Intro to neuroscience

Question 1

glutamate (amino acid)

Answer 1

most prevalent excitatory NT
a) ionotropic
1. kainate (Na+ influx)
2. AMPA (Na+ influx)
3. NMDA ( requires depolarization, some Mg2+, then
Ca2+/Na+ influx) learning and epilepsy
b) metabotropic: GPCRs, over 100 subtypes

Question 2

GABA (amino acid)

Answer 2

most prevalent inhibitory NT

a) ionotropic (GABA A) Cl- influx, benzos and alcohol are agonists
b) metabotropic
1. GABA B GPCR and second messengers
2. GIRK channels

Question 3

glycine (amino acid)

Answer 3

inhibitory NT similar to GABA, particularly active in spinal cord

Question 4

ACh (biogenic amine)

Answer 4

all motor neurons on skeletal muscle. Comes from acetyl coA and choline using CHAT. Degraded by acetyl cholinesterase.

1. nicotinic (ionotropic): skeletal muscle. N+ and Ca2+ influx. More nicotinic in PNS
2. muscarinic (metabotropic): more in CNS

Question 5

myasthenia gravis

Answer 5

autoantibodies against nicotinic receptors. muscle weakness with repeated contraction.
Treatment: AChE inhibitors (more ACh in synapse)

Question 6

dopamine (monoamine-catecholamine)

Answer 6

1. D1: excitatory
2. D2: inhibitory
   Found in:
   a) substantia nigra: involved with basal ganglia circuit, loss of DA here is cause of Parkinson’s disease
   b) ventral tegmental area (VTA): involved with addiction and schizophrenia

Question 7

norepinephrine (monoamine-catecholamine)

Answer 7

involved in arousal, alertness, attention. Produced in locus ceruleus in pons. PNS sympathetic NT. 2 alpha and 2 beta receptor subtypes (all metabotropic).

Question 8

serotonin (5-HT) (monoamine-indolamine)

Answer 8

related to depression. Made in raphe nuclei of midbrain. At least 7 receptor subtypes. SSRIs, MAOIs, and SNRIs used to leave more 5-HT in synapse.

Question 9

histamine (monoamine)

Answer 9

involved in consciousness. Made in tuberomamillary nucleus of hypothalamus and mast cells in brain.

Question 10

neuropeptides

Answer 10

co-released with other NTs. Packaged in golgi, cleaved, fast axonal transport, vesicles not recycled, require high frequency APs, eg. substance P, VIP, CCK, ADH, endorphins.

Question 11

adenosine (neuro-signaling molecule)

Answer 11

sedative. Co-released with glutamate. Antagonist is caffeine. Receptors are GPCRs.

Question 12

Nitric oxide (NO)

Answer 12

gasseous NT. Diffuses quickly in many directions. Synthesized immediately before use.

Question 13

basal ganglia

Answer 13

subcortical, wraps around thalamus. Sets up chains and sequences of motor activation.

Question 14

caudate nucleus + putamen

Answer 14

corpus striatum (of basal ganglia)

Question 15

globus pallidus + putamen

Answer 15

lentiform nucleus (of basal ganglia)

Question 16

caudate nucleus + lentiform nucleus

Answer 16

basal ganglia

Question 17

corpus striatum + globus pallidus

Answer 17

basal ganglia

Question 18

caudate nucleus + putamen + globus pallidus

Answer 18

basal ganglia

Question 19

diencephalon components

Answer 19

retina, thalamus, hypothalamus, epithalamus, and subthalamus

Question 20

brainstem components

Answer 20

midbrain, pons, and medulla

Question 21

midbrain location

Answer 21

either side of cerebral aquaduct

Question 22

pons location

Answer 22

bumpy bulgy thing

Question 23

medulla location

Answer 23

underneath bulge

Question 24

midbrain parts

Answer 24

tegmentum (floor)-> cranial nerve nuclei (III, IV, V, VI)
reticular formation: NTs that are not glutamate or GABA
tectum (roof)->corpora quadrigemina->sup. and inf. colliculi

Question 25

pons components

Answer 25

basis pontis: white matter and pontine nuclei

pontine tegmentum: cranial nerve nuclei, reticular formation, and micturition center

Question 26

medulla components

Answer 26

open portion (includes tegmentum: cranial nerve nuclei, reticular formation, cardiac and respiratory control centers)
closed portion: white matter

Question 27

cerebellum

Answer 27

unconscious proprioceptive input, coordinates complex movements, measures muscle position relative targets, responsible for normal gait and posture

Question 28

association fibers

Answer 28

pass from one part of a single hemisphere to another

Question 29

commissural fibers

Answer 29

link matching areas of the two hemispheres (e.g. corpus callosum, anterior commissure)

Question 30

projection fibers

Answer 30

run between levels (cortical to subcortical)

Question 31

corpus callosum components (rostral to caudal)

Answer 31

rostrum, genu, trunk, isthmus, splenium

Question 32

projection fibers (superficial to deep)

Answer 32

corona radiata, internal capsule, crus cerebri (cerebral peduncles), pyramids

Question 33

sensory modality that does not decussate

Answer 33

proprioception