Brain, Mind, Behavior Test 2 Flashcards
What do psychoactive drugs do? (and what are two types)
relieve severe symptoms (antipsychotics and atypical antipsychotics)
Antipsychotics (neuroleptics)
a class of drugs that relieve or alleviate symptoms of schizophernia. This is typically done by blocking dopamine D2 receptors
Atypical antipsychotics
act on D2 receptors and/or other receptors. they help relieve symptoms that are resistant to typical antipsychotics.
exogenous substance
from outside the body- have been used for ages to change the functioning of the brain and body
How do neurons process and transmit info?
through electrical and chemical signals
what is a neurotransmitter
an endogeneous (internal) substance that has been released by the presynaptic neuron
action potentials reach the axon terminal- what is this?
this is the presynaptic side of a synapse
action potentials cause the vesicals to release what
releases neurotransmitter into the synaptic cleft
where do molecules bind to neurotransmitter receptors
in the membrane of the postsynaptic cell
what are the 2 possible things that happen to neurotransmitters
they are either broken down by enzymes or brought back into the presynaptic terminal via reuptake (this relies of special transporters)
what is monoamine oxidoase (MAO)
an antidepressent
how does monoamine oxidase (MAO) work?
inhibitors of it prevent the breakdown of monoamines at the sunapses. The accumulation of these transmitters prolongs their activity. This is the huge imporant function of antidepressents (fun fact, you have to follow a specific diet on this stuff tho so like not slay)
how do tricyclic antidepressants work
they block reuptake of serotonin and norepinephrine
how do selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) work
act specifically at serotonergic synapses.
what do receptor proteins do?
recognize transmitters and their mimics
what are the two basic kinds of neurotransmitter receptors
iontropic receptors and metabotropic receptors
ionotropic receptors
quickly change shape and open or close an ion channel when the transmitter molecule binds
metabotropic receptors
alter chemical reactions in the cell. they use a system of second messengers to open an ion channel. may start chemical reactions to alter gene expression
criteria for neurotranmitter classification (5)
- it is synthesized in presynaptic neurons and stored in axon terminals
- it is released when action potentials reach axon terminals
3.it is recognized by receptors on postsynaptic membrane (it is a ligand) - causes changes in a postsynaptic cell
- blocking its releease intereres with a cells ability to affect a postsynaptic cell
anxiolytics (what are 3)?
depressants, barbiturates, and benzodiazepines
depressants
drugs that reduce nervous system activity
barbiturates
early anxiolytics and sleep aids. they depress nervous activity. they are addictive and easy to overdose on (they can literally put you to sleep enough for someone to do surgery)
benzodiazepines
a specific anxiolytic that acts as agonist on GABA (A) receptors and enhances the inhibitory effects of GABA
opium
contains morphine, which is an effective analgesic
what are related to opium
morphine and heroin. they are related and highly addictive
how do opiates work
they bind to opioid receptors in the brain, especially the periaqueductal gray
endogenous opiods
they are enkephalins, endorphins, and dynorphins (which are peptides produced in the brain)
the 3 kinds of opioid receptors
delta, kappa, and mu. They are all metabotropic receptors
how to reverse effects of opiates
drugs that block opioid receptors can reverse the effects of opiates
active ingredient of in cannabis
delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
effects of marijuana
they can vary. relaxation, mood alteration, stimulation, and paranoia
heavy use of marijuana can cause what
respirator problems, addiction, and cognitive decline
what can adolescent use of marijuana can increase what?
schizophrenia
cannabinoid receptors
the brain contains cannabinoid receptors that mediate the effects of compounds like THC
endocannabinoids
analogs of marijuana produced in the brain, such as anandamide
stimulants do what
increase nervous system activity by increasing excitatory input or decreasing inhibitory activity
what do presynaptic adenosine receptors do
normally reduce transmitter release but are blocked by stimulants (such as caffeine), resulting in increased transmitter release.
nicotine is a _________
stimulant
short term affects of nicotine
increases heart rate, blood pressure, digestive action, and alertness
what does nicotine do
it acts as an agonist on nicotinic ACh receptors in the cortex. It enhances some cognitive functions, the ventral tegmental area, and activates reward/addiction pathways
cocaine- what has it been used for
was used in foods as an anesthetic but it is highly addictive and has serious side effects
cocaine- how does it work
blocks reuptake of monoamine transmitters so that they accumulate in synapses throughout the brain, boosting their effects.
synthetic stimulants
have a two step mode of action on monoamines
amphetamine
a synthetic stimulant. It causes a larger-than-normal release of the transmitter at axon terminals. It also interferes with the breakdown of the transmitter. Prolonged use leads to symptoms that resemble those of schizophrenia or brain damage
2 amino acid trasmitters
glutamate and GABA
alcohol stages and how it works
alcohol effects are biphasic- an initial stimulant phase, followed by a depressant. It acts on GABA receptors and dopamine-mediated reward systems.
glutamate
most widespread excitatory transmitter (AMPA and NMDA receptors)
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
most widespread inhibitory transmitter. GABAa receptors- ionotropic; inhibitory;allow Cl- ions into the cell
fetal alcohol syndrome
results when pregnant women abuse alcohol with permanent damage to the fetus.
how does alcohol abuse affect adults
alcohol abuse affects the frontal lobes, though the effects are reversible with abstinence
what does binge drinking do
it might cause brain damage and reduce the rate of neurogenesis
hallucinogens
alter sensory perception and produce unusual experiences through diverse neural actions
LSD (acid) how does it work
strongly activates serotonin 5-HT2A receptors in the visual cortex.
effects of LSD (acid)
produces mood changes and feelings of creativity, and thus may help treat some psychiatric disorders
how are mescaline and psilocybin similar
produce strong visual effects
types of peptide neurotransmitters (neuropeptides)
oxytocin, vasopressin
types of amine neurotransmitters
acetylcholine, dopamine, serotonin
types of gas neurotransmitters
nitric oxide, carbon monoxide
Labeled lines
The brain recognizes the senses as distinct because their action potentials travel along separate nerve tracts.
what energy type do all sensory organs (though diverse) use?
action potentials
generator potential
local change in membrane potential which might activate an action potential
sensory transduction
the converion of electrical energy from a stimulus into a change in membrane potential in a receptor cell
all animals have sensory organs containing _______ that sense some stimuli but not others
receptor cells. all animals have sensory organs containing receptor cells that have some stimuli but not others.
pancinian corpuscle
a skin receptor that responds to vibrations and pressure. They are what senses textures
How does the Pacinian corpuscle
stimuli stretch its membrane and cause sodium channels to open. It creates a graded generator potential; if this potential exceeds the firing threshold, an action potential is generated