Antagonists are substances that bind to receptors in the brain but do not activate them. Instead, they block or inhibit receptor activity, preventing neurotransmitters from exerting their effects.
Related terms
Competitive Antagonists: These substances compete with neurotransmitters for receptor binding sites, effectively blocking their action.
Inverse Agonists: Unlike traditional antagonists that simply block receptor activity, inverse agonists produce an opposite effect by reducing basal neural activity even below normal levels.