CNS I

Question 1

What are the 3 criteria that must be satisfied for a molecule to be classified as a NT?

Answer 1

present at presynaptic nerve terminal, released upon stimulation of presynaptic nerve terminal, activate receptors on postsynaptic membrane

Question 2

What are the 6 steps in neurochemical transmission?

Answer 2

1) transport and synthesis
2) storage (synaptic vesicles)
3) NT release
4) postsynaptic receptor activation
5) reuptake of NT
6) degradation of NT

Question 3

Will an IPSP occur at rest?

Answer 3

NO, because the cell membrane potential is already at equilibrium

Question 4

direct/indirect receptor types for glutamate, gaba, glycine receptors

Answer 4

Glutamate: Ionotropic/Metabotropic
GABA: GABA-A/GABA-B
Glycine: all are direct

Question 5

At what 3 steps does G-Protein Coupled Receptor signal amplification occur? What is significant about these steps?

Answer 5

1) Receptor/G-Protein binding
2) 2nd messenger production (adenyl cyclase/cAMP step)
3) protein kinase phosphorylation of target proteins

Important b/c all steps can be important therapeutic targets

Question 6

What are the direct receptor types and the indirect receptor types?

Answer 6

Direct: ligand-gated ion channels
Indirect: G-protein coupled receptors

Question 7

direct/indirect receptor types for dopamine, NE, Epinephrine, Serotonin, Histamine

Answer 7

all are indirect! except Seratonin has a direct receptor: 5HT3

Question 8

What is tachyphylaxis?

Answer 8

acute (sudden) decrease in response to drug after its administration maybe due to receptor uncoupling

Question 9

What is coactivation? potentiation?

Answer 9

NT needs a second agonist in order to activate. Potentiation is where compounds increase response to agonist by binding to an allosteric site on the receptor

Question 10

Why does one get long term downregulation or upregulation?

Answer 10

It’s due to decrease (or increase) in receptor number, NOT acute uncoupling. It can occur w/prolonged administration of an agonist (downregulation) or an antagonist (upregulation)

Question 11

What are the neuronal origins and projections of cholinergic neurotransmitters?

Answer 11

Origins: widespread, nucleus basalis of Meynert, medial septal nucleus, brain stem nuclei

Projections: widespread, cortex, hippocampus, thalamus

Question 12

What are the functions of cholinergic NTs and neuropharmacology associated with them?

Answer 12

Functions: mostly excitatory CNS, involved in cognition

Neuropharm: dementia (Alzheimers)

Question 13

What are the neuronal origins and projections of glutaminergic neurotransmitters?

Answer 13

Origins: thalamus, subthalamic nucleus

Projections: widespread, cortex, hippocampus

Question 14

What are the functions of glutaminergic NTs and neuropharmacology associated with them?

Answer 14

Functions: major excitatory CNS NT, involved in learning/memory (long term potentiation)

Neuropharm: epilepsy, excitotoxicity

Question 15

What are the neuronal origins and projections of GABAergic/Glycine neurotransmitters?

Answer 15

Origins: widespread, interneurons

Projections: widespread, cortex, neostriatum

Question 16

What are the functions of GABAergic/Glycine NTs and neuropharmacology associated with them?

Answer 16

Functions: major inhibitory CNS NT

Neuropharm: sedative hypnotics, antianxiety (anxiolytics), anticonvulsants, muscle relaxants

Question 17

What are the neuronal origins and projections of noradrenergic neurotransmitters?

Answer 17

Origins: locus coeruleus

Projections: widespread

Question 18

What are the functions of noradrenergic NTs and neuropharmacology associated with them?

Answer 18

Functions: emotion (mood), arousal, fear, stress, anxiety

Neuropharm: antidepressants (MAOIs), attentiveness (ADHD), wakefulness (narcolepsy and amphetamines)

Question 19

What are the neuronal origins and projections of dopaminergic neurotransmitters?

Answer 19

Origins: substantia nigra

Projections: basal ganglia, prefrontal cortex, limbic system

Question 20

What are the functions of dopaminergic NTs and neuropharmacology associated with them?

Answer 20

Functions: voluntary movement, behavior, neuroendocrine secretion

Neuropharm: parkinson’s, psychosis, hyperprolactinemia (pituitary adenoma)

Question 21

What are the neuronal origins and projections of serotonergic neurotransmitters?

Answer 21

Origins: raphe nuclei

Projections: widespread

Question 22

What are the functions of serotonergic NTs and neuropharmacology associated with them?

Answer 22

Functions: emotion (mood), sleep

Neuropharm: antidepressants (TCAs, SSRIs), hallucinations (LSD, ecstacy (MDMA)), antiemetic

Question 23

What are the neuronal origins and projections of histaminergic neurotransmitters?

Answer 23

Origins: tuberomammillary nucleus (ventral posterior hypothalamus)

Projections: widespread, cortex, hippocampus, neostriatum, limbic system

Question 24

What are the functions of histaminergic NTs and neuropharmacology associated with them?

Answer 24

Functions: wakefulness, motion

Neuropharm: sedation, cold and allergy symptoms, motion sickness

Question 25

What are the effects of Serotonin Syndrome?

Answer 25

agitation/restlessness, diarrhea, fast HR, changes in BP, hallucinations, confusion, hypomania, fever, ataxia, hyperreflexia, shivering, excessive sweating, tremor, nausea, vomiting, muscle spasms (myoclonus)

Question 26

What are the side effects to taking anticholinergics?

Answer 26

dry mouth, dry eyes, dry skin/flushing, blurred vision, constipation, increased HR, difficulty emptying bladder, headache, confusion, exacerbation of glaucoma