Glutamic Acid as an Excitatory Neurotransmitter - Assignment Example

Biochemistry Assignment
How glutamic acid (glutamate) act as an excitatory neurotransmitter
The amino acid group contains the universal excitatory transmitter called Glutamate. Glutamate acid is the most dominant excitatory transmitter in the central nervous system. Neurons from glucose are responsible for the synthesis of glutamate. It plays its role by opening sodium Na and potassium K channels. Upon its release, glutamate is conveyed from the synaptic cleft either to adjacent neurons or into the nearby glial cells. Those neurons that produce glutamate at their Synaptics are called glutamatergic. The principal effect of glutamate in the central nervous system is the fast excitation through direct action on ion channels though it acts on metabotropic receptors also. Glutamate transmits quick and precise signals in the primary significant sensory and motor tracts. It also makes numerous connections between various parts of the cerebral cortex that forms the network responsible for high mental functioning (Broda 66).
Gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA)
Gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an amino acid synthesized from glutamate by an enzyme known as glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD). The dominant inhibitory transmitter exists in almost all parts of the nervous system. In addition, GABA acts as a presynaptic inhibitory transmitter in many circumstances.GABA plays a key role in the development of the nervous system, and it occurs in the early stages even before the establishment of the synapses. Once the synapses begin to occur, GABA plays a role as an excitatory transmitter as it depolarizes the postsynaptic neuron. Therefore, GABA is likely to be the first excitatory transmitter that shape neuronal networks before glutamate took over as the key excitatory transmitter (Dishman, O’Connor, &Tomporowski 66). Read More