Editing Chemical synapse (section)

==Effects of drugs==
{{Main|Neuropharmacology}}

One of the most important features of chemical synapses is that they are the site of action for the majority of [[psychoactive drugs]].  Synapses are affected by drugs, such as curare, strychnine, cocaine, morphine, alcohol, LSD, risperidone, and countless others. These drugs have different effects on synaptic function, and often are restricted to synapses that use a specific neurotransmitter. For example, [[curare]] is a poison that stops [[acetylcholine]] from depolarizing the postsynaptic membrane, causing [[paralysis]]. [[Strychnine]] blocks the inhibitory effects of the neurotransmitter [[glycine]], which causes the body to pick up and react to weaker and previously ignored stimuli, resulting in uncontrollable [[muscle spasms]]. [[Morphine]] acts on synapses that use [[endorphin]] neurotransmitters, and [[alcohol (drug)|alcohol]] increases the inhibitory effects of the neurotransmitter [[GABA]]. [[LSD]] interferes with synapses that use the neurotransmitter [[serotonin]]. [[Risperidone]] is a blocker of various receptors including several dopamine and serotonin receptors, and it can bind with high affinity  to some types of serotonin receptors. [[Cocaine]] blocks reuptake of [[dopamine]] and therefore increases its effects.