Neurotransmitters

Definition: Neurotransmitters is the name given to a group of chemicals in the brain that facilitate communication between the cells of the brain called neurons. The neurons do not touch each other. At the end of one neuron and the beginning of another is a space called a synapse. When a message gets to the end of the first neuron, it triggers the release of neurotransmitter chemicals into the synapse. These neurotransmitters travel across the synapse and touch the beginning part of the next neuron in the chain, triggering this next neuron to continue the message on down the chain of cells. Psychiatric drugs act on the brain at the level of the neurotransmitters. The presence of a given drug in the brain changes how many neurotransmitters are available to make the journey from one neuron to the next. By changing the levels of a drug in your brain, your doctor can make adjustments to how well different kinds of messages get transmitted through your brain - with the effect of changing how you feel and think. Examples of neurotransmitters that affect mood are serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine.