central nervous system L14-16 Flashcards
Parkinsonism
drug/stroke/infection induced symptoms
motor symptoms of parkinsons
resting tremor
muscle rigidity
suppression of voluntary movements
post-mortem neuropathology of Parkinson’s
loss of DA cell bodies in substantia nigra
(PET images)
pathology of Parkinson’s disease
degeneration of DAergic neurones of nigrostriatal tract
therefore loss of DA transmission in striatum
parkinsonism pathology
any condition in which DA transmission is lost in striatum via D2
pharmacological blockade/ brain lesion
4 dopamine pathways in brain
nigrostriatal
mesocortical
mesolimbic
tuberoinfundibular
nigrostriatal
substantia nigra to striatum
mesolimbic
ventral tegmental area to frontal cortex
tuberoinfundibular
arcuate nucleus to pituitary gland
pharmacotherapeutic aim of Parkinson’s
increase DA transmission in striatum
dopamine synthesis
tyrosine > L-DOPA > dopamine
via tyrosine hydrolase and then DOPA decarboxylase
dopamine storage
vesicles
VMAT transports DA to vesicles
dopamine metabolism
monoamine oxidase (MAO) will metabolise DA outside the vesicles
DA metabolism process
DA > DOPAL > DOPAC > HVA (Homovanillic acid)
monoamine oxidase isoforms
MAOa and MAOb
different gene products
both on X chromosome
MAOb mainly metabolises DA
DA release
depolarization of terminal causing exocytosis
v-gated Ca2+ channels allow Ca2+ into terminal
vesicles fuse w membrane
DA receptors
G-protein coupled
D1-like > stimulate adenylate cyclase/ excitatory
D2-like> stimulate inhibit adenylate cyclase/ open K+channel
DA reuptake
via transporter/ DAT
L-DOPA
levodopa
precursor bypassing rate-limiting enzyme
^DA synthesis
DA polarity
can’t cross membranes
sympathomimetic effects
metabolised in gut by MAO
MAO inhibitor
selegiline
MAOb inhibitor
blocks intraneuronal metabolism of DA
^DA content of vesicles
less intraneuronal breakdown
D2 Receptor agonists
bromocriptine
or apomorphine/ lisuride
(inhibit striatal output neurones directly)
Parkinson’s therapeutics
L-DOPA w carbidopa
given in combo, effects wear off as neurons degenerate
:( psychosis/ cognitive dysfunction/ addiction
latroigenic/ drug-induced parkinsonism
antipsychotic drugs block D2 receptors in all 4 pathways