NEUROTRANSMIT FUNCTIONS

TERS

Excitatory or
inhibitory;
involved in
Acetylcholine arousal,
(ACh) attention,
memory, and
controls muscle
contractions.

Mainly excitatory;
Norepinephrine involved in
(NE) arousal and
mood.

Excitatory or
inhibitory;
involved in
Dopamine (DA) control of
movement and
sensations of
pleasure.

Excitatory or
inhibitory;
Serotonin (5-HT) involved in sleep,
mood, anxiety,
and appetite.

Gaba-aminobuty Major inhibitory

ric acid (GABA) neurotransmitter;
involved in sleep
and inhibits
movement.

Major excitatory
neurotransmitter;
involved in
 ● Motor neuron: a neuron that
learning, memory
Glutamate formation, carries messages from the
nervous system central nervous system to the
development, muscles of the body.
and synaptic ○ also called an efferent
plasticity.
neuron.
Inhibitory neural ● Interneuron: a neuron found in
Endorphins regulators; the center of the spinal cord that
involved in pain receives from the sensory
relief. neurons and sends commands to
the muscles through the motor
neurons.
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM ○ Interneurons also make up
the bulk of the neurons in
● Central Nervous System (CNS): the brain.
part of the nervous system
consisting of the brain and spinal Neuroplasticity: the ability to constantly
cord. change both the structure and function
○ spinal cord: a long bundle of cells in response to experience or
of neurons that carries trauma.
messages to and from the
body to brain that is SOMATIC AND AUTONOMIC NERVOUS
responsible for very fast, life SYSTEMS
saving reflexes.

PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

THE REFLEX ARC: THREE TYPES OF
● Peripheral Nervous System
NEURONS
(PNS): all nerves and neurons that

● Sensory neuron: a neuron that are not contained in the brain

carries information from the and spinal cord but that run

senses to the central nervous through the body itself.

system. ○ divided into two systems:

○ also called an afferent ■ somatic nervous

neuron. system
 ■ autonomic nervous ● sympathetic division
system (fight-or-flight system): part of
the ANS that is responsible for
SOMATIC NERVOUS SYSTEM reacting to stressful events and
bodily arousal.
● Soma = “body” ● parasympathetic division: part
● Somatic nervous system: division of the ANS that restores the body
of the PNS consisting of nerves to normal functioning after
that carry information from the arousal and is responsible for the
senses to the CNS and from the day-to-day functioning of the
CNS to the voluntary muscles of organs and glands.
the body.
○ sensory pathway: nerves
coming from the sensory
organs to the CNS
consisting of sensory
neurons.
○ motor pathway: nerves
coming from the CNS to
the voluntary muscles,
consisting of motor
neurons.

AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM

● Autonomic nervous system

(ANS): division of the PNS
consisting of nerves that control
all of the involuntary muscles,
organs, and glands; sensory
pathway nerves coming from the
sensory organs to the CNS
consisting of sensory neurons.