Chapter 3 - Neural Comm 1/Neurotransmission

Question 1

• Neurotransmission:

Answer 1

transmission of info between neurons

Question 2

• Electrical transmission:

Answer 2

series of electrical events that begin at an axon hillock and proceed down the length of axon

Question 3

• Electrical potential:

Answer 3

difference between the electrical charge within a neuron versus the electrical charge of the environment immediately outside the neuron

Question 4

• Depolarization:

Answer 4

reduced difference between the positive and negative charges on each side of a membrane

Question 5

• Hyperpolarization:

Answer 5

increased difference between the positive and negative charges on each side of a membrane

Question 6

• Local potential:

Answer 6

electrical potential on a specific part of a neuron

Question 7

• Ion channels:

Answer 7

pores in a neuronal membrane that allow the passage of ions

Question 8

• Excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP):

Answer 8

stimulus that depolarizes a local potential

Question 9

• Inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP):

Answer 9

stimulus that hyperpolarized a local potential

Question 10

• Resting potential:

Answer 10

negatively charged local potential that precedes an action potential

Question 11

• Electrostatic attraction:

Answer 11

attraction of ions with opposite charges

Question 12

• Concentration gradient:

Answer 12

particles of same type resist being concentrated

Question 13

• Sodium-potassium pump:

Answer 13

neuronal membrane mechanism that brings 2 K+ ions into the neuron while removing 3 Na+ ions out of the neuron

Question 14

• Voltage-gated ion channels:

Answer 14

channels that open or close, depending on the local potential changes

Question 15

• Action potential:

Answer 15

rapid depolarization, causing the potential in the neuron to become temporarily more positive than the outside environment

Question 16

• All-or-non law:

Answer 16

magnitude of an action potential is independent from the magnitude of potential change that elicit the action potential

Question 17

• Refractory period:

Answer 17

period following an action potential when the neuron resists producing another action potential

Question 18

• Absolute refractory period:

Answer 18

first phase of the refractory period, during which no amount of depolarization can produce another action potential

Question 19

• Relative refractory period:

Answer 19

second phase of the refractory period, during which greater depolarization is necessary to reach threshold and produce another action potential

Question 20

• Propagation of action potentials:

Answer 20

series of action potentials occurring in succession down an axon

Question 21

• Nodes de Ranvier:

Answer 21

uncovered sections of axons between myeline sheaths

Question 22

• Firing rate:

Answer 22

the number of action potentials occurring per unit of time, usually in milliseconds

Question 23

• Neurotransmitters:

Answer 23

signaling chemicals that are synthesized within neurons, are released from neurons, and have effects of neurons or other cells

Question 24

• Synaptic vesicles

Question 25

• Vesicular transporter:

Answer 25

channel located on a vesicle that allows passage of neurotransmitters

Question 26

• Exocytosis:

Answer 26

fusing of synaptic vesicles to the axon membrane and released of stored neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft

Question 27

• Volume neurotransmission:

Answer 27

type of neurotransmission involving the binding of neurotransmitters to receptors outside of the synapse

Question 28

• Catabolism:

Answer 28

process of involving the enzymatic breakdown of neurotransmitters and other molecules

Question 29

• Turnover of neurotransmitters:

Answer 29

the conversion of a neurotransmitter to a metabolite

Question 30

• Reuptake:

Answer 30

return of neurotransmitters of the axon terminal via membrane transporters

Question 31

• Receptors:

Answer 31

protein located in a neuron membrane that can be bound to and activated by a neurotransmitter

Question 32

• Ligand:

Answer 32

a molecule that joins with a protein

Question 33

• Auto-receptor:

Answer 33

presynaptic receptor that is activated by neurotransmitters released from the same axon terminal

Question 34

• Heteroceptor:

Answer 34

presynaptic receptor that is activated by neurotransmitters different from those released from the axon terminal

Question 35

• Ionotropic receptor:

Answer 35

ion channel that opens when a matching neurotransmitter binds to a site on the channel

Question 36

• Metabotropic:

Answer 36

receptor physically separated from parts of the neuron where the receptors exerts its effects

Question 37

• G-protein:

Answer 37

a three-subunit protein that carries out effects of a metabotropic receptor

Question 38

• Effector enzymes:

Answer 38

enzyme that usually activates a second messenger

Question 39

• Protein kinase:

Answer 39

enzyme that causes phosphorylation of a substrate protein

Question 40

• Substrate protein:

Answer 40

protein that may consist of an ion channel, enzyme, neurotransmitter receptor, or other proteins involved in neuronal processes

Question 41

• Neuromodulation:

Answer 41

an alteration in a neuron’s level of functional response to stimulation

Question 42

• Glutamate:

Answer 42

excitatory amino acid neurotransmitter

Question 43

GABA

Answer 43

inhibitory amino acid neurotransmitter

Question 44

• Essential amino acid:

Answer 44

amino acid that is not produced from the body and must come from diet

Question 45

• Rate-limiting step:

Answer 45

slowest conversion rate in a synthesis process

Question 46

• Monoamine oxidase (MOA):

Answer 46

enzyme that breaks down dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin

Question 47

• Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT):

Answer 47

enzyme that breaks down dopamine and norepinephrine

Question 48

• Mesolimbic dopamine pathway:

Answer 48

dopamine neurons with somas in the ventral tegmental area and axons terminating in the limbic system

Question 49

• Mesocortical dopamine pathway:

Answer 49

set of dopamine neurons with somas in the ventral tegmental area and axons terminating in the cerebral cortex, particularly the prefrontal cortex

Question 50

• Nigrostriatal dopamine pathway:

Answer 50

set of dopamine neurons with somas in the substantia nigra and axons terminating in the basal ganglia

Question 51

• Tubero-infundibular dopamine pathway:

Answer 51

set of dopamine neurons with somas in the hypothalamus and axons terminating in the pituitary gland, where it plays a role in the secretion of prolactin

Question 52

• Noradrenergic neurons:

Answer 52

neurons that synthesize and release norepinephrine

Question 53

• Cholinergic neurons:

Answer 53

neurons that synthesize and release acetylcholine

Question 54

• Acetylcholinesterase:

Answer 54

enzymes that catabolizes, or break down, acetylcholine

Question 55

• Neurotrophins:

Answer 55

a family of molecules that promote the survival and plasticity of neurons during development and in adulthood

Question 56

• Receptor tyrosine kinase:

Answer 56

a family of metabotropic receptors not coupled to a G protein; instead intracellular signaling relies on phosphorylization of a tyrosine kinase molecule located on the intracellular portion of the receptor

Question 57

• Hormones:

Answer 57

signaling molecules derived from cholesterol and released from glands

Question 58

• Oxytocin:

Answer 58

pituitary hormone important or uterine contraction during childbirth; also contributes to milk letdown during breastfeeding

Question 59

• Vasopressin:

Answer 59

antidiuretic hormone that causes the kidney to absorb water from the bloodstream

Question 60

• Melatonin:

Answer 60

sleep-inducing hormone that plays an important role in circadian rhythm, our natural sleep cycle

Question 61

• Alzheimer’s disease:

Answer 61

a progressive neurological disorder characterized by severe impairments in memory, decision making, attention, motivation, language production and comprehension, and mood regulation

Question 62

• Senile plaques:

Answer 62

degenerated neurons formed from overproduction of amyloid B42 peptides, causing cell death

Question 63

• Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors:

Answer 63

drugs that raise acetylcholine levels by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase

Question 64

• Optogenetics:

Answer 64

a research technique that uses light to alter the firing rate of specific types of neurons