may not be supplied with the neurotransmitters that it needs. These inadequate supplies of neurons in your brain will create the symptoms that are known as being depressed.