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Brain and Behavior

The Major Structures of the Brain

What are neurotransmitters and what do they do?

Neurotransmitters are the chemical messengers that neurons use to communicate with each other. When an axon meets up with the dendrite of another cell at the synapse, neurotransmitters are released into the synaptic cleft. Some of these neurotransmitters are excitatory and others are inhibitory. Both types of neurotransmitters change the electrical charge of the postsynaptic neuron.



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