The locus coeruleus-noradrenaline system is associated with which neurotransmitter?

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The key idea is that the locus coeruleus-noradrenaline system uses norepinephrine as its neurotransmitter. The locus coeruleus is a brainstem nucleus that is the primary source of brain norepinephrine, projecting widely to cortex and other regions. This system mainly governs arousal, attention, and the brain’s response to salient or stress-related stimuli, by modulating how strongly neural signals are processed.

Dopamine is the neurotransmitter tied to reward and motivation and originates mainly from the ventral tegmental area and substantia nigra. Serotonin comes from the raphe nuclei and influences mood, sleep, and many other functions. Acetylcholine comes from basal forebrain and brainstem cholinergic neurons and is important for learning and memory. While these systems interact with the locus coeruleus–norepinephrine system, the locus coeruleus specifically releases noradrenaline.