Dopamine & Serotonin

Question 1

Neuromodulators

Answer 1

• Tangential synapse
• Excitatory or inhibitory outcome
• Changes future firing probability
• Metabotropic Receptors

Question 2

DA Mesostriatal Pathway

Answer 2

Substantia Nigra to Striatum
- Important for motor control
- Neuronal loss causes Parkinson’s

Question 3

DA Mesolimbocortical Pathway

Answer 3

VTA to Nucleus Accumbens, cortex, and hippocampus
- Involved in reward, reinforcement, and learning
- Implicated in addiction
- Memory & emotional processing (fear conditioning)

Question 4

Agonist

Answer 4

Ligand that initiates and mimics the normal effects of the neurotransmitter on the receptor
- Enhanced cellular activity

Question 5

Antagonist

Answer 5

Ligand that does not activate the receptor and blocks it from binding with neurotransmitters
- Blocks cellular activity

Question 6

Cocaine

Answer 6

Dopamine Agonist that blocks dopamine transporters
- Re-uptake

Question 7

SR1502

Answer 7

Dopamine Antagonist that blocks dopamine from binding to D3 receptors
- Aversion to Cocaine

Question 8

Cue- and context-induced Drug Use

Answer 8

Increased likelihood of using a drug because factors are consistent with latest exposure to drug

Question 9

Conditioned Place Preference (CPP)

Answer 9

Rodents prefer place where they received cocaine to place where they received saline
- Surpasses desire for socialization

Question 10

Up-regulation

Answer 10

In response to antagonist drug
- More receptors made available

Question 11

Down-regulation

Answer 11

In response to agonist drug
- Fewer receptors made available

Question 12

Serotonin

Answer 12

• Originates in raphe nuclei
• Implicated in sleep states & mood (sexual behavior & anxiety)
• Release into nucleus accumbens necessary for social interaction