| This is a model of a typical brain cell, or neuron. Your brain contains billions of brain cells. A brain cell consists of a cell body, which stores the DNA, dendrites which receive chemical signals from other cells, and an axon, which carries an electrical signal from the cell body to the axon terminals. The axon terminals contain chemicals, called "neurotransmitters," which are released in order for the cell to communicate with nearby cells.
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, and some brain cells have axons that contain only serotonin. These are called "serotonin neurons." Other brain cells produce and release different neurotransmitters, like dopamine or norepinephrine, and some produce and release more than one neurotransmitter. However, your serotonin cells only produce and release serotonin. |
