Lecture 9 week 5

Question 1

What are two forms of Modern imaging techniques in the brain?

Answer 1

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

Question 2

What is a Positron Emission Tomography (PET)?

Answer 2

Tracks glucose uptake i.e. glucose
tracer

Question 3

What is a Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)?

Answer 3

Tracks blood flow i.e.
oxygenated blood (oxyhemoglobin) vs deoxygenated blood
(deoxyhemoglobin)

Question 4

How are networks identified?

Answer 4

By neurons using the same
neurotransmitter

Question 5

What modulates the Norepinephrine network?

Answer 5

-Attention
* Arousal
* Sleep-wake
* Learning
* Memory
* Pain
* Anxiety
* Mood

Question 6

What are psychostimulants for the Norepinephrine Network

Answer 6

• Methamphetamine
• Caffeine
• Ritalin (this along with
  Adderall are used for
  ADHD treatment, but
  are also used by some
  college/university
  students – nootropics)

Question 7

What does seratonin modulate?

Answer 7

-Pain
-Sleep-wake cycle
-Emotion – contributor to feelings of well-being & happiness

Question 8

How do most antidepressants work?

Answer 8

By increasing serotonin levels

Question 9

What can low seratonin levels be associated with?

Answer 9

Migraines

Question 10

What does the acetylcholine network modulate?

Answer 10

-Arousal
* Sleep-wake
* Learning
* Memory
* Sensory information

Question 11

What disease has to do with low acetylcholine levels? Why does this happen and what drugs are available to help?

Answer 11

Alzheimers disease. Massive loss of cholinergic neurons. Various drugs available in Canada – cholinesterase inhibitors (cholinesterase
enzyme rapidly breaks down acetylcholine in the synapse)

Question 12

What modulates the dopamine network

Answer 12

-Motor control
* Reward/pleasure centers
-feel good i.e. the “pleasure network”

Question 13

How does Parkinsons work, how can we help it and whats a problem that could arise from medication?

Answer 13

• Loss of dopamine network
• Dopamine agonists used to increase healthspan of patients
• Too much medication can cause problems controlling impulses (e.g. gambling)

Question 14

What is dopamine associated with and what does this do?

Answer 14

• Network typically associated with addictions
• Can be increased by various addictive drugs such as cocaine (blocks
  dopamine reuptake)

Question 15

What can dopamine also be increased by?

Answer 15

By natural endorphins
* Exercise-induced euphoria
* Food

Question 15

Is dopamine an excitatory or an inhibitory neurotransmitter?

Answer 15

excitatory neurotransmitter and creates an action potential (turns the signal on)

Question 16

Is GABA an excitatory or an inhibitory neurotransmitter?

Answer 16

inhibitory neurotransmitter does not create an action potential (turns the signal off)

Question 17

What kind of disease is Phenylketonuria? (PKU)

Answer 17

Autosomal recessive

Question 18

What is there a deficiency of in PKU and what does this do?

Answer 18

Deficiency of hepatic enzyme phenylalanine
hydroxylase (PAH), which catalyzes the hydroxylation of phenylalanine to tyrosine

Question 19

What does an accumulation of phenylalanine lead to?

Answer 19

decreased
production of myelin, dopamine,
norepinephrine, & serotonin

Question 20

How does PKU affect children?

Answer 20

Children develop profound intellectual disability without treatment (rare)