LS6027 TB1

Question 1

what is the function of a neuron

Answer 1

transmit and process infomation

Question 2

Central Nervous System
(CNS) consists of?
Peripheral Nervous
System (PNS) conisists of?

Answer 2

CNS: Brain and spinal cord
PNS: Somatic nervous system
(spinal nerves, cranial
nerves), Autonomic nervous system

Question 3

What functions are the CNS and the PNS responsible for

Answer 3

CNS:
* Integrates and co-ordinates
sensory data and motor
functions
* Higher functions including
intelligence, memory and
emotion
PNS:
* Allows communication
between CNS and rest of
body
* Afferent division (sensory)
* Efferent division (motor)

Question 4

what are the functuions of these important structures in the brain
* Cerebral cortex (neocortex)
* Thalamus
* Hypothalamus
* Basal ganglia
* Limbic system

Answer 4

• Cerebral cortex (neocortex) – a variety of complex
  functions. From forebrain
• Thalamus - ‘relay station of the brain’. In forebrain. Most
  sensory inputs are received here
• Hypothalamus - controls autonomic and endocrine
  systems; survival behaviour and homeostasis. In forebrain
• Basal ganglia - collection of nuclei in midbrain; roles in
  movement and reward
• Limbic system - emotion, some instinctive behaviour,
  reward/punishment. Mostly in forebrain

Question 5

what are the functions of these other crtical cels in the brain?
Astrocyte
Blood vessel
Microglia
Oligodendrocyte precursor cell (OPC)
Oligodendrocyte

Answer 5

Astrocyte: modulates synapses
Blood vessel:delicers O2 + glucose
Microglia: Inflammatory cell
OPC: ‘stem cell’
Oligodendrocyte: produces myelin

Question 6

list the differences between ionotropic receptors(3) and metabotropic receptors(4)

Answer 6

Ionotropic receptors
– Ligand-gated ion channels
– one or several binding sites for neurotransmitters
– rapid, transient responses

Metabotropic receptors
– transmembrane proteins
– usually act on internally gated ion channels
– slower but more prolonged responses
– responses can be very complex

Question 7

what are the 3 agonisitic effects agonists can have on neurotransmitter action

Answer 7

mimic, prolong or enhance neurotransmittrer action

Question 8

what are 5 mechanisms of action of agonists on neurotransmitter action

Answer 8

– Precursor for neurotransmitter e.g. L-DOPA
– Stimulate transmitter release
– Block autoreceptors - stimulate synthesis/release
– Stimulate postsynaptic receptor
– Block reuptake or breakdown of transmitter

Question 9

what are the 3 antagonisitic effects antagonists can have on neurotransmitter action

Answer 9

– Inhibit neurotransmitter synthesis
– Prevent packaging in synaptic vesicles
– Bind + stimulate autoreceptors, inhibiting synthesis/release
– Inhibit transmitter release
– Bind and block postsynaptic receptors

Question 10

what are the 7 approaches to studying the human brain

Answer 10

 Postmortem studies
 Scanning: MRI/CT/PET
Electroencephalogram (EEG)
 Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
 Biochemistry of CSF/blood/urine
 Platelets
Neuroendocrine

Question 11

What are the 7 techniques used for postmortem studies

Answer 11

• Gross anatomy
• Radioligand receptor binding
• Autoradiography
• Immunocytochemistry
• Radioimmunoassay
• In situ hybridisation
• DNA microarrays

Question 12

what are the 5 main issues associated with studying PM brain tissue

Answer 12

1) stability
2)Indentification
3)Cause of death
4)Established time of death
5)Drug treatment prior to death

Question 13

What are the 3 advantages associated with studying PM brain tissue

Answer 13

1)direct study of the brain
2)allows abnormalities to be linked to particular regions
3)long term studies - keep brain frozen

Question 14

what is Bmax?

Answer 14

maximum binding density of receptors (receptor number)

Question 15

what is Kd?

Answer 15

affinity constant for ligands binding to receptor

Question 16

what does radioligandreceptor binding assays use when studyig the human brains?

Answer 16

homogenates of brain tissue

Question 17

what does autoradiography allow when studying the human brain

Answer 17

allows visualisation of receptor distribution in the brain

Question 18

what does immunocytochemistry involve when studying the human brain

Answer 18

involves raising antibodies to receptors/enzymes/neurotransmitters etc

Question 19

how does magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) work for study of the human brain?

Answer 19

subject is xposed to strong magnetic field and activated by radiofrequency waves

Question 20

what does fMRI stand for?
and what does it do?

Answer 20

functional magnetic resonance imaging
measures blood flow to brain regions

Question 21

what are PET scans
what are the 3 main uses

Answer 21

positron emisssion tomography
1)lovalising specfic nerve endings that contain specific NTs
2)Dectecting NT receptors
3)using 18F deoxyglucose (FDG) taken up by actively respiring tissues but not metabolised

Question 22

what does EEG stand for?
and what is it

Answer 22

Electroencephalogram
Hat with recording electrodes allowing, picks up various types of electrical activity in the brain
non-invasive

Question 23

what does TMS stand for?

Answer 23

transcraial magnetic stimulation

Question 24

What is CSF

Answer 24

Cerebro spinal fluid

Question 25

what model are platelets used as for study of the human brain

Answer 25

peripheral models for serotonergic neurons