Key Roles of Neurotransmitters

You hear a lot about neurotransmitters these days – and their key roles in so many psychological and physical functions. Neurotransmitters are chemicals that carry signals to other cells. Your brain relies on neurotransmitters to regulate things like sleep, breathing, mood, appetite, digestion – even muscle movement and heart rate. Your body’s organs, psychological functions, and physical functions are controlled by the nervous system. Nerve cells release neurotransmitters which fire impulses. Neurotransmitters relay their messages by traveling between cells and attaching to receptor sites on target cells. Each neurotransmitter attaches to a specific receptor — for example, acetylcholine molecules attach to acetylcholine receptors. This triggers an action in the target cells. After neurotransmitters deliver their messages, the body breaks down or recycles them. Here are four main types of neurotransmitters.