what is it called when chemicals that influence the way that neurons communicate communicate with each other
Indicate your subject in the "School Subject" box, so those with expertise in the area will respond to the question.
Neurotransmitters cross the synapse to effect the subsequent neuron. The process is called neurotransmission. Chemicals that affect this would have varying names, e.g., psychotomimetics, stimulants and depressants, depending on their specific effects.
Drugs
The process you are referring to is known as neurotransmission. Neurotransmission is the communication between neurons, which are specialized cells that transmit information in the form of electrical signals within the nervous system. Chemicals called neurotransmitters are responsible for transmitting these signals from one neuron to another.
To understand how neurotransmission works, let me explain the steps involved:
1. Synthesis: Neurotransmitters are synthesized within the neuron's cell body or the axon terminal. They are made from chemical building blocks that the neuron obtains from the food we eat and the nutrients absorbed by the body.
2. Storage: Once synthesized, neurotransmitters are packaged into small sacs called synaptic vesicles, located at the axon terminal of the neuron.
3. Release: When an electrical signal, known as an action potential, reaches the axon terminal, it stimulates the release of neurotransmitters from the synaptic vesicles. This release is triggered by the influx of calcium ions into the neuron.
4. Binding: The released neurotransmitters then travel across the synapse, which is a small gap between the axon terminal of the "sending" neuron and the dendrites or cell body of the "receiving" neuron. They bind to specific receptor molecules on the surface of the receiving neuron.
5. Transmission: The binding of neurotransmitters to the receptors on the receiving neuron causes changes in its electrical activity. These changes can either excite or inhibit the receiving neuron, depending on the type of neurotransmitter and receptor involved.
6. Reuptake or degradation: After transmission, neurotransmitters are either reabsorbed by the sending neuron through a process called reuptake or broken down and deactivated by enzymes present in the synapse. This ensures that the neurotransmitter concentration in the synapse is regulated.
By understanding the process of neurotransmission, scientists and researchers can study how different neurotransmitters and their interactions in various brain regions contribute to specific mood, behavior, and cognitive processes.