Module D Flashcards
Signalling in the CNS is ________ (electrical / chemical / both)
Both
neurotransmitters and neuromodulators act at synapses, but there is also direct voltage signalling at electrotonic gap junctions
Most neurotransmitters are ________ (inhibitory / excitatory / either) with the exception of ______, which is only inhibitory
either, GABA
The only purely inhibitory CNS neurotransmitter is ________
GABA
Excitatory effects promote:
release of NTs from the neruronal terminal
inhibitory effects cause _________ and inhibit release of _________
hyperpolarization, neurotransmitters
Fast NTs act on what kind of receptors?
ligand-gated ion channels
Slow NTs act on which kinds of receptors
GPCRs
GABA is a _____ (fast / slow) NT
Fast
it acts on ligand-gated ion chanels
CNS agents act in the following 4 ways:
- Altering synthesis, storage, or release of an NT
- Inhibiting reuptake of an NT
- Inhibiting degredation of an NT
- Activating or blocking the receptor
receptors respond to long-term drug treatments by which two processes?
- sensitization (up-regulation)
- desentization/tolerance (down-regulation)
Delirium is a disorder of ________, as seen in _________
cognitive processing, schizophrenia
Dementia is a disorder of _________, as seen in __________ and ________
memory, alzheimers and parkinson
emotional disorders arise from the ________ system
limbic
Three classes of drugs used in the management of delirium are:
- antipsychotics
- CNS stimulants
- Sedative-hypnotics
Sedative-hypnotic drugs tend to have dose-dependent effects, first causing ________ and then ________
sedation/anxiolysis first, and then hypnosis (drowsiness, then sleep)
contrast the common anxiety disorders and their common pharmacological treatments
- Acute Anxiety: self-limiting acute arousal, may be treated with benzodiazepines
- Panic Disorder: recurrent, acute periods of anxiety with marked psychological and physiological manifestations. May be treated acutely with benzodiazepines and chronically with an SSRI
- Phobic Disorders: panic diorder with specific triggers. managment is similar to panic disorder, but performance anxiety may be managed with a beta-blocker like propranolol
- OCD: marked by compulsions, best treated with an antidepressant
- Generalized anxiety disorder: chronic worry and apprehension, best managed acutely with benzodiazepines and chronically with an SSRI
- PTSD: similar treatment to panic disorder, GAD, etc.
Generally, treatment for anxiety disorder involves:
treatment of acute episodes with a benzodiazepine and chronic managment with an SSRI antidepressent.
There are ___ stages of sleep which tend to occur in ___ minute cycles in healthy individuals. The REM stage is stage ___ and is critical for stable emotional status
5, 90, 5
The clinical term for difficulty falling asleep is
sleep latency
Benzodiazepines and antidepressants may decrease sleep latency, but have the adverse effect of:
changing sleep architecture, reducing REM sleep, and causing emotional disturbance
The advantage of modern sleep agents like sublinox (zolpidem) is:
they have a minimal effect on sleep architecture
A disadvantage of all sleep agents is that they may cause:
tolerance and dependence
Compare and contrast physical and psychological dependence
both manifest as continued seeking of exposure to a drug. Physical dependence is continued use to avoid unpleasant physical withdrawal symptoms. Psychological dependence is continued use to receive the pleasurable effects of the drug or escape reality
Sedative drugs are also called:
anxiolytics
The main advantage of benzodiazepines over other sedative-hypnotics is
very broad therapeutic index
Explain why some patients taking benzodiazepines may experience increased sedation after a high-fat meal
this is due to enterohepatic cycling (active metabolites are reabsorbed from the gut after biliary excretion)
Describe the MOA of benzodiazepine drugs
- bind to an allosteric site on the GABA-gated chloride channel receptor, increasing GABA activity
- this increases duration and frequency of opening of the chloride channel
- cause post-synaptic hyper-polarization (puts on the brakes)
- also inhibit neuronal reuptake of adenosine
Benzodiazepines _____ (can / can not) produce sedation sufficient for general anesthesia
can not!
Most BZ drugs are metabolized by the liver to produce _________ and are therefore classified as _________
active metabolites, prodrugs
Benzodiazepines have a ________ (fast / slow / etc.) onset
fast or very fast
A benefit of BZs like midazolam is that they prodruce __________, limiting unpleasant memories of procedures
anterograde amnesia
Five pharmacological effects of BZ drugs are:
- anxiolyis (sedation)
- amnesia (anterograde)
- hypnosis
- skeletal muscle relaxation
- anticonvulsant
Whereas _________ sedative-hypnotics have a strong ceiling effect, ____________ do not
benzodiazepine, barbiturates
this is due to the dependence of BZs on already-existing GABA for their MOA
List advantages and disadvantages of BZ drugs
Advantages: Little respiratory/cardiac depression, large therapeutic index, very dose-dependent response (can produce sedation without hypnosis)
Disadvantages: Cause physical and cognitive impairment, rebound effect if discontinued suddenly, physical dependence which may result in delirium
Valium (Diazepam)
- Benzodiazepine, sedative-hypnotic
- Lipid-soluble GABA agonist, causes CNS depression due to potentiation of GABA receptors and post-synaptic hyperpolarization
- Fast onset with long duration of action
- Dose dependent effects with ceiling effect: at low doses sedation only, at higher doses hypnosis and anterograde amnesia
Ativan (Lorazepam)
- Benzodiazepine, sedative-hypnotic
- Lipid-soluble GABA agonist, causes CNS depression due to potentiation of GABA receptors and post-synaptic hyperpolarization
- Fast onset with medium duration of action and no active metabolites
- Dose dependent effects with ceiling effect: at low doses sedation only, at higher doses hypnosis and anterograde amnesia
Versed (Midazolam)
- Benzodiazepine, sedative-hypnotic
- Lipid-soluble GABA agonist, causes CNS depression due to potentiation of GABA receptors and post-synaptic hyperpolarization
- Fast onset with short duration of action, generally only given IV (or IM)
- Dose dependent effects with ceiling effect: at low doses sedation only, at higher doses hypnosis and anterograde amnesia
- used in acute settings for induction of anaesthesia, termination of seizures, and delirium
Barbiturates are recognized by their names ending in ____
-tal
Anexate (Flumazenil)
- Benzodiazepine antagonist, reversal agent
- Competitive BZ receptor antagonist
- used to reverse BZ overdose and BZ sedation
- short half-life (7-15 minutes) with unpredictable effects that may potentiate seizures. Rarely indicated due to low mortality with benzo overdose
Briefly describe the MOA of barbiturates and explain why they do not demonstrate a ceiling effect
- Bind to an allosteric site on the GABA-gated chloride gate (different from BZ site) which increases GABA affinity
- unlike BZs, also increases chloride gate activity in absence of GABA, explaining the lack of a ceiling effect
Explain some disadvantages of barbiturates
- high risk of physical dependency (unpleasant withdrawal)
- low therapeutic index
- less dose-dependent, cause simultaneous sedation, anxiolysis, and hypnosis