Tag GABA

Without these messengers, you cannot become a messenger of your thoughts!

Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers without which a body cannot function properly. It carries the chemical signal from one neuron to next target cell. They are the molecules used by the nervous system to transmit messages between neurons, or from neurons to muscles.

Neurotransmitters influences a neuron in one of three ways: excitatory, inhibitory or modulatory.

Nervous system controls the functions such as: Heartbeat and blood pressure. | Breathing | Muscle movements | Thoughts, memory, learning and feelings | Sleep, healing and aging | Stress response | Hormone regulation | Digestion, sense of hunger and thirst | Senses.

How does neurotransmitters work?

Human body consists of billions of nerve cells in your body. Nerve cells are generally made up of three parts: 1. Cell Body, 2. An Axon & 3. An Axon Terminal.

1. Cell Body plays a pivotal role in producing neurotransmitters and maintaining the functions of nerve cell.
2. Axon carries electrical signals along with the nerve cell to axon terminal
3. Axon Terminal is where the electrical messages are changed to chemical signal using neurotransmitter to communicate with next group of nerve cells or to organs.

Neurotransmitters are located in a part of the neuron called the axon terminal. They’re stored within thin-walled sacs called synaptic vesicles. Each vesicle can contain thousands of neurotransmitter molecules.

The seven “small – molecule” neurotransmitters are: acetylcholine, dopamine, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamate, histamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin

FIVE Major Neurotransmitters that Influences the Mood are: Serotonin, Dopamine, Glutamate, Norepinephrine, GABA

1. Serotonin: It is “Happiness Molecule”. It helps in memory and learning. It contributes to feelings of well-being and happiness. It is also produced in the gastrointestinal tract in response to food. As a result, serotonin is involved in functions such as sleep, appetite, behavior & moods. It is speculated to have a role in depression, as some depressed patients are seen to have lower concentrations of metabolites of serotonin in their cerebrospinal fluid and brain tissue.
2. Dopamine: It is “Motivation Molecule”. It plays a role in body’s reward system which includes feeling pleasure, motivation, motor control, reinforcement and learning. Parkinson’s Disease has been linked to low levels of dopamine and Schizophrenia has been linked to high levels of dopamine.
3. Glutamate: This is the most common excitatory neurotransmitter of your nervous system. It’s the most abundant neurotransmitter in your brain. It plays a key role in cognitive functions like thinking, learning and memory. Imbalances in glutamate levels are associated with Alzheimer’s Disease, Dementia, Parkinson’s Disease and Seizures.
4. Norepinephrine: It assists in fight-flight response and helps moderate mood by alleviating depression and anxiety. It also modulates the responses of the sleep patterns, focus and alertness.
5. GABA (GAMMA AMINOBUTYRIC ACID): It helps increase feelings of calm and relaxation, reduces stress and pain. It also helps in improvement of sleep & concentration. This helps in eliminating the feeling of anxiety, stress, and fear, and may also further help in preventing seizures.

Conclusion: The ultimate aim of this article is to create awareness among people about the Brain chemicals that influences the mood of a person. Reaction or response around is is just a triggering factor. However, upon the chemical exchanges or signal exchanges are creating all mood swings. Upon balancing the chemicals by eating more of healthy & natural food, depression less activities, maintaining steadiness and patience, non-comparison with other people, stress free work-life balance, living for the bigger cause such as charity, service to the humanity, spiritual rituals (applies only to believers), practicing & cascading human values to next generation and maintaining healthy body and peaceful mind, a person can deal with the Brain Chemicals happily.

Disclaimer: Sources of pictures and technical terms are from wikipedia and other few trusted websites. Credits goes to the original creators of the images.

In Gratitude
N.R.Rakesh Babu
Psychologist | Doctoral Researcher
www.rakeshbabu.com | www.rbac.in