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Nervous System & Neuropsychiatry > Neurones and Glia > Flashcards

Neurones and Glia Flashcards

1
Q

What are the types of glial cells and their functions?

A

Astrocytes - support
Oligodendrocytes- insulation
Microglia- immune function

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2
Q

How do astrocytes support neurones?

4 ways

A 
1. Provide nutrition 
(glucose-lactate shuttle) 
2. Remove neurotransmitters 
3. Maintain ionic gradient 
4. Help form the BBB
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3
Q

True or false: neurones store and produce their own glycogen

A

FALSE! Neurones do not store or produce glycogen

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4
Q

Which neurotransmitter is particularly toxic to neurones?

A

Glutamate

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5
Q

How is glutamate removed by astrocytes in order to protect neurones?

A

Glutamate is converted to glutamine and transported in vesicles to be recycled

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6
Q

High levels of neuronal activity could lead to a rise in extracellular concentration of which ion?

A

K+

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7
Q

How do astrocytes buffer this excess K+?

A

They take up K+ via various transporters and channels to ensure that neurones are not firing inappropriate action potentials as a result of the high K+

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8
Q

What is the primary role of oligodendrocytes?

A

To myelinated axons in the CNS

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9
Q

What are the cells called that are responsible for myelination of the PNS?

A

Schwann cells

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10
Q

How do microglia help to defend the brain against infection?

A

Phagocytose foreign material and debris

Act as APCs to T cells

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11
Q

Microglia are derived from which embryonic tissue type?

A

Mesoderm

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12
Q

What is the role of the BBB?

A

To limit diffusion of substances from the blood into brain ECF

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13
Q

Brain capillaries have which three features to help to control the environment for the neurones?

A

Tight junctions in-between endothelial cells
Basement membrane around capillaries
End feet of astrocyte processes

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14
Q

Which substances are able to diffuse across the BBB?

A

Water
CO2
Lipophilic substances

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15
Q

Which substances are transported across the BBB as they are unable to diffuse across?

A

Glucose
AAs
Potassium

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16
Q

The CNS is described as having what kind of immune protection?

A

Immune privilege

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17
Q

In which three ways do neurones communicate?

A

Fast excitatory neurotransmission
Fast inhibitory neurotransmission
Modulatory responses

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18
Q

Way are the four main sections of a neurone?

A

Cell soma
Dendrites
Axon
Terminals

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19
Q

The main neurotransmitters in the CNS are what type of molecule?

A

Amino acids

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20
Q

Microglia can act as which specialised type of immune cell?

A

Antigen Presenting Cells

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21
Q

What does the CNS inhibit in order to make it “immune privileged”?

A

Inhibits the pro-inflammatory T cell response

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22
Q

Explain how neurotransmitters are released at the synapse upon arrival of the action potential.

A 
AP arrives 
Depolarisation opens voltage-gated Ca2+ channels 
Ca2+ enters the terminal 
Vesicles fuse with the membrane 
Neurotransmitter is released
23
Q

The postsynaptic response to neurotransmitter depends on what 2 things?

A

The nature of the transmitter

The nature of the receptor

24
Q

What are the three chemical classes of neurotransmitter in the CNS?
Give some examples of each

A

Amino acids e.g. glutamate, GABA, glycine

Biogenic amines e.g. Ach, NA, dopamine, serotonin, histamine

Peptides e.g. CCK, somatostatin, dynorphin

25
Q

Name the main excitatory amino acid neurotransmitter(s).

A

Glutamate

26
Q

Name the inhibitory amino acid neurotransmitter(s).

Which is the main one in the brain?

A

GABA- main one in brain

Glycine

27
Q

What are the two general types of neurotransmitter receptor?

A

Ligand-gated ion channels
IONOTROPIC

G protein-coupled receptors
METABOTROPIC

28
Q

Name two types of ionotropic glutamate receptors.

What ions are they each permeable to?

A

AMPA- Na+/K+

NMDA- Na+/K+ and Ca2+

29
Q

AMPA receptors mediate which kind of response?

A

Initial, fast depolarisation

30
Q

NMDA receptors require glutamate and what other factor to allow ion flow through the channel?

A

The cell to be depolarised

31
Q

Calcium ion entry through NMDA receptors is important for the induction of what?

A

Long term potentiation

32
Q

Excitotoxicity can be caused by what?

A

Too much Ca2+ entry through NMDA

Too much glutamate

33
Q

GABA and glycine receptors have integral _____ channels.

A

Cl-

34
Q

How do GABA and glycine receptors elicit their inhibitory effects?

A

Cl- channels open
Cell becomes hyper-polarised
Inhibitory post-synaptic potential
Decreased AP firing

35
Q

Which drugs bind to GABAa receptors to enhance the response to GABA?
What are these drugs used to treat clinically?

A

Barbiturates - epilepsy

Benzodiazepines- anxiety, insomnia, epilepsy

36
Q

Where is glycine present in high concentrations?

A

Spinal cord

Brainstem

37
Q

The synapse on which type of neurones release glycine?

What is the effect of the glycine?

A

Interneurones

Inhibit action potentials e.g.hamstring in patellar reflex

38
Q

Each acts on which two receptors in the brain?

A

Nicotinic

Muscarinic

39
Q

Where to cholinergic neurones originate in the brain?

A

Basal Forebrain

Brainstem

40
Q

Where to the cholinergic pathways project to?

A

Many parts of the cortex and hippocampus

41
Q

Where might you find cholinergic interneurones?

A

Corpus striatum

42
Q

What kinds of cognitive function do cholinergic pathways have in the CNS?

A

Arousal
Learning & memory
Motor control
Memory

43
Q

Degeneration of cholinergic neurones in the basal forebrain is associated with what disease?
What drugs can be used to alleviate symptoms of such?

A

Alzheimer’s disease

Cholinesterase inhibitors

44
Q

Which dopaminergic pathway in the CNS is involved in motor control?
In which disease is this pathway effected?

A

Nigrostriatal pathway

Parkinson’s disease

45
Q

Which dopaminergic pathway in the CNS is involved in mood, arousal and reward?

A

Mesolimbic pathway

46
Q

How is Parkinson’s disease treated pharmacologically?

How does it work?

A

Levodopa

Converted to dopamine once it passes through the BBB

47
Q

When using Levopoda, how do we prevent peripheral dopamine levels getting too high and causing the need for high levels of therapeutic L-dopa?

A

Give Carbidopa with L-DOPA inhibit its conversion into dopamine in the periphery but not in the brain as it cannot cross the BBB

48
Q

Noradrenaline acts through which receptors in the brain and the periphery?

A

G protein couple alpha- and beta-adrenoceptors

49
Q

Where are noradrenergic pathways generally found in the brain?
Where do they project to?

A

In the brainstem

Throughout the cortex, hypothalamus, amygdala and cerebellum

50
Q

Where, specifically, does most of the noradrenaline come from?

A

A group of neurones in the LOCUS CERULEUS

51
Q

When are the neurones of locus ceruleus at their least active?
When are they increasingly active?

A

Least- during sleep (inactive)

Increasing during behavioural arousal

52
Q

Which neuronal pathways have a similar distribution to noradrenergic neurones?

A

Serotonin (5-HT)

53
Q

What are the functions of serotonin?

A

Sleep/wakefullness

Mood

Nervous System & Neuropsychiatry (17 decks)

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