How many neurotransmitters exist?

neurotransmitter is a specialized chemical Messenger, which transmits or sends information from one type of cell to another. Scientists have managed to identify more than 100 neurotransmitters only in the human brain, but evidence suggests that we have significantly more than this number. The unfortunate aspect that he is unable to identify all neurotransmitter cells is that scientists, especially those who develop drugs that affect specific messenger cells, cannot always determine why and how drugs work or do not work.

You are probably familiar with some identified neurotransmitter names. These include dopamine, gaba, serotonin, acetylcholine and norepinephrine. Each of them performs some specific functions in the body. For example, serotonin is indicated in mood stability, emotional reaction and temperature control. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that allows a person to intentionally or voluntarily use his muscles. While scientists can propose the possible effects of some neurotransmitters, andLe only did not identify them all, but they are also not close to determining all the effects of Messenger cells that have been identified.

It is clear when people receive medicines that should affect the neurotransmitter. Many medicines focus on the body from using serotonin too quickly and are called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI). SSRIs are most commonly used to treat depression and are useful to prevent the body too fast to use serotonin. When this neurotransmitter is in the brain of greater supply, it tends to increase the mood and you probably have heard the names of some common SSRIs such as Provac®, Zoloft® and Paxil®.

theoretically, if serotonin was the only neurotransmitter responsible for depression, these drugs would treat everyone. Yet many people with depression do not respond to SSRIS. Instead, they can respond to drugs that affect Gaba, dopamineor norepinephrine. Some people have tried all these drugs to alleviate depression and still do not respond to treatment. Non -leaving for treatment suggests that we do not fully understand the role of neurotransmitters in depression and may exist unidentified messengers who create conditions such as depressive or anxiety.

Because we do not understand the exact mechanism of each neurotransmitter or the actual number of all that exist, we also do not understand how medicines, foods or environmental exposures can affect these chemical messengers. Scientists and scientists must make educated estimates based on what is known, but the amount of unknown information about these cells compares to attempting to play darts in complete darkness. Sometimes estimates are quite good; For example, SSRIs are adequately effective for aspoust people. Other times these theories do not work because we are guessing what is essentially undiscovered territory and we have no idea what other effects could be caused by increasing or reducing the levels of certain chemicalsthe body created by the body.

The mechanism and identification of neurotransmitters remain in the science of the fertile area of ​​study. If we could know exactly how many of these messengers we had and exactly how they work, communicate with each other and control the body, we could effectively develop medicines to treat numerous conditions. Until then, the educated guessing has been relied on by science and medicine.

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