What are inhibitory neurotransmitters?

Inhibitory neurotransmitters are like calm signals that tell your brain to slow down or relax.

Imagine you're playing a game of tag at the park. When someone says "You’re it!" that’s like an excitatory signal, it gets you running and shouting. But if someone says, “Take a deep breath and sit down,” that’s like an inhibitory neurotransmitter, it tells your brain to chill out.

These calm signals work by sending messages across the tiny gaps between brain cells called synapses, just like excitatory ones do. The difference is that inhibitory neurotransmitters make the receiving cell less likely to fire off another signal, slowing things down in the brain.

Think of your brain as a busy playground with lots of kids running around. Inhibitory neurotransmitters are like the playground helpers who step in and say, “Let’s take a break!” This helps keep everything from getting too chaotic.

Some common inhibitory neurotransmitters include GABA, which is like a gentle friend telling your brain, “It’s okay, you can rest now.”