NEUROTRANSMITTERS

Question 1

What makes a NT a NT : 5 rules for being a true chemical NT ?

Answer 1

1. chemical must exist (made and stored) in presynaptic cells (stored in terminals)
2. chemical must be released from presynaptic terminals on action potential
3. Released chemical must bind to receptors and cause a biological effect
4. must be a mechanism to inactivate or metabolise the chemical
5. chemical should have same biological effect if artificially applied to synapse (e.g. by microinjection to brain area - exogenously applied)

Question 1

Where do NT come from?
Peptides

Answer 1

Peptides (made in the soma)
* Precursor peptide (small protein) synthesised in rough ER
* Cleaved in Golgi apparatus to active neurotransmitter
* Secretory vesicles bud off from Golgi apparatus
* Secretory granules (large vesicles, 100 nm) transported to terminal and stored

Question 2

Where are Monoamines, Amino Acids & Acetylcholine made?

PRE-Synaptic terminal

Answer 2

pre-synaptic terminal)

• • Precursor molecule (from diet) synthesised to neurotransmitter
• Transported to synaptic vesicle (50 nm) and stored

Question 3

*****Overview the synthesis and storage of NT?Diag p65

Question 4

What is Main Difference between Peptides & Monoamines, Amino Acids or Acetylcholine neurotransmitters?

Made ?
Transported?

Answer 4

• Peptide neurotransmitters are made in the soma and transported in secretory granules to the terminal
• Monoamines, amino acids and acetylcholine are made from precursor molecules in the terminal and are transported into synaptic vesicles

Question 5

Overview life of a NT?

Answer 5

Diag p 66

Question 6

Name 7 NT?

A- A- M- P- L- N- S

Art, arty Mic picked lovely new sweets

Answer 6

Amino Acids
Acetylcholine
Monoamines/Trace Amines
Peptides (e.g., Substance P)
Lipids (e.g. Anandamide)
Nucleosides (e.g., ATP)
Soluble gases (e.g., Nitric Oxide: Viagra)

Question 7

What are the major roles of Glutamate?

E-L-N-E

Answer 7

Excitatory NT
Learning and Memory
neuroplasticity
Excitotoxicity

Question 8

What are the major roles of GABA

Inhib.

Answer 8

Inhibitory NT
Modulator of many processes

Question 9

Role of Dopamine

Memory + 3 more

Answer 9

STM
Strategy / Planning
Reward
Movment

Question 10

Serotonin..

C-E-R

Answer 10

Cogntion
Emotion
Reward

Question 11

Noradrenaline..

Attn, F & F, ?

Answer 11

Attention
Sleep
Fight/ Flight

Question 12

Acetylcholine

Memory + 3 more

Answer 12

Memory
Percpetual Learning
Movement
REM sleep

Question 13

What are the 3 common amino acids ?

G G G

Answer 13

Glutamte
GABA
Glycine

diag.p 67

Question 14

Amino acids: where are the cell bodies?

Answer 14

GABA: many found in interneurons

Diag p 68

Question 15

Overview Amino acid synthesis? ( G-A G)

Answer 15

Glutamate, Aspartate, glycine: common Amino acids: used in protein syntheses, ( synthesised from glucose.

Diag. p69

Question 16

Amino acid metabolism

Answer 16

see diagram p 70

Question 17

What are acetylcholine celll bodies? ( Excitatory)

Answer 17

diagram p 71: ACh is predominantly excitatory ACH - taken up by ACh transporter into vesicles and stored

Question 18

Describe acetylcholine metabolism ? ( AChE)

Answer 18

ACh is broken done by Acetylcholine esterase (AChE)

ACh metabolism occurs in synaptic cleft : Choline transported into presynaptic cell for re-use

• Insecticides or nerve gases inhibit AChE . Engaces ACh transom at ms/ art : death usu by respond.paralysis
• Diag p72

Question 19

What are the categories of Monoamines? 3/2

Answer 19

3 catecholamines
2 Indolamines

Question 20

What are the 3 Catecholamines?( D-N -A)

Answer 20

Dopamine
Noradreanlaine
Adrenaline : hormone from kidney ( adrenals)

Question 21

What are the 2 Indolamines ? ( M+ S)

Answer 21

Serotonin
Melatonin ( Circadian Rythym
* histamine: wakefulness/ low level in blood : hypothalamus/ forebrain

Question 22

Where are the dopamine and Noradrenaline cell bodies?

Answer 22

NOR: locus coeruleus and caudal raphe nuclei

Dopamine: sub nigra
ven. segmental area
mesolimbic system
nigostriatal system

Question 23

monoamines: what is the synthesis process of catecholamines? (T-L- N- A)

Answer 23

Tyrosine >
L-DOPA>
Noradrenaline>
Adrenaline

diagnosis p 74

Question 24

Where are serotonin cell bodies? ( raphe nuc.)

Answer 24

Rostral raphe nuclei
caudal raphe nuclei

Question 25

Synthesis process of serotonin? ( trytophan)

Answer 25

Trptophan>
5- Hydroxytryptophan .
5- Hydroxytrypatmine

Trptophan is an amino acid: found in grains, meat and dairy

Question 26

Overview metabolism of monoamines?

Answer 26

diagnosis p 76

Question 27

What are Monoamines rebased? (D-N -S)

Answer 27

Dopamine is released from dopamine cells

Noradrenaline is released from noradrenaline cells
(if dopamine b hydroxylase is present in cell - the cell is noradrenergic)

Serotonin is released from serotonin cells

Question 28

What are transporters of monoamine? ( D-N- S)

Answer 28

Dopamine = DAT
Noradrenaline = NET (due to US naming of norepinephrine) Serotonin = SERT
They are each taken up into their own cell and metabolised or repackaged into vesicles

Question 29

Know the following!

Answer 29

• Know the 5 rules of defining a chemical neurotransmitter (slide 5)
• Know your amino acids, acetylcholine and monoamines
• Know WHERE they are made how they are metabolised (you do not need to know the chemical reaction for their synthesis (manufacture))
• Know where their cell bodies are