Common Neurotransmitters

More than 60 neurotransmitters have been identified. Acetylcholine, epinephrine, norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin, GABA, and glutamate appear to have the most relevance for the study of human thought and behavior. Acetylcholine (ACh) controls muscle movement and plays a role in mental processes such as learning, memory, attention, sleeping, and dreaming.

Both epinephrine and norepinephrine have energizing and arousing properties. We commonly call epinephrine "adrenaline." Norepinephrine is involved in being alert.

Dopamine is released in response to behaviors that make us feel good or are rewarding to the individual.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA, is an inhibitory neurotransmitters that tell the postsynaptic neurons not to fire. GABA is the brakes of the central nervous system that keep it from running out of control. Without GABA, the nervous system would never cease activity.

Glutamate, a major excitatory neurotransmitter, is important in learning, memory, neural processing, and brain development.

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