Neurotransmitters Flashcards
Describe the structures that make up the limbic system
Pituitary gland Cingulate gyrus Pineal gland Fornix Mammillary body Hippocampus Amygdala Hypothalamus Thalamus
What are the main functions of the limbic systems
Emotion
Memory
Motivation
What are the main neurotransmitters involved in depressive disorders?
Noradrenaline
Serotonin
Dopamine
(Also ACh, GABA, glutamate)
What are the functions of noradrenaline in the brain, and where is it made?
Mood
Behaviour (arousal, attention)
Memory functions
Made in the locus coeruleus in the brainstem and transported to several areas of the cortex
List the types of receptors of the noradrenaline system
a1,a2,b1,b2
Describe the synthesis of noradrenaline
Tyrosine –> dopa –> dopamine –> noradrenaline –> adrenaline
Describe the role of serotonin in the brain and where it is produced
Sleep Impulse control Appetite Mood Produced in the brain stem (Raphe nuclei) and transported to cortical areas and limbic system
Describe the synthesis of serotonin
Tryptophan –> 5-HTP –> serotonin –> n-acetyl serotonin –> melatonin
Describe the role of dopamine
Parkinson’s disease
Release can give a feeling of pleasure (effects of cocaine and amphetamines)
Role in drive
ECT has an effect on the dopamine system
Main neurotransmitter implicated in schizophrenia
Antipsychotics block dopamine and have anti-manic properties
Dopamine agonists can cause manic symptoms
Give an example of a mood stabiliser
Lithium
Possible positive effect on serotonin production
What is the mono-amine hypothesis of depression?
Focuses on the role of serotonin, noradrenaline, dopamine
Describe GABA
Most important inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain
GABA a and b receptors
Several chemicals affect the chloride permeability of the membrane
Affinity for alcohol, benzodiazepines and steroids
List some of the areas of the brain particularly indicated in mood disorders
Striatum basel ganglia
Neocortex: prefrontal cortex
Limbic system
