Saturday, December 22, 2012 at 11:25AM
Drew Wolfe

Norepinephrine

"Norepinephrine (INN) (abbreviated norepi or NE), or noradrenaline (BAN) (abbreviated NANAd, or norad), is a catecholamine with multiple roles including as a hormone and a neurotransmitter.[3] Areas of the body that produce or are affected by norepinephrine are described as noradrenergic."

"The terms noradrenaline (from the Latin) and norepinephrine (derived from Greek) are interchangeable, with noradrenaline being the common name in most parts of the world. However, to avoid confusion and achieve consistency, medical authorities have promoted norepinephrine as the favoured nomenclature, and this is the term used throughout this article."

"One of the most important functions of norepinephrine is its role as the neurotransmitter released from the sympathetic neurons affecting the heart. An increase in norepinephrine from the sympathetic nervous system increases the rate of contractions."

Article originally appeared on WorldWideWolfe II (http://drewhwolfe.com/).
See website for complete article licensing information.