Neurons are often referred to as excitatory or inhibitory, but more accurately it's the synapse that's excitatory or inhibitory, and even more specifically, it's the combination of the neurotransmitter that's released at the synapse and the receptor that it binds to on the post synaptic membrane.

A neurotransmitter influences a neuron in one of three ways: excitatory, inhibitory or modulatory. An excitatory transmitter promotes the generation of an electrical signal called an action potential in the receiving neuron, while an inhibitory transmitter prevents it.

Neurotransmitters transmit one of three possible actions in their messages, depending on the specific neurotransmitter. Excitatory. Excitatory neurotransmitters “excite” the neuron and cause it to “fire off the message,” meaning, the message continues to be passed along to the next cell.

An excitatory synapse is a synapse in which an action potential in a presynaptic neuron increases the probability of an action potential occurring in a postsynaptic cell. Neurons form networks through which nerve impulses travels, each neuron often making numerous connections with other cells of neurons.