Neurotransmitters

Question 1

How can be neurotransmitters be classified?

Answer 1

Excitatory or inhibitory in their action because they have one of these two effects on the neighbouring neuron.

Question 2

What are inhibitory neurotransmitters generally responsible for?

Answer 2

Responsible for calming the mind and body inducing sleep and filtering out unnecessary excitatory signals. An inhibitory neurotransmitter binding with a postsynaptic receptor results in an inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP), so is less likely to fire.

Question 3

Neurotransmitters like ________ are excitatory; they are the nervous system’s ______.

Answer 3

noradrenaline, “on switches”.

Question 4

How do neurotransmitters cause excitation of the post synaptic neuron?

Answer 4

By increasing its positive charge and making it more likely to fire. It causes an electrical charge in the membrane of that cell resulting in excitatory post synaptic potential (EPSP) making it more likely to fire.

Question 5

How is the likelihood of the cell firing determined?

Answer 5

The likelihood of the cell firing is determined by adding up the excitatory and the inhibitory synaptic input.
The net sum of this calculation (summation) determines whether or not the cell fires.