Amines Flashcards
What are the 4 key amines involved in the CNS?
Noradrenaline, dopamine, 5-hydroxytryptamine and acetylcholine.
What are the features of amine systems in the CNS?
Cell bodies are restricted to a small number of brainstem nuclei and they lack specialised synaptic contacts.
What key roles do amines have in the CNS?
Arousal, attention, sleep and survival.
What is the name of an axon that contains amine neurotransmitters?
Aminergic axon.
What is the effect of amines when they bind to their receptors?
The change the response to the transmitter of an excitatory glutamate synapse. They are involved in neuromodulation.
What is noradrenaline involved in?
Arousal and emotional aspects of the brain - the “love” chemical.
Where do noradrenaline neurones originate?
The locus coeruleus.
Where do noradrenaline neurones project to?
It has diffuse innervation of the forebrain - in particular the cerebral cortex. They form a distinct neurotransmitter system.
What receptors does noradrenaline act at?
Alpha 1, beta1 and beta2 receptors. These are GPCRs.
What role does noradrenaline have in the brainstem?
Blood pressure control (baroreceptor reflex).
What role do descending noradrenaline pathways have?
Involvement in movement and pain.
What role does noradrenaline have in ascending pathways?
Arousal and mood, cognitive processes such as learning and memory, movement and attention.
What is depletion of noradrenaline in the forebrain involved in?
Depression.
What are the parts of the forebrain involved with noradrenaline?
The cortex and hippocampus.
What is overactivity of noradrenaline involved in?
Mania disorders such as bipolar.
What is the substrate for noradrenaline?
Tyrosine.
How is noradrenaline formed from its substrate?
Tyrosine is hydroxylated to L-DOPA by tryosine hydroxylase (TH) which then is decarboxylated by AADC (dopa decarboxylase) to dopamine and taken into vesicles by vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT). Beta hydroxylation occurs within the vesicles.
What does dopamine-beta-hydroxylase do?
It converts dopamine to noradrenaline.
What neurones express dopamine-beta-hydroxylase?
Only noradrenaline neurones.
What is the limiting step of noradrenaline synthesis?
The hydroxylation to L-DOPA as the enzyme can become saturated, no matter how much tyrosine is present.
What can be produced by synthesis on demand in the noradrenaline production pathway?
Tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine-beta-hydroxylase.
What happens if tyrosine hydroxlyase is blocked?
The pathway is stopped and no noradrenaline is produced, which can lead to depression.
What is reserpine?
A drug that prevents dopamine from being taken up and hydroxylated in the vesicles.
What can reserpine cause?
In rodents it has been shown to cause depressive symptoms.