Midterm 2 Flashcards
What is Dopamine?
Catecholamine
A neurotransmitter that plays a role in reward and behavior
In mesostriatal system, it is involved in movement, destruction leads to Parkinson’s
In mesolibalcortica system,
What is GABA?
Amino Acid Neurotransmitter
The major inhibitory neurotransmitter
What is Glutamate?
Amino Acid Neurotransmitter
The major excitatory neurotransmitter
Acts on NMDS receptors, which are responsible for learning and memory
Can also trigger excitotoxicity
What is Serotonin?
Indoleamine
Implicates control of sleep states, mood, anxiety
reuptake prevention are effective antidepressants
What is Acetylcholine?
Quarternary amine
First neurotransmitter identified
Distributed via cholinergic nerve cells
Implicated in learning and memory functions along with sleep
What is Norepinephrine?
Catecholamine
Also known as noraderenaline
found in pons, midbrain, and medulla, but pathways extend broadly
Involved in mood, overall arousal, and sexual behavior
What is Oxytocin?
Peptide NT
associated with social bonding and milk production
What are beta-endorphins?
Also known as opioids
act like morphine
What are two types of cholinergic receptors?
Nicotinic and Muscarinic
Drugs that block which receptor impair learning and memory?
ACh
Explain the pathway for the mesostriatal system
The mesostriatal system is one of the pathways dopamine travels through in the brain
Stretches from the substantia nigra to the striatum (this is why it is also referred to as the mesolimbocortical system)
Explain the pathway for the mesolimbocortical system
A pathway dopamine takes through the brain
Stretches from the ventral tegmental area to the limbic areas of the brain as well as cortex
What neurotransmitter is expressed by the mesostriatal and mesolimbocortical system? Where is it made for each system?
Dopamine
originates in the substantia nigra for the mesostriatal
ventral tegmental area for mesolimbocortical
What area the differences in function between the mesostriatal and the mesolimbocortical systems?
The mesostriatal system is thought to play a role in motor control as loss of neurons in this system leads to loss of motor control and Parkinson’s disease. The mesolimbocortical system is invovled in reward and reinforcement systems (limbic system), and may be involved in schizophrenia
What is L-DOPA and why is it a treatment for Parkinson’s disease?
Parkinson’s is brought on by low levels of dopamine in the basil ganglia, which can be caused by neurosis in the substantia nigra. L-DOPA can cross the blood-brain barrier and help the brain synthesize more dopamine.
Where is norepinephrine produced? What is it involved in?
Found in the pons, midbrain, and the medulla
It is involved in processes such as mood, overall arousal, and sexual behavior
Where is serotonin produced? What is it involved in?
Located in raphe nucleus of the midbrain
Plays a role in sleep states, mood, and anxiety
Drugs that prevent reuptake are antidepressants
What is the most common excitatory amino acid? What about inhibitory?
Glutamate excitatory
GABA inhibitory
What is a drug?
Any substance that has a clear effect on experience, mood, emotion, activity, or health
many are natural in plants, but modern drugs are synthetic
What is an endogenous ligand?
A ligand is a protein that binds to a receptor like a key to a lock. Endogenous ligands are those that are made within the body
What is an agonist?
It is a chemical that activates a biological response. Opposite antagonist, which blocks the actions of an agonist
What is specificity?
It is how well a drug binds with different receptors.
A less specific drug is more flexible and vice-versa
What is affinity?
Strength of binding to a receptor
High affinity means the drug binds easily and stays longer
What is efficacy?
Effectiveness
What are some ways in which drugs act in the pre-synaptic neurons?
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What are some ways drugs act on the post-synaptic neuron?
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How do we assess relatice potencies of drugs?
We do so with the use of relative response curves. Through variable administration of dosage, we record the strength of response. This allows us to compare the strength of drugs
What is a theraputic index? Do we want a wide or narrow theraputic index?
The theraputic index is the space between the effective dosage and the lethal dosage. You want a large index so as to leave more wiggle room in dosage amount
What is secondary binding and how does it affect the dose-response curve?
Secondary binding is the dosage of a drug binding to other types of receptors. This leads to a monotopic curve where it may fall due to the responses of the other receptors as dosage increases
What is a hormone?
Chemical secreted into the bloodstream where it will act on specific tissues to produce some effect
Where are hormones produced?
Glands such as the endocrine and exocrine
Brain
Plants
Describe Berthold’s experment and what was he able to prove?
Berthold removed the testes from roosters and inserted them elsewhere. The rooters with the testes reinserted still underwent normal development, meaning the testes secreted chemicales that affected the body
Neurocrine
Secretory function of neurons in the synapse
Autocrine
Signal that is secreted by a cell into the environment and fed back to the cell
Paracrine
Chemical signals secreted to nearby target cells through intermediate extracellular space
Endocrine
Release of chemicals to the interior of the body
Pheromone
Chemical release outside of body to affect behavior of different body of same species
Allomone
Chemical release outside body that affects body of different species
What is the difference between a hormone and a neurotransmitter?
Hormone reactions are slower, graded (not all-or-none),
Chemical structure of protein hormones
String of amino acids
Chemical structure of peptide hormones
Smaller string of amino acids
Chemical structure of amine hormones
Have a modified single amino acid
Chemical structure of steroid hormones
Has four interconnected rings of carbon
Oxytocin
Peptide hormone
Testosterone
Steroid hormone
Norepinephrine
Amine hormone
Melatonin
Amine hormone
Prolactin
Peptide hormone
Vasopresin
Peptide hormone