neurotransmitter

[noor-oh-trans-mit-er, -tranz-, nyoor-]

noun

1. any of several chemical substances, as epinephrine or acetylcholine, that transmit nerve impulses across a synapse to a postsynaptic element, as another nerve, muscle, or gland.

neurotransmitter

/ ˌnjʊərəʊtrænzˈmɪtə /

noun

1. a chemical by which a nerve cell communicates with another nerve cell or with a muscle

neurotransmitter

1. A chemical substance that is produced and secreted by a neuron and then diffuses across a synapse to cause excitation or inhibition of another neuron. Acetylcholine, norepinephrine, dopamine, and serotonin are examples of neurotransmitters.

neurotransmitter

1. Any one of a number of chemicals that are used to transmit nerve signals across a synapse. They are sprayed from the end of the “upstream” nerve cell and absorbed by receptors in the “downstream” cell.

Drugs like Prozac and alcohol affect the emission and reception of neurotransmitters.

Word History and Origins

Origin of neurotransmitter¹

First recorded in 1960–65; neuro- + transmitter

Example Sentences

It's usually treated with medications like Zoloft and Paxil that boost and stabilize the neurotransmitter serotonin, leading to reduced anxiety and enhanced emotional well-being.

Read more on Science Daily

The CPD gene normally produces an enzyme responsible for generating the amino acid arginine, which then helps create nitric oxide, a key neurotransmitter involved in nerve signaling.

Read more on Science Daily

Propranolol is a medication that blocks the adrenergic pathway -- a network of neural and hormonal signals that release neurotransmitters like adrenaline and noradrenaline -- and was used to study this pathway's role in NK cell activity.

Read more on Science Daily

This energy-based framework challenges decades of conventional thinking centered on neurotransmitter imbalance.

Read more on Science Daily

Normal human consciousness is tied to inhibitory neurotransmitters in the central nervous system called gamma-aminobutyric acid, or GABA.

Read more on Los Angeles Times