Neurotransmitters are chemicals produced by the body that send signals between nerve cells or "neurons." Several neurotransmitters have a direct effect on mood, arousal and relaxation and the reward system of the brain.
Neurotransmitters are affected by addictive substances and behaviors, and have an important function in the development and maintenance of addictions, including behavioral addictions, such as sex, gambling and eating addictions. Examples of neurotransmitters that are known to have a role in the process of addiction are dopamine, serotonin, GABA, adrenalin and noradrenalin.
Abnormalities or dysregulation of neurotransmitters are also implicated in many mental health problems, and drugs that are used to treat mental health problems often work by affecting neurotransmitters.
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that has a positive effect on rewarding feelings -- a cocaine user experiences pleasure partly because of the way cocaine affects the transmission of dopamine in the brain.
Prozac, an antidepressant, works by affecting the transmission of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain, which has a positive effect on mood.
