9. Glutamate & GABA Flashcards
What are the four types of neurotransmitters? (GABA B&B)
- Animo acids
- Monoamines
- Acetylcholine
- Neuropeptides
How are amino acids, monoamines and acetylcholine synthesised? (GABA B&B)
- Synthesised locally in presynaptic terminal
- Stored in synaptic vesicles
- Released in response to local increase in Ca+
How are neuropeptides synthesised? (GABA B&B)
- Synthesised in the cell soma
- Transported to the terminal
- Stored in secretory granules
- Released in response to global Ca2+
What is the process of glutamate? (GABA B&B)
- Synthesised in nerve terminals
- Stored in vesicles by vesicle glutamate transporters
- Released by exocytosis
- Acts at glutamate receptors (post synaptic membrane)
- Reuptake by excitatory amino acid transporters in the plasma membrane (presynaptic glia)
How is hyperexcitability caused? (GABA B&B)
Too much glutamate and too little GABA e.g. epilepsy
What is cerebral ischemia? (GABA B&B)
Insufficient blood flow, leading to plaques and tumours
What is pharmacology and what are the two types? (GABA B&B)
- What transmitters bind to the receptor and how the drugs interact
- Antagonist
- Agonist
What is an antagonist? (GABA B&B)
A drug that reduces activity of an agonist
What is an agonist? (GABA B&B)
A drug that combines with the receptor on a cell to produce a reaction
What do receptors vary on? (GABA B&B)
- Kinetics
- Selectivity
- Conductance
What is kinetics? (GABA B&B)
The rat of transmitter binding and channel gating (opening and closing)
What is selectivity? (GABA B&B)
What ions are fluxed (allowed in or out the membrane)
What is conductance? (GABA B&B)
The rat of flux
What are the two types of receptors involved in glutamate? (GABA B&B)
- NMDA
- AMPA
What is the agonist and antagonist involved in NMDA receptors and how does it work? (GABA B&B)
- Agonist = NMDA
- Antagonist = APV
- Binding of glutamate opens Na+ channel, leading to depolarisation
