Neurotransmitter Effects (Research Paper Sample)

NEUROTRANSMITTER EFFECTS
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The neurotransmitter that has been identified is somatostatin, and this is a hormone that acts as an inhibitor of the growth hormone. This hormone is found in various areas of the brain including the thalamus, cerebral cortex, brainstem, hippocampus, and the basal ganglia (Townsend, 2014). One area where this hormone is produced is the hypothalamus in the neuroendocrine neurons. From the medium eminence, this hormone is transported to the anterior pituitary gland. Here, the growth hormone is inhibited from being secreted. Additionally, the thyroid stimulating hormone’s release is also inhibited. Moreover, the secretion of prolactin and adenylyl cyclase is further inhibited. Apart from its inhibitory effects, this hormone also has stimulatory effects on the central nervous system.
On the other hand, somatostatin has stimulatory effects on various other neurotransmitters such as norepinephrine, serotonin, acetylcholine, and dopamine. Besides, some of the neurotransmitters that are inhabited by this hormone include histamine, norepinephrine, and glutamate (Townsend, 2014). Further, this hormone has a neuromodulator effect for the secretion of serotonin in the hypothalamus. The implication for this is that the release of serotonin is regulated in the sense that it can either inhibit or stimulate its secretion.
The two primary mental conditions related to changes in the somatostatin levels are Alzheimer’s disease and Huntington’s disease. Apparently, when...