Neurotransmitters

Question 1

Acetylcholine functions

Answer 1

In the CNS: Plays a role in REM sleep, arousal, pain perception, movement, and memory.
In the PNS: Stimulates the parasympathetic nervous response


Question 2

Increased acetylcholine manifestations

Answer 2

Depression
Aggression
Sexual aggression
Sweating

Question 3

Decreased acetylcholine leads to…

Answer 3

Alzheimer’s
Myasthenia gravis
Parkinson’s
Huntington’s disease

Question 4

Medications for acetylcholine

Answer 4

Tricyclics block muscarinic receptor sites leading to “anti-cholinergic crisis “with tachycardia, fever, dry mucous membranes, decrease paralysis, altered mental status.

Question 5

Treatment for anti-cholinergic crisis

Answer 5

Physostigmine salicylate

Question 6

Excess acetylcholine can lead to ? with what manifestations

Answer 6

Cholinergic crisis
Cramps, increase elevation, muscular weakness, diarrhea, and blurry vision.
It can also lead to seizures

Question 7

Treatment for cholinergic crisis

Answer 7

Treat cholinergic crisis with antidote either Atropine or Pralidoxime or both are given
Give benzo to prevent seizures

Question 8

Dopamine functions

Answer 8

In the CNS: Play the role and motor movement, coordination, emotions, voluntary judgment, and inhibits released a prolactin.
-Makes the brain feel good for “rewarding itself “for food, drugs, and alcohol.
- can increase heart rate and blood pressure and be used in the ICU
In the PNS: Regulates pancreatic endocrine function for insulin

Question 9

What is dopamine made from?

Answer 9

Tyrosine
Comes from poultry, fish, avocado, bananas, nuts

Question 10

Increase dopamine can lead to?

Answer 10

Mania and schizophrenia

Question 11

Decrease dopamine can lead to?

Answer 11

Parkinson’s and depression

Question 12

What do amphetamines do with dopamine?

Answer 12

Amphetamines release dopamine increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and psycho motor agitation
Typical antipsychotic will block the dopamine receptors

Question 13

What drugs can cause a dopamine receptor blockade leading to neuroleptic malignant syndrome?

Answer 13

Haldol, metoclopramide, and prochlorperazine. 

Question 14

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome manifestations

Answer 14

High fever, altered mental status, muscle rigidity, CK increase, rhabdomyolysis, tachycardia, tachypnea, and liable blood pressure (high, low, normal).

Question 15

Treatment for neuroleptic malignant syndrome

Answer 15

Dantrolene, Bromocriptine, and Amantadine. 

Question 16

Norepinephrine functions in the CNS

Answer 16

Increases alertness, arousal in attention, please role in memory, mood, cognition, perception, sleep/wake cycle, and arousal.
Can be blocked by glaucoma and migraine medications 

Question 17

Norepinephrine functions in the PNS

Answer 17

Major neurotransmitter in the sympathetic fight or flight response
Causes pupil dilation, blood shunting to muscles in vital organs, increases blood pressure, forces liver to convert glycogen to glucose for energy, delights airways, an increase his respirations and pulse
-Major vasoconstrictor use an ICU called levophed 

Question 18

Increase norepinephrine leads to ?

Answer 18

Mania, anxiety, and schizophrenia

Question 19

Decreased norepinephrine leads to?

Answer 19

Depression, ADHD, hypertension, and hypoglycemia.

Question 20

What can block norepinephrine in the body?

Answer 20

Glaucoma and migraine medication‘s

Question 21

What is norepinephrine made from?

Answer 21

Dopamine

Question 22

How can you naturally increase norepinephrine levels?

Answer 22

By exercising, adequate sleep, eating meats nuts eggs and cheese and being happy
-Amphetamines and stress release norepinephrine
-MAOI’s, SSNRI’s, bupropion, and tricyclics can increase levels of norepinephrine

Question 23

What must you monitor for while giving levophed?

Answer 23

Must monitor for dysrhythmias, chest pain, and can only be given a short term to increase life-threatening blood pressure
-Will raise the pulse significantly along with blood pressure and cause severe shunting of blood away from the extremities

Question 24

What is serotonin made from?

Answer 24

Tryptophan

Question 25

What does serotonin turn into?

Answer 25

Melatonin

Question 26

What blocks serotonin receptors?

Answer 26

Atypical antipsychotics

Question 27

Serotonin functions

Answer 27

sleep, arousal, libido, appetite, mood, aggression, pain, perception, coordination, and judgment. 

Question 28

Increase serotonin leads to?

Answer 28

Anxiety

Question 29

Decrease serotonin leads to?

Answer 29

Depression, anger control problems, and suicide

Question 30

What can increase the risk for serotonin syndrome?

Answer 30

Mixing antidepressants or ingesting St. John’s wort with antidepressants, Valproate, linezolid, Dextromethorphan, ecstasy, LSD, ginseng, and lithium

Question 31

Signs and symptoms of serotonin syndrome

Answer 31

Tremor, hyperreflexia, muscle rigidity, high temperature, agitation, involuntary eye movements, and diaphoresis. 

Question 32

Treatment for serotonin syndrome

Answer 32

Treatment is symptom management
Prepare to intubate if needed
Use cyproheptadine, olanzapine, chrolorpromazine, and “antidotes” .

Question 33

What is histamine made from?

Answer 33

Made from amino acid histadine. 

Question 34

Histamine functions/manifestations

Answer 34

Contract smooth muscle in the PNS and can lead to drowsiness

Question 35

What is GABA made from?

Answer 35

Glutamate

Question 36

What does GABA need in the body in order to be made?

Answer 36

B6

Question 37

GABA functions

Answer 37

Inhibitory role in slows body responses, controls hyperactivity associated with stress fear and anxiety.
Calms mind and body
The limbic system controls emotions and has a very high amount of GABA in it

Question 38

Decreased levels of GABA can lead to?

Answer 38

Insomnia, anxiety, depression, bipolar, autism, schizophrenia, and epilepsy

Question 39

What happens if you have very little GABA in your brain?

Answer 39

You will become very anxious
GABA is a “break” for excitatory neurotransmitters