Tech UPTechnologyNeuropills Chapter 12: Neurotransmitters

Neuropills Chapter 12: Neurotransmitters

Neurotransmitters are the molecules involved in the passage of nerve information from one cell to another. They are released into the synaptic space by the end of the axon when the nerve impulse reaches it and captured by the cell on the other side.

There are many neurotransmitters, for example there is oxytocin, serotonin, glutamate, dopamine … there are many, but for me the important thing today is to make it clear that these molecules in many cases are not only in the nervous system. They can also be in other parts of the body and have other functions there.

For example, glutamate is one of the twenty basic amino acids, one of the twenty basic pieces with which all the proteins in our body are built; or serotonin, which in the brain acts as a neurotransmitter and is important for example in regulating our moods … but it is also produced by non-nerve cells in the intestine, where it is important to control the movements that the intestine makes to move all the matter that is inside.

You can see all the chapters of the Neuropill series by entering here

About Neuropills:

Created, directed and presented by Pablo Barrecheguren (@pjbarrecheguren), Neuropíldoras (2018) is a scientific dissemination project made by Big Van Ciencia in collaboration with Muy Interesante and carried out with the collaboration of the Spanish Foundation for Science and Technology – Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (FECYT).

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