Neuroscience Flashcards
Neuron Messaging.
Neurons receive messages via electrical impulses influenced by chemicals and neurotransmitters.
Relation of thought to neuroscience. Memory formation.
Thought processes and life experiences effect brain circuits
The learning and memory formation
What are the 3 phases of neurotransmission?
- The release of the neurotransmitter from the pre-synaptic axon
- Interaction of the transmitter with the post synaptic receptors
- Inactivation of the neurotransmitter
Neurotransmitter inactivation occurs when…
- Broken down by enzymes in the synaptic cleft.
- Removed from the synaptic cleft by retake pumps.
Dopamine
- Controls complex movements, motivations, cognition.
- Regulates emotional and behavioural responses.
- Excessive DA -> Schizophrenia.
Serotonin
- Has a role in arousal, mood, and behaviour.
- Controls food intake, temperature regulation, pain control, sexual behaviour, regulation of emotions.
- Involved with BP, gut control and N & V.
- Decreased 5-th -> Depression.
Noradrenaline
- Is involved in arousal, mood, sleep, wakefulness, mood and attention, learning and memory.
- Controls - BP, myocardial contractility, air way reactivity and a verity of metabolic functions.
Histamine
- Plays a role in alertness, memory function, hormonal and gastric secretion, cardiac stimulation, food intake.
- Mast cell H ->allergy, inflammatory response.
Acetylcholine
- Plays a role in arousal, sleep, wakefulness cycle, signals muscles to be active, memory and learning.
- Muscle contraction, bradycardia, exocrine secration
Gama Amionbutyric Acid
- Inhibits impulse conduction
- Too little and we become excited.
- Too much and we become drowsy.
- Influences consciousness, motor control, memory, learning
Glutamate
- An excitatory H triggering impulse conduction and is closely associated with GABA ( balance
- Influences learning and memory.
Neuro-Pharmacology
Drug induced changes in the brains cell function – neurotransmitter/neuromodulator systems.
Psycho-Pharmacology
Drug induced effects on mood, thinking and behaviour.
Neuro-Psycho-Pharmacology
Identifies chemical substances that act on the brain to alter behaviour that is disturbed due to injury, disease, environmental factors.
What is a psychotropic drug?
Psychotropic drugs modify behaviour and alleviate symptoms of mental disorders in mood, sensation and thinking. Psychotropic drugs originate from natural sources or chemical synthesis.
What is psychopharmacology?
Psychopharmacology focuses on the psychotropic and chemical interactions on the nervous system in the brain.
Drug Absorption
The drug moves into the blood stream.
What influences drug absorption?
- GI motility;
- rate of gastric emptying,
- presence of food or other chemicals,
- blood flow molecule size & formulation,
- pharmaceutical preparations,
- drug solubility,
- pH,
- charged uncharged,
- presence of cellular transport systems
Where does drug absorption mostly take place?
In the small intestine.
What is Distribution?
the drug moves from the blood to the CNS. Barriers prevent the drug from entering CNS
Plasma Protein binding - improves transportation; protein binding is a % of total drug in the bloodstream.
If two drugs bind strongly to plasma proteins they may compete possibly → stronger effect →toxicity.
What is Metabolism?
In the liver drugs become water soluble in urine ready for elimination. Occurs secondary to enzyme action or conjugation (joining an inert substance to the drug molecule). Cytochrome P450 enzymes - drugs may alter this enzyme. Hepatic First Pass Effects (the degree of drug loss secondary to metabolism in the liver).
Liver Impairment can -> increased drug effects (caution older adult).
What is Excretion?
Via the kidneys and the bile secreted in to the GIT.
- Renal Impairment – can ↓ the rate of excretion → stronger drug effects/or prolonged action ( caution older adult). The clearance and excretion of drugs → creatinine (waste product). Creatinine clearance levels determine the need to alter the drug dose rate in renal impairment.
7 causes of mental illness.
- Genetics and heredity
- Psycho-immunology - Explores if compromised immune system can contribute to psychosis.
- Infections. - e.g. UTI.
- Hormonal Changes.
- Trauma - PTSD
- Environment - relationships, employment, ect…
- Alcohol and Drugs. .
What are the main principals of psychotherapy?
- Reason for administration
- Documentation.
- Lowest possible dose
- Education
- Hospital polices.
