Neurotransmitters

Question 1

What are the types of neurotransmitters

Answer 1

amino acids, amines, neuropetides

Question 2

What are the characteristics of amino acid and amine neurotransmitters

Answer 2

small, bind to ligand gated ion channels and GPCRs, in synaptic vesicles

Question 3

What are the characteristics of peptide neurotransmitters

Answer 3

large, activate GPCRs, in secretory granules

Question 4

What is Dale’s principle

Answer 4

a neuron only has one neurotransmitter

Question 5

Is Dale’s principle always valid?

Answer 5

No

Question 6

What is gluatmate

Answer 6

most common excitatory neurotransmitter

Question 7

Where is glutamate synthesised

Answer 7

neurons

Question 8

TRUE or FALSE - Glutamate CANNOT pass the BBB

Answer 8

True

Question 9

What receptors does glutamate interact with?

Answer 9

ionotropic NMDA, AMPA and kainate receptors

Question 10

What do NMDA, AMPA and kainate receptors allow?

Answer 10

influx of Na+ into post-synaptic neuron

Question 11

What is the effect of Na+ influx into the post-synaptic neuron

Answer 11

depolarisation - more likely to fire action potential

Question 12

What supporting cell can take up gluatmate

Answer 12

glia

Question 13

What do AMPA receptors mediate

Answer 13

fast excitatory transmission

Question 14

What receptors often co-exist

Answer 14

NMDA and AMPA

Question 15

Which receptors have a voltage dependent Mg2+ block

Answer 15

NMDA

Question 16

Which receptor needs to be indirectly activate by another transmitter

Answer 16

NMDA

Question 17

What is NMDA permeable to

Answer 17

Ca2+, K+, Na+

Question 18

What is the effect of glutamate binding to AMPA receptors

Answer 18

Na+ and K+ currents making an EPSP

Question 19

What is the precursor to GABA

Answer 19

glutamate

Question 20

What does synthesis of GABA require ?

Answer 20

enzyme glutamatic acid decarboxylase

Question 21

How is action of GABA terminated

Answer 21

selective uptake into presynaptic terminals

Question 22

What is GABA

Answer 22

most common inhibitory neurotransmitter in CNS

Question 23

What does GABA produce

Answer 23

IPSPs via GABA gated chloride channels

Question 24

Where is GABA found

Answer 24

CNS, cortex, striatum

Question 25

What is the effect of too much GABA

Answer 25

coma

Question 26

What is the effect of chloride influx into the cell

Answer 26

suppresses neuron from firing

Question 27

What channels can GABA inhibit

Answer 27

calcium channels

Question 28

What chemicals can modulate the effect of GABA

Answer 28

ethanol, barbiturate, benzodiazepine

Question 29

What are barbiturates

Answer 29

sedatives, anti-convulsants

Question 30

Where are opioids formed

Answer 30

Rough ER

Question 31

What are opioids packaged into

Answer 31

secretory granules

Question 32

Where are opioid receptors concentrated

Answer 32

nociceptive areas

Question 33

What are the main types of opioid receptors

Answer 33

mu, kappa, sigma

Question 34

What can opioid receptors be coupled to

Answer 34

inhibitory G-proteins

Question 35

What do opioid receptors act as

Answer 35

modulators

Question 36

What is the function of opioid receptors

Answer 36

decrease excitability of the cell

Question 37

What are the therapeutic uses of opioids

Answer 37

analgesia, intestinal disorders, anti-tussive

Question 38

Where do neurons arise

Answer 38

central core of brain - brainstem

Question 39

Name some types of transmitters

Answer 39

ACh, catecholamines, serotonin

Question 40

What is ChAT a good marker for

Answer 40

cholinergic neurons

Question 41

Where is Acetyl CoA produced

Answer 41

cellular respiration in mitochondria

Question 42

How is AcH synthesised

Answer 42

combining Acetyl CoA and choline

Question 43

What enzyme catalyses the formation of ACh

Answer 43

choline acetyltransferase

Question 44

What prevents release of ACh

Answer 44

BOTOX

Question 45

What inhibits AChE

Answer 45

nerve gas

Question 46

What blocks ACh receptors

Answer 46

nicotinic - curare | muscarinic - atropine

Question 47

What are the 2 cholinergic complexes

Answer 47

basal forebrain, pontomesencphalotegmental

Question 48

Where is the pontomesencphalotegmental complex located

Answer 48

pons and midbrain

Question 49

What is the function of the basal forebrain complex

Answer 49

regulate brain excitability during arousal

Question 50

Name a nicotinic drug

Answer 50

curare

Question 51

Name a muscarinic drug

Answer 51

atropine

Question 52

What are the two catecholamine systems?

Answer 52

dopaminergic, noradrenergic

Question 53

What is the rate limiting factor of catecholamine synthesis

Answer 53

tyrosine hydroxylase

Question 54

Where is dopamine b-hydroxylase found

Answer 54

synaptic vesicles

Question 55

How are most catecholamines removed

Answer 55

re uptake into presynaptic terminals

Question 56

What is COMT

Answer 56

enzyme that degrades noradrenaline

Question 57

Where is noradrenaline metabolised by COMT

Answer 57

cytoplasm

Question 58

Where are catecholamines metabolised by MAO

Answer 58

outer mitochondria membrane

Question 59

Where are neurons of the nigrostriatal pathway found?

Answer 59

substantia nigra - midbrain

Question 60

Describe the nigrostriatal pathway

Answer 60

major dopaminergic pathway

Question 61

Where do the axons of the nigrostriatal pathway project

Answer 61

stratum

Question 62

function of the nigrostriatal pathway

Answer 62

initiation of voluntary movements

Question 63

what does degeneration of the nigrostriatal pathway cause?

Answer 63

Parkinson's disease

Question 64

What characterises Parkinson's disease

Answer 64

motor dysfunction

Question 65

What neurotransmitter decreases in Parkinson's

Answer 65

dopamine

Question 66

What can treat Parkinson's

Answer 66

L-Dopa, MAO-B inhibitors

Question 67

What is the function of L-Dopa

Answer 67

removes the rate limiting step of TH - increases dopamine

Question 68

What is the function of MAO-B inhibitors

Answer 68

reduce breakdown of dopamine

Question 69

Where are neurons of the mesocorticolimbic pathway found?

Answer 69

ventral tegumental area - midbrain

Question 70

Where do axons of the mesocorticolimbic pathway project

Answer 70

frontal cortex and limbic system

Question 71

What are the functions of the mesocorticolimbic system

Answer 71

Reward system, motivation, addiction

Question 72

What does the noradrenergic system arise from

Answer 72

locus coeruleus

Question 73

What does the noradrenergic system innervate

Answer 73

all the brain

Question 74

What does the noradrenergic system regulate

Answer 74

attention, arousal, pain, sleep, learning, memory

Question 75

What activates the noradrenergic system most

Answer 75

new unexpected non-painful stimuli

Question 76

What is released by the serotonergic system

Answer 76

serotonin

Question 77

What does the serotonergic system arise from

Answer 77

Raphe Nuclei

Question 78

Describe the projection of neurons of the serotonergic system

Answer 78

each neuron - different region of the brain

Question 79

What does the serotonergic system modulate

Answer 79

pain related sensory signals, sleep wake cycle, mood

Question 80

When is the serotonergic system most active

Answer 80

wakefulness

Question 81

What are the three steps in the life cycle of 5-HT

Answer 81

tryptophan, 5HT receptors, termination of activity

Question 82

How many subtypes of 5HT receptors are there

Answer 82

7

Question 83

How is tryptophan obtained

Answer 83

diet

Question 84

Describe the subtypes of 5HT receptors

Answer 84

excitatory or inhibitory

Question 85

What are the 5HT subtype receptors

Answer 85

6 - metabotropic | 1 - ionotropic

Question 86

What is the function of Fluoxetine

Answer 86

selectively prevents 5HT uptake

Question 87

What kind of drug is fluoxetine

Answer 87

serotonin selective re-uptake inhibitor

Question 88

What is the function of MAO-A inhibitors

Answer 88

reduce enzymatic degradation of 5HT, noradrenaline

Question 89

What is a side effect of MAO-A inhibitors

Answer 89

hypertensive crisis

Question 90

What does ATP bind to

Answer 90

purinergic receptors

Question 91

Name two purinergic receptors

Answer 91

P2X, P2Y

Question 92

What type of receptors is P2X

Answer 92

ligand gated ion channel

Question 93

What type of receptor is P2Y

Answer 93

G protein coupled receptors

Question 94

What do endocannabinoids bind to

Answer 94

GPC cannaboid receptors

Question 95

What is nitric oxide

Answer 95

small, membrane permeable gasotransmitter