PSYA01H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 3: Autoreceptor, Reuptake, Enzyme
Document Summary
The neurotransmitters are cleared out of the synapse by (4) reuptake into the sending neuron, (5) being broken down by enzymes in the synapse, or (6) binding to autoreceptors on the sending neuron. Only some neurotransmitters bind to specific receptor sites on a dendrite. The molecular structure of the neurotransmitter must fit the molecular structure of the receptor site. Specific enzymes break down specific neurotransmitters: autoreceptors receptor sites that the neurotransmitters can bind to on the presynaptic neurons. Autoreceptors detect how much of a neurotransmitter has been released into a synapse and signal the neuron to stop releasing the neurotransmitter when an excess is present. Today we know that some 60 chemicals play a role in transmitting information throughout the brain and body and that they differentially affect thought, feeling, and behavior, but a few major classes seem particularly important: Like acetylcholine, other neurotransmitters in the brain affect a range of behaviors.
