Neuropharmacology, Drugs, Reward Circuitry

Question 1

Neurochemistry

Answer 1

focuses on the basic chemical composition and processes of the nervous system

Question 2

Neuropharmacology

Answer 2

the study of compounds that selectively affect the nervous system

Question 3

Receptor Subtypes

Answer 3

defined by the pharmacological characteristics of the site and is based on the availability of selective agonists and antagonists for the subtypes

Question 4

Types of Neurotransmitters:

Answer 4

Amine, Amino Acid, Peptide, and Gas

Question 5

Amine

Answer 5

—acetylcholine, dopamine,
serotonin

Question 6

Amino Acid

Answer 6

—GABA, glutamate

Question 7

Peptide

Answer 7

—short chain amino acids
(neuropeptides)

Question 8

Gas

Answer 8

—soluble gases; nitric oxide, carbon
dioxide

Question 9

Co-Localization (Co-Release)

Answer 9

some neurons contain more than one type of neurotransmitter.

Question 10

The Main Excitatory Neurotransmitters are

Answer 10

Glutamate and Aspartate

Question 11

Acetylcholine (ACh)

Answer 11

First neurotransmitter to be identified

Question 12

Cholinergic

Answer 12

Neurons that use ACh

Question 13

Two types of ACh Receptors

Answer 13

Nicotinic and Muscarinic

Question 14

Nicotinic(nAch)

Answer 14

most are inotropic and excitatory, fast and in muscle junctions

Question 15

Muscarinic

Answer 15

G protein-coupled (metabotropic), slower; excitatory or inhibitory

Question 16

Nucleus Cholinergic Cell Bodies

Answer 16

Basal Forebrain: Nucleus Basalis and the Medial Septal Nucleus

Question 17

Monoamine Neurotransmitters

Answer 17

Catecholamines and Indoleamines

Question 18

Catecholamines

Answer 18

dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine

Question 19

Indoleamines

Answer 19

melatonin and serotonin

Question 20

Where is Dopamine(DA) found in neurons:

Answer 20

Mesostriatral Pathway and Mesolimbocortical DA Pathway

Question 21

Mesostriatal Pathway

Answer 21

important in motor control; neuronal loss is a cause of Parkinson’s disease

Question 22

Mesolimbocortical DA pathway

Answer 22

involved in reward, reinforcement, and learning; abnormalities are associated with schizophrenia.

Question 23

Serotonin, 5-HT (5-hydroxytryptamine)

Answer 23

• most cell bodies are in raphe nuclei; their serotonergic fibers project widely.
• Serotonin is implicated in sleep states, mood, sexual behavior, and anxiety.
• Antidepressants, such as Prozac, increase
  5-HT activity—effects depend on which
  receptor subtypes are affected.

Question 24

Norepinephrine, NE (noradrenaline)

Answer 24

• Released from the locus coeruleus in
  the pons and lateral tegmental system in
  the midbrain
• Cells producing it are noradrenergic.
• NE systems modulate processes
  including mood, arousal, and sexual
  behavior.

Question 25

Opioid Peptides

Answer 25

mimic opiate drugs such as morphine (enkephalins and endorphins)

Question 26

Nitric Oxide (NO)

Answer 26

is a gas neurotransmitter that is produced in locations other than axons and not held in vesicles. It does not interact with membrane-bound receptors; diffuses out of and into cells. And it can act as a retrograde transmitter

Question 27

Ligand

Answer 27

a substance that binds to a receptor

Question 28

Agonist

Answer 28

initiates normal effects of the transmitter on that receptor

Question 29

Antagonist

Answer 29

binds to a receptor and does not activate it, prevents binding by other ligands

Question 30

Inverse Agonist

Answer 30

initiates the reverse of the normal affect

Question 31

Competitive Ligands

Answer 31

they bind to the same part of receptor molecule as an endogenous ligand. Can be agonists, antagonists, or inverse agonists

Question 32

Noncompetitive Ligands

Answer 32

bind to modulatory sites that are not part of the receptor complex

Question 33

Binding Affinity

Answer 33

degree of chemical attraction between ligand and receptor - A drug with a high affinity for its receptor will be effective at very low doses. - Neurotransmitters are low-affinity ligands; can rapidly dissociate from receptors.

Question 34

Efficacy

Answer 34

ability of bound ligand to activate the receptor

Question 35

Partial Agonist

Answer 35

produce a medium response regardless of dose

Question 36

Dose-Response Curve (DRC)

Answer 36

graph of the relationship between drug doses and effects

Question 37

Pharmacodynamics

Answer 37

the functional relationship between drugs and their targets

Question 38

Biotransformation

Answer 38

produces active metabolites that may produce side effects.

Question 39

Bioavailable

Answer 39

the extent a substance or drug becomes completely available to its intended biological destination(s) which varies with route of ingestion

Question 40

Pharmacokinetics

Answer 40

factors that affect movement of a drug through the body

Question 41

Blood-brain barrier

Answer 41

Tight junctions within the CNS prevent the movement of large molecules that can limit drug availability. - Many drugs that might be useful are too large to pass the blood-brain barrier to enter the brain.

Question 42

Drug Tolerance

Answer 42

Successive exposures have decreasing effects

Question 43

Metabolic Tolerance

Answer 43

organ systems become more effective at eliminating the drug

Question 44

Functional Tolerance

Answer 44

Target tissue may show altered sensitivity to the drug

Question 45

Down- Regulation

Answer 45

is a reduction in the total number of receptors available to be stimulated due to prolonged receptor activation or fewer receptors available due to agonist drug

Question 46

Up-Regulation

Answer 46

is a cell increase of receptors in response to an agonist

Question 47

Cross-Tolerance

Answer 47

Tolerance to a whole class of chemically similar drugs

Question 48

Withdrawal Symptoms

Answer 48

caused by drug tolerance

Question 49

Sensitization

Answer 49

drug effects that become stronger with repeated treatment