Neurotransmitters Research Paper

Using empirical research evidence, explain the effects of one neurotransmitter on human behavior.

Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers, which send signals and communicate information through neurons (nerve cells), cells, our brains and our bodies. Neurotransmitters are released and travel through terminals in the brain until they reach certain receptors. Neurotransmitters and their functions are located and carried out in different sections of the brain. It uses neurotransmitters to make your body carry out certain functions, such as making your heart beat and your lungs breathe. Scientists are not sure of how many neurotransmitters actually exist, but they can be sorted into two main different types. These are called exitatory neurotransmitters and inhibitory neurotransmitters.

Exitatory neurotransmitters stimulate different parts of the brain. Three wellknown types of exitatory neurotransmitters are dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine. Inhibitory neurotransmitters calm the brain and create balance. Three different types of inhibitory neurotransmitters are serotonin, gaba and dopamine. Although dopamine was already mentioned as an exitatory neurotransmitter, it is special because it is considered to be both exitatory and inhibitory.

Dopamine affects the 5 different dopamine receptors: dopamine 1 (D1), dopamine 2 (D2),
The scientists that worked on the study included a team of Vanderbilt University scientists, medicine student Michael Treadway and professor of psychology, David Zald. The aim of the experiment, was to test whether ambitious and hard working 'go getters' in the workplace, who were willing and able to work hard to obtain the reward they want, had a different level of dopamine release in the brain (or certain parts of the brain), than workers that tended to slack off more and were less willing to work towards obtaining a