Chemical Messengers in the Nervous System Flashcards
Which neurotransmitter: affects sleep, appetite, sensory perception, temperature regulation, pain suppression, and mood?
Serotonin
Which neurotransmitter: is associated with increased heart rate, slowing of intestinal activity during stress, learning, memory, dreaming, waking from sleep, and emotion?
Norepinephrine
Which neurotransmitter: is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain?
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid)
Which neurotransmitter: is associated with voluntary movement, learning, memory, emotion, pleasure or reward, maybe even response to novelty?
Dopamine
Which neurotransmitter: is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain? (released by 90% of the brains neurons)
Glutamate
Which neurotransmitter: is associated with muscle action, cognitive functioning, memory, and emotion?
Acetylcholine
What kinds of disorders are associated with abnormal GABA levels?
- sleep disorders
- eating disorders
- convulsive disorders (epilepsy)
Which neurotransmitter is in decline with Alzheimer’s sufferers?
Acetylcholine (devastating memory problems)
Loss of cells that produce which neurotransmitter is responsible for tremors in Parkinson’s Disease?
Dopamine
When Glutamate is over-produced, it can kill glial cells and cause what disease?
Multiple Sclerosis
What are Endorphins (endogenous opioid peptides)?
- similar effects to natural opiates
- reduce pain, promote pleasure
- have a role in appetite, sexual activity, blood pressure, mood, learning, and memory
How do Endorphins act?
- some act as neurotransmitters
- most act by limiting, prolonging, or altering effects of neurotransmitters
What are hormones? What do they do?
- chemical messengers
- they affect functioning of other organs
Where are hormones produced?
-endocrine glands (internal organs that produce and release hormones into the bloodstream)
Hormone: Melatonin
- secreted by?
- function?
- pineal gland (in the brain)
- regulates daily biological rhythms
- promotes sleep
Hormone: Oxytocin
- secreted by?
- function?
- pituitary gland (in the brain)
- facilitates birth contractions, milk while nursing
- promotes attachment and trust
Adrenal Hormones:
- produced by?
- involved in?
- adrenal glands (organs above kidneys)
- emotion and stress
- rises in response to caffeine, nicotine
- rises in response to temperature, pain, and exercise
Adrenal Gland:
- outer part produces?
- inner part produces?
Outer
-cortisol (increases blood-sugar, energy)
Inner
- epinephrine (adrenaline)
- norepinephrine
What activates adrenal hormones?
-Sympathetic Nervous System (increases arousal level; prepares you for action)
Sex Hormones:
- secreted by?
- types of sex hormones?
- testes in men, ovaries in women
- also secreted by adrenal glands
3 Types:
- Androgens
- Estrogens
- Progesterone
