EEA - Glutamate Flashcards
What do we need to synthesise glutamate?
Glucose or glutamine
Where is glutamate stored?
vesicles
Examples of excitatory amino acid receptors
NMDA; AMPA; Kainate (inotropic); Metabotropic GPCRs
Ketamine mechanism of action
antagonist on glutamate receptors; anaesthetic
What is GABA?
The main inhibitory amino acid in the brain; causes CNS depression
What is GABA synthesised from?
Glutamate
What are the 2 GABA receptors?
GABAa; GABAb
What does activation of the GABAb receptor do?
inhibits cAMP production; inhibits Ca+ channel opening; increases K+ conductance
What agonists of GABAb receptor treat?
Spasticity
What type of receptor is GABAb
GPCR
What type of receptor is GABAa
chloride ion channel receptor
What does activation of GABAa receptor lead to?
Reducing membrane excitability
What is the difference between NMDA and GABAa receptors?
NMDA receptors allow positive ions to flow into the cell whereas GABAa receptors allow negative ions in
What is the main thing that excitatory amino acids and their receptors do?
They stimulate the generation of nerve impulses
What happens when excitatory amino acid receptors are overactivated?
calcium influx can cause seizures and cell death