Dr. Rochet 34 Flashcards
what are the 3 regions of the brain
Hindbrain
Midbrain
Forebrain
What makes up the Hindbrain
Medulla
Pons
Cerebellum
What does the medulla do
controlls respiration, cardiac function, vasomoter response, and reflexes
- involuntary functions
what does the cerebellum do
Allowing movements to be smooth and controlled
- neurodegeneration happening here results in spinocerebellar ataxias (disjointed or jerky movement)
What does the Pons do
Sends signals from the forebrain to the cerebellum
What is apart of the midbrain
Substantia nigra
which has compacta and reticulata parts
What does the substantia nigra compacta do
Provides input to the basal ganglia and supplies dopamine to the striatum which are in the basal ganglia
Undergoes neuodegeneration in PD
What does the substantia nigra reticulata do
relays signals from the basal ganglia to the thalamus
What makes up the forebrain
Cortex
basal ganglia
limbic system
Diencephalon
What does the cortex do
Processing and interpreting information
like talking
What does the basal ganglia do
voluntary motor control and some cognitive function
what does the limbic system do
emotions (amygdala)
Memory (hippocampus)
what does the diencephalon do
Thalamus: relay station to and from the cortex the cortex
Hypothalamus: regulates internal homeostasis, emotions. Hormonal control and direct neural regulations
what is an astrocyte and what is its role
It is a glial cell
it is the most abundent glial cell in the brain and it works to provide nuerons with growth factors, antioxidants
it removes excess glutamate
also supports the blood brain barrier
What is a oligodendrocyte and what is its role
It is a glial cell and it provides myelin sheath that insulates axons
What is a microglia and what is its role
it is a glial cell and it provides growth factors. It clears debris by phagocytosis
role in neuroinflammation
What is the blood brain barrier
This protects the brain and is a layer of cells that are stabilized by tight junctions in the endothelial cell layer of blood vessels in the brain
How is neurotransmission triggered
Triggered by electrical depolarization of the neuron
How do drugs act in the CNS
generally drugs act in the CNS by modulating synaptic neurotransmission
Common amino acid neurotransmitters
GABA, glycine, and glutamate
Gaba transmission
Major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain
depresses neuronal excitability by increasing the flux of Cl ions into the neuron
GABA receptors
Ion channel and GPCR
Glutamate transmission
major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain
Excess glutamate can cause neuronal damage by allowing excessive Ca influx into the neuron
Common non amino acid neurotransmitter
Acetylcholine, dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin (5-HT)
Acetylcholine transmission
Example of drugs targeting this form of neurotransmission are cholinesterase inhibitors
Nicotinic and muscarinic receptors
Located in basal forebrain, pons, cortex, and basal ganglia
Dopamine transmission
located in the midbrain
Drugs that block DAT and this increase extracellular DA can produce euphoria and lead to addiction
Excess dopaminergic signaling may be invovled in schizophrenia
loss of DA neurons in the SN is responsible for PD
Norepinephrine transmission
Located in the pons
NET inhibitors are used to treat depression
Serotonin transmission
Located in the midbrain/pons
involved in depression, mood disorders, and schizophrenia
