CNS Intro Flashcards
Classify CNS drugs
Stimulants, depressants, antidepressants, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, mood stabilizers, anticonvulsants, and cognitive enhancers
What are the major neurotransmitters in the brain?
Dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, acetylcholine, glutamate, and GABA
What is the predominant anatomical pathway for dopamine?
The mesolimbic pathway
What disorders are associated with dopamine dysfunction?
Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia
What is the predominant anatomical pathway for serotonin?
The raphe nuclei
What disorders are associated with serotonin dysfunction?
Depression and anxiety disorders
What is the predominant anatomical pathway for norepinephrine?
The locus coeruleus
What disorders are associated with norepinephrine dysfunction?
Depression and anxiety disorders
What is the predominant anatomical pathway for acetylcholine?
The basal forebrain
What disorders are associated with acetylcholine dysfunction?
Alzheimer’s disease and myasthenia gravis
What is the predominant anatomical pathway for glutamate?
The cortex and hippocampus
What disorders are associated with glutamate dysfunction?
Epilepsy and neurodegenerative diseases
What is the predominant anatomical pathway for GABA?
The cortex and hippocampus
What disorders are associated with GABA dysfunction?
Epilepsy and anxiety disorders
What are the major classes of receptors for dopamine?
D1-like and D2-like receptors
What are the major classes of receptors for serotonin?
5-HT1, HT2, 5-HT3, 5-HT4, and 5-HT5 receptors.
What are the major classes of receptors for norepinephrine?
Alpha and beta receptors
What are the major classes of receptors for acetylcholine?
Muscarinic and nicotinic receptors
What are the major classes of receptors for glutamate?
NMDA, AMPA, and kainate receptors.
What are the major classes of receptors for GABA?
GABA-A and GABA-B receptors
What are the molecular sites where drugs can act to affect neuronal function?
Receptors
What are the cellular sites where drugs can act to affect neuronal function?
Synapses
What are the biochemical sites where drugs can act to affect neuronal function?
Neurotransmitter synthesis
Define the blood-brain barrier
A selective barrier that limits the passage of substances from the blood into the brain
What factors determine whether a drug will gain access to the CNS?
Lipid solubility
What is the challenge in CNS pharmacology related to the complexity of the CNS?
Difficulty relating cellular level effects to whole organ effects
What is the challenge in CNS pharmacology related to disease understanding?
Poor understanding of CNS diseases
Why can CNS-active drugs have opposing effects?
Because they may act at multiple sites
Why is it challenging to treat CNS disorders with a single therapeutic agent?
Many CNS disorders involve multiple brain regions and pathways
What approach is used in psychiatry for diagnosing CNS disorders?
Symptom-based diagnostic approach
How do CNS drugs typically reach the brain?
By crossing the blood-brain barrier
What is the primary action of antipsychotic drugs?
Blocking dopamine receptors
What is the primary action of antidepressant drugs?
Increasing levels of serotonin and/or norepinephrine
What is the primary action of anxiolytic drugs?
Enhancing the effect of GABA
What is the primary action of anticonvulsant drugs?
Stabilizing neuronal membranes
What is the primary action of sedative-hypnotic drugs?
Depressing CNS activity
What is the primary action of stimulants?
Increasing the release of norepinephrine and dopamine
What is the mechanism of action of SSRIs?
Blocking the reuptake of serotonin
What is the mechanism of action of benzodiazepines?
Enhancing the effect of GABA
What is the mechanism of action of antipsychotics?
Blocking dopamine receptors
What is the mechanism of action of lithium?
Modulating neurotransmitter levels and receptor sensitivity
What are the side effects of SSRIs? i
Nausea, headache, sexual dysfunction.
What are the side effects of benzodiazepines?
Drowsiness, dizziness, dependence.