Word parts
What it means
A chemical messenger of the nervous system. One neuronNOOR-onA nerve cell: a cell that carries electrical and chemical signals through the nervous system.neur/o nerveFull entry releases it into the tiny gap between cells, and it fixes onto the next cell and turns it on or calms it down. Examples are acetylcholine, dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine and GABA. Many drugs work by copying, blocking or changing the amount of a neurotransmitter: antidepressants raise serotonin, and Parkinson drugs replace dopamine.
For the nurse
When a drug works on a neurotransmitter, its side effects often follow from it: drugs that block acetylcholine cause dry mouth, constipation and urinary retention, and drugs that raise serotonin can cause serotonin syndrome when combined.
Remember it
A neurotransmitter is a message sent across the gap from one nerve to the next.
At a glance
| Spanish | neurotransmisor |
|---|---|
| Also written | neurotransmitters |
Related terms
neur/o
A word root that means nerve or the nervous system.
central nervous system
The brain and the spinal cord together.
Parkinson disease
A slowly worsening brain disease in which the nerve cells that help control movement die off.
neuron
A nerve cell: a cell that carries electrical and chemical signals through the nervous system.