PSYC20006 Lecture Notes - Fall 2017 Lecture 12 - Convulsion, Febrile seizure, NMDA receptor

• School: University of Melbourne
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC20006
• Professor: Stefan Bode

Document Summary

Glutamate and gaba overview, both believed to be the first to evolve and are found in very simple organisms, most common neurotransmitters in the central nervous system. Both glutamate and gaba are found in most of the long projection neurons throughout the cortex: both act as (cid:862)true(cid:863) (cid:374)eurotra(cid:374)s(cid:373)itters directly affecting the likelihood of the post-synaptic neuron firing, glutamate = glutamic acid. The main excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain -> increases likelihood of post-synaptic neuron firing. Estimated that over half of all brain synapses release glutamate: gaba (gamma-amino butyric-acid) Primary inhibitory neurotransmitter -> decreases likelihood of post-synaptic neuron firing. Without inhibitory synapses, the brain would be unstable with neurons firing uncontrollably. Every excitatory neuron exciting the next neuron -> causes seizure. Most short local neurons are inhibitory -> form a dense web around and between the excitatory neurons. Helps with coordination of neurons to signal very specific information.