Lesson 12 - Neurotransmitter Networks

Question 1

Who Is Phineas P. Gage

Answer 1

• Iron bar went through his skull
• He survived
• Change in his personality

Question 2

What did the Phineas P. Gage case study teach us

Answer 2

Different areas of the brain are “networked” to create different emergent properties (ex. personality, rational decision making and emotion processing)

Question 3

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan

Answer 3

tracks glucose uptake in certain area of the brain (function)

Question 4

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

Answer 4

tracks blood flow through brain activity

Question 5

Important discovery about brain from imaging

Answer 5

Activity is not precisely confined within a region of the brain, but stretched across many different regions

Question 6

Neurotransmitter Driven Networks

Answer 6

• Norepinephrine
• Serotonin
• Acetylcholine
• Dopamine

Question 7

Norepinephrine Network Modulates:

Answer 7

Stimulatory actions - fight or slight response (ex. Attention, arousal, learning, memory, pain)

Question 8

Norepinephrine Network Stimulants

Answer 8

• Methamphetamine
• Caffine
• Ratlin (Adderall and Nootropics also)

Question 9

Serotonin Network Modultes:

Answer 9

• Pain
• Sleep-wake cycle
• Emotion: feelings of well-being and happiness

Question 10

How do antidepressants work?

Answer 10

Increasing serotonin levels

Question 11

What are migraines associated with?

Answer 11

Low Serotonin Levels

Question 12

Acetylcholine Network Modulates:

Answer 12

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

Question 13

Alzheimer’s Disease

Answer 13

• Massive loss of cholinergic neurons
• Low acetylcholine levels

Question 14

Drugs available to treat Alzheimer’s Symptoms are

Answer 14

Cholinesterase Inhibitors - enzyme that rapidly breaks down acetylcholine and mid agates Alzheimer’s symptoms

Question 15

Dopamine Network Modulates:

Answer 15

• Motor Control
• Reward/pleasure centers

Question 16

What does the loss of dopamine or dopamine inhibiting agonist medicine lead to?

Answer 16

Increasing healthspan of people with Parkinson’s Disease

Question 17

What does too much dopaminergic medication lead to?

Answer 17

Hypersexuality, motor control issues and problems controlling impulses

Question 18

What is dopamine

Answer 18

Feel Good Hormone

Question 19

What is GABA inhibited by?

Answer 19

Heroin and Morphine (increase dopamine levels)

Question 20

Dopamine network is associated with…

Answer 20

Addictions and can be increased with drugs such as cocaine (blocks dopamine reuptake)

Question 21

What does GABA do?

Answer 21

Inhibits dopamine signals

Question 22

What increases natural endorphins?

Answer 22

Exercise and food

Question 23

What is PKU

Answer 23

Alterations to the PAH pathway in phenylketonuria
- Affects 1 in 12,000 infants born in canada

Question 24

What happens on the phenylalanine hydroxylase pathway (PAH)

Answer 24

Converts phenylalanine to tyrosine - removes excess phenylalanine and enables production of tyrosine

Question 25

What does does excess phenylalanine result in?

Answer 25

Decreases dopamine and serotonin in the brain

Question 26

What are possible health implications of altering the PAH pathway

Answer 26

• Hyperactivity (ADHD)
• Anxiety
• Impulsivity
• Mental Illness
• Low motivation and self-esteem

Question 27

What is a treatment diet for PKU?

Answer 27

Little intake of foods containing phenylalanine (protein and animal based foods)