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examBoard: AQA
examType: GCSE
lessonTitle: Neurotransmitter Release
Your brain contains around 86 billion neurons that communicate with each other through chemical messengers called neurotransmitters. This amazing communication system allows you to think, feel, move and experience the world around you. Let's explore how these tiny cells work!
Key Definitions:
Neurons have a unique structure that helps them send messages quickly and efficiently throughout the body. Each part has a specific job to do:
Neurons don't actually touch each other. Instead, they communicate across tiny gaps called synapses. These gaps are incredibly small - just 20-40 nanometres wide (that's about 1/5000th the width of a human hair)!
A synapse consists of three main parts:
The end of the sending neuron's axon. Contains tiny sacs called vesicles that hold neurotransmitters.
The tiny gap between neurons where neurotransmitters travel across.
The receiving part of the next neuron, containing receptors that catch the neurotransmitters.
The process of neurotransmitter release is a bit like passing a baton in a relay race. Let's break down how it works:
After neurotransmitters have done their job, they need to be removed from the synaptic cleft. This happens in three main ways:
Your brain uses different neurotransmitters for different jobs. Here are some of the most important ones:
Involved in pleasure, reward, motivation and movement. Low levels are linked to Parkinson's disease, while problems with dopamine regulation are associated with schizophrenia.
Regulates mood, appetite, sleep and memory. Low levels are linked to depression and anxiety. Many antidepressants work by increasing serotonin levels.
Triggers the "fight or flight" response during stress. Increases heart rate, blood pressure and energy supplies.
The main inhibitory neurotransmitter, helping to calm neural activity. Low levels are linked to anxiety and epilepsy.
Important for muscle movement, attention and memory. Reduced levels are linked to Alzheimer's disease.
The main excitatory neurotransmitter, involved in learning and memory. Too much can damage neurons.
Many drugs work by changing how neurotransmitters function at the synapse. Understanding this helps explain both the therapeutic effects of medications and the harmful effects of drug misuse.
Parkinson's disease clearly shows what happens when neurotransmitter release goes wrong. The condition is caused by the death of dopamine-producing neurons in a brain region called the substantia nigra. Without enough dopamine, patients develop tremors, stiffness and difficulty with movement.
Treatments focus on replacing the missing dopamine. The most common medication, L-DOPA, is converted to dopamine in the brain. However, it becomes less effective over time as more neurons die. This case study highlights how crucial proper neurotransmitter release is for normal brain function.
Understanding neurotransmitter release helps explain many everyday experiences:
Neurotransmitter release is the foundation of all brain function. This process allows your billions of neurons to communicate, creating the thoughts, feelings and actions that make you who you are. From moving your fingers to solving complex problems, from feeling happy to falling asleep – all depend on neurotransmitters being released at the right time and in the right amounts.
When neurotransmitter systems malfunction, various mental and neurological disorders can result. Understanding these processes helps scientists develop treatments and gives us insight into how our amazing brains work.
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