ch 12 pt 3 nervous system Flashcards
What are neurotransmitters?
Transmit signals from nerve cells to target cells.
4 main chemical classes of neurotransmitters
ACh, Biogenic amines, Amino acids, and neuropeptides
What is acetylcholine (ACh)?
Structure differs from other transmitters, big with skeletal muscles
What are biogenic amines?
Modified amino acids
What is catecholamines used for?
Dopamine; forming habits
What are amino acids
Make proteins
What are neuropeptides?
Not yet a protein; chains of amino acids
What are direct transmitters?
Bind to receptors that are chemically gated channels
What are indirect transmitters?
Bind to receptors that involve G-proteins and second messengers
What are the 3 ways to remove ACh?
Reuptake, AChE, diffusion
What are neuromodulators?
Chemicals that alter response of local neurons
What increases number of neurotransmitters in cleft?
Facilitation (EPSP)
What decreases number of neurotransmitters in cleft?
Inhibition (IPSP)
What does nitric oxide do?
Effects in the PNS include blood vessel dilation
What does endocannabinoids do?
Influence memory, appetite
What are the 4 types of circuits in a neuronal circuit?
Converging, Diverging, Reverberating, Parallel-after-discharge
What is parallel-after-discharge?
Why you’re thinking right now
What does reverberating do?
Why you don’t die in your sleep
Whats the response of a parallel-after-discharge circuit?
To take a lot of information into a response
What’s the response of a reverberating circuit?
Retriggers responses
