drugs and disease Flashcards
1
Q
Parkinson’s disease
A
- brain disorder that affects the motor skills
- neurones in the parts of the brain that control movement are destroyed
- normally they cause dopamine so a lack of them causes a lack of dopamine
- less dopamine is released into synaptic clefts –> less dopamine binds to receptors –> fewer sodium ion channels open so the post synaptic cell is less likely to depolarise
- so fewer actions are produced leading to tremors and slow movement
2
Q
treatment for Parkinson’s
A
- parkinson’s = caused by low levels of dopamine so drugs that increase the levels of dopamine (L.Dopa) are used
3
Q
Depression
A
- depression has been associated with low levels of serotonin and dopamine
- transmit nerve impulses across synapses in parts of the brain that controls mood
- less they released serotonin = less into synaptic cleft = less is taken up by receptors = fewer sodium ion channels open = less likely to reach threshold to form an action potential and fire
4
Q
Depression drugs
A
- work to increase levels of serotonin so the an action potential can be reached
- e.g. SSRIs prevent reuptake so more is present in the cleft
5
Q
L.dopa
A
- similar structure to dopamine
- absorbed into the brain and converted into dopamine which increases levels in brain
- so more nerve impulses are nerve impulses are transmitted across synapses in the parts of the brain that control movement
- –> so they gain more control over their movement
6
Q
MDMA
A
- increases levels of serotonin in the brain
- usually, it is reuptaken by the presynaptic membrane so it can be used again
- MDMA increases level of serotonin by decreasing the amount of it that is taken back up into the presynaptic membrane –> it binds to and blocks reuptake proteins
- also triggers the release of serotonin
- so levels of serotonin stay high in the synapse and cause depolarization in the post-synaptic neurons that control mood in the brain
—-> so elevates mood
