LECTURE 19 & 20: CNS Flashcards
Neurotransmitters
chemicals that allow communication between neurones, transmission across synapse
e.g. Ach, dopamine, serotonin
Neurodegenerative disease
disease of the CNS that is characterised by progressive loss of selected neurons in the brain
parkinsons disease
insidious onset of voluntary movement, muscle rigidity, postural abnormality and tremors
parkinsons is caused by
striatal deficiency of dopamine from neuronal degradation decreasing dopamine into neurostriatum
parkinsons treatment aims to
decrease Ach and increase Dopamine
dopamine drugs and Ach drug
1- dopamine precursor (L-dopa or levodopa)
2- inhibitor of dopamine metabolism (carbidopa)
3- dopamine agonist (pramopexole)
4- amantidine
5- Antimuscarinic drug (benzatropine)
what does amantidine do
blocks dopamine reuptake
how does antimuscarinic drug decrease Ach in parkinsons treatment
blocking M1 receptor, decreasing cholinergic activity, decreasing Ach
Alzheimers is a type of
dementia
3 distinguishing factors of alzheimers
1) accumulation of amyloid plaques between nerve cell of brain
2) formation of numerous neurofibrillary tangle
3) loss of cortical neurons (especially cholinergic neurons)
Alzheimers drugs
1) acetylcholinesterase inhibitors
2) NMDA receptor antagonists
Ach-esterase inhibitors in alzheimers treatment.
AND EXAMPLES
reversibly inhibit acetylcholinesterase to prevent breakdown of Ach, increasing transmission
doneprezil and galantamine
NMDA receptor antagonist in Alzheimers treatment
memantine
uncompetitive antagonist at glutamate receptor, dec neuronal excitotoxicity
motor neuron disease
group of related NGDs that affect motor neurons and therefore volunatry muscle control
drugs indicated for MND
riluzole
blocks TTX-sensitive channels which are linked to neurponal damage
allosterically binds to GABAA on post synaptic neuron prolonging survival for months
