Learning diary update 10-10

One thing I learned during this lecture was how the power of a neurotransmitter can be amplified. I originally thought that for a large reaction you simply created a large amount of the original neurotransmitter. I however now know that a signal can be more easily amplified using second messengers inside the cell. I thought this was a really ingenious way for the body to create a large reaction.

In this week, as we dove deeper into the chapter, we found that there are many chemical molecules in the brain but not all have the same effect as neurotransmitters because neurotransmitters have certain attributes which make them significant. however, the unique attribute of neurotransmitters is the divergence and convergence was quite new for me and might be the site of research interest.

Another thing I learned was how a neurotransmitter activating a receptor can influence such a large amount of things in a cell. Usually, it only starts with a G-protein, but that can quickly spiral out into a massive chain reaction. I think it’s really interesting how something so small can effect a cell in so many large ways. I think this cascade effect of neurotransmitters engenders signal processing so fast. As long as we have learned more about the individual neurons, their signaling mechanisms, and so on, my quest is more about how they all work as a whole and form such an intricate structure that is the brain?