Inhibitory+Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters are the means by which the brain and the rest of the body communicate. They work by building up in the cell. When a sufficient amount has collected, the imbalance causes a release of chemicals. These chemicals then travel across nerve cells and reach the brain, prompting a certain action to take place. (For more on this, see the [|Wikipedia page on neurotransmitters] )

Inhibitory neurotransmitters work in the opposite way. They keep the buildup of chemicals from occurring, which means that the neurotransmitter can't fire as quickly. This is not always a bad thing. Think about the way that you feel when you have too much caffeine. This is comparable to what you experience when your neurotransmitters are too active. If there were no inhibitory neurotransmitters, you might feel this way day to day! However, too many inhibitory neurotransmitters can also be a bad thing. For example, ethanol (one of the components of alcohol) acts as a neurotransmitter inhibitor. This explains why you have poor coordination when you have consumed too much alcohol. Since your brain is unable to receive as much information (because your neurotransmitters are unable to work rapidly), it is slow to respond to stimuli. Therefore, it is important to let your body naturally regulate these compounds. One of the best- known neurotransmitter inhibitors is gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA). Another well- known example is Serotonin.

Types of neurotransmitters
There are many different ways to classify neurotransmitters. Dividing them into [|amino acids], [|peptides] , and [|monoamines] is sufficient for some classification purposes. Major neurotransmitters: In addition, over 50 neuroactive [|peptides] have been found, and new ones are discovered regularly. Many of these are "co-released" along with a small-molecule transmitter, but in some cases a peptide is the primary transmitter at a synapse. [|β-endorphin] is a relatively well known example of a peptide neurotransmitter; it engages in highly specific interactions with [|opioid receptors] in the [|central nervous system]. Single [|ions], such as synaptically released [|zinc] , are also considered neurotransmitters by some, [|[6]] as are some gaseous molecules such as [|nitric oxide] (NO), [|hydrogen sulfide] (H2S), and [|carbon monoxide] (CO). [|[7]] These are not classical neurotransmitters by the strictest definition, however, because although they have all been shown experimentally to be released by presynaptic terminals in an activity-dependent way, they are not packaged into vesicles. By far the most prevalent transmitter is glutamate, which is excitatory at well over 90% of the synapses in the human brain. [|[3]] The next most prevalent is GABA, which is inhibitory at more than 90% of the synapses that do not use glutamate. Even though other transmitters are used in far fewer synapses, they may be very important functionally—the great majority of psychoactive drugs exert their effects by altering the actions of some neurotransmitter systems, often acting through transmitters other than glutamate or GABA. Addictive drugs such as cocaine and amphetamine exert their effects primarily on the dopamine system. The addictive [|opiate] drugs exert their effects primarily as functional analogs of [|opioid peptides], which, in turn, regulate dopamine levels.
 * [|Amino acids] : [|glutamate], [|[3]] [|aspartate] , [|D-serine] , [|γ-aminobutyric acid] (GABA), [|glycine]
 * [|Monoamines] and other [|biogenic amines] : [|dopamine] (DA), [|norepinephrine] (noradrenaline; NE, NA), [|epinephrine] (adrenaline), [|histamine], [|serotonin] (SE, 5-HT)
 * Others: [|acetylcholine] (ACh), [|adenosine], [|anandamide] , [|nitric oxide] , etc.

Precursors of neurotransmitters
While intake of neurotransmitter [|precursors] does increase neurotransmitter synthesis, evidence is mixed as to whether [|neurotransmitter release] (firing) is increased. Even with increased neurotransmitter release, it is unclear whether this will result in a long-term increase in neurotransmitter signal strength, since the nervous system can adapt to changes such as increased neurotransmitter synthesis and may therefore maintain constant firing. [|[11]] Some neurotransmitters may have a role in depression, and there is some evidence to suggest that intake of precursors of these neurotransmitters may be useful in the treatment of mild and moderate depression