Physiology · Nervous System · Easy
Neurotransmitter
Meaning: A chemical messenger released by a nerve cell to pass a signal across a synapse to another cell.
In practice: Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that becomes depleted in patients with Parkinson's disease.
Word parts
- neuro- means nerve
Many medical words are built from Greek and Latin parts like these, so learning a few helps you work out new terms.
Quick check
Two questions on related physiology words.
Which word means: The formation and development of new bone tissue by bone-forming cells during growth and healing.
Answer: Osteogenesis
Which word means: A high-energy compound stored in muscle that rapidly regenerates ATP during short bursts of exercise.
Answer: Phosphocreatine
Words like neurotransmitter come up in the daily game
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