excitatory and inhibitory synapses

[gib65]

If a synapse is inhibitory or excitatory, does it make sense to call the neurotransmitter at that site inhibitory or excitatory? I mean, for any synapse, there is only one neurotransmitter that it releases, right? What about the receptors on the recipient neuron - will there be only one type of those, either inhibitory or excitatory?

[nettron]

Yes, there is a one-to-one relationship between the transmitting and receiving components of a synapse whether its an excititory or inhibitory synapse.

[gib65]

Okay, thanks nettron.

 

So then, if we had a neurotransmitter N, could N bind to several different receptor types over a wide sample of synapses? That is, say at synapse S1, N might bind to inhibitory receptors IR and at synapse S2, also releasing N, N might bind to excitatory receptors ER. Or is N always either an inhibitory neurotransmitter or an excitatory one no matter where you find it in the brain?

[nettron]

"...N always either an inhibitory neurotransmitter or an excitatory one no matter where you find it in the brain?"

 

Yes.GABA and glycine are inhibitory neurotransmitters , glutamate and aspartate are excititory neurotransmitters, these will stay that way no matter where they are found in the CNS, but the effect they have at their respective receptor site can be graded.

[gib65]

I see. Thanks nettron