Neurotransmitters Flashcards

1
Q

What are the types of neurotransmitters

A

amino acids, amines, neuropetides

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2
Q

What are the characteristics of amino acid and amine neurotransmitters

A

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

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3
Q

What are the characteristics of peptide neurotransmitters

A

large, activate GPCRs, in secretory granules

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4
Q

What is Dale’s principle

A

a neuron only has one neurotransmitter

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5
Q

Is Dale’s principle always valid?

A

No

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6
Q

What is gluatmate

A

most common excitatory neurotransmitter

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7
Q

Where is glutamate synthesised

A

neurons

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8
Q

TRUE or FALSE - Glutamate CANNOT pass the BBB

A

True

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9
Q

What receptors does glutamate interact with?

A

ionotropic NMDA, AMPA and kainate receptors

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10
Q

What do NMDA, AMPA and kainate receptors allow?

A

influx of Na+ into post-synaptic neuron

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11
Q

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

A

depolarisation - more likely to fire action potential

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12
Q

What supporting cell can take up gluatmate

A

glia

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13
Q

What do AMPA receptors mediate

A

fast excitatory transmission

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14
Q

What receptors often co-exist

A

NMDA and AMPA

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15
Q

Which receptors have a voltage dependent Mg2+ block

A

NMDA

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16
Q

Which receptor needs to be indirectly activate by another transmitter

A

NMDA

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17
Q

What is NMDA permeable to

A

Ca2+, K+, Na+

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18
Q

What is the effect of glutamate binding to AMPA receptors

A

Na+ and K+ currents making an EPSP

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19
Q

What is the precursor to GABA

A

glutamate

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20
Q

What does synthesis of GABA require ?

A

enzyme glutamatic acid decarboxylase

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21
Q

How is action of GABA terminated

A

selective uptake into presynaptic terminals

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22
Q

What is GABA

A

most common inhibitory neurotransmitter in CNS

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23
Q

What does GABA produce

A

IPSPs via GABA gated chloride channels

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24
Q

Where is GABA found

A

CNS, cortex, striatum

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25
Q

What is the effect of too much GABA

A

coma

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26
Q

What is the effect of chloride influx into the cell

A

suppresses neuron from firing

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27
Q

What channels can GABA inhibit

A

calcium channels

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28
Q

What chemicals can modulate the effect of GABA

A

ethanol, barbiturate, benzodiazepine

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29
Q

What are barbiturates

A

sedatives, anti-convulsants

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30
Q

Where are opioids formed

A

Rough ER

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31
Q

What are opioids packaged into

A

secretory granules

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32
Q

Where are opioid receptors concentrated

A

nociceptive areas

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33
Q

What are the main types of opioid receptors

A

mu, kappa, sigma

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34
Q

What can opioid receptors be coupled to

A

inhibitory G-proteins

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35
Q

What do opioid receptors act as

A

modulators

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36
Q

What is the function of opioid receptors

A

decrease excitability of the cell

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37
Q

What are the therapeutic uses of opioids

A

analgesia, intestinal disorders, anti-tussive

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38
Q

Where do neurons arise

A

central core of brain - brainstem

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39
Q

Name some types of transmitters

A

ACh, catecholamines, serotonin

40
Q

What is ChAT a good marker for

A

cholinergic neurons

41
Q

Where is Acetyl CoA produced

A

cellular respiration in mitochondria

42
Q

How is AcH synthesised

A

combining Acetyl CoA and choline

43
Q

What enzyme catalyses the formation of ACh

A

choline acetyltransferase

44
Q

What prevents release of ACh

A

BOTOX

45
Q

What inhibits AChE

A

nerve gas

46
Q

What blocks ACh receptors

A

nicotinic - curare

muscarinic - atropine

47
Q

What are the 2 cholinergic complexes

A

basal forebrain, pontomesencphalotegmental

48
Q

Where is the pontomesencphalotegmental complex located

A

pons and midbrain

49
Q

What is the function of the basal forebrain complex

A

regulate brain excitability during arousal

50
Q

Name a nicotinic drug

A

curare

51
Q

Name a muscarinic drug

A

atropine

52
Q

What are the two catecholamine systems?

A

dopaminergic, noradrenergic

53
Q

What is the rate limiting factor of catecholamine synthesis

A

tyrosine hydroxylase

54
Q

Where is dopamine b-hydroxylase found

A

synaptic vesicles

55
Q

How are most catecholamines removed

A

re uptake into presynaptic terminals

56
Q

What is COMT

A

enzyme that degrades noradrenaline

57
Q

Where is noradrenaline metabolised by COMT

A

cytoplasm

58
Q

Where are catecholamines metabolised by MAO

A

outer mitochondria membrane

59
Q

Where are neurons of the nigrostriatal pathway found?

A

substantia nigra - midbrain

60
Q

Describe the nigrostriatal pathway

A

major dopaminergic pathway

61
Q

Where do the axons of the nigrostriatal pathway project

A

stratum

62
Q

function of the nigrostriatal pathway

A

initiation of voluntary movements

63
Q

what does degeneration of the nigrostriatal pathway cause?

A

Parkinson’s disease

64
Q

What characterises Parkinson’s disease

A

motor dysfunction

65
Q

What neurotransmitter decreases in Parkinson’s

A

dopamine

66
Q

What can treat Parkinson’s

A

L-Dopa, MAO-B inhibitors

67
Q

What is the function of L-Dopa

A

removes the rate limiting step of TH - increases dopamine

68
Q

What is the function of MAO-B inhibitors

A

reduce breakdown of dopamine

69
Q

Where are neurons of the mesocorticolimbic pathway found?

A

ventral tegumental area - midbrain

70
Q

Where do axons of the mesocorticolimbic pathway project

A

frontal cortex and limbic system

71
Q

What are the functions of the mesocorticolimbic system

A

Reward system, motivation, addiction

72
Q

What does the noradrenergic system arise from

A

locus coeruleus

73
Q

What does the noradrenergic system innervate

A

all the brain

74
Q

What does the noradrenergic system regulate

A

attention, arousal, pain, sleep, learning, memory

75
Q

What activates the noradrenergic system most

A

new unexpected non-painful stimuli

76
Q

What is released by the serotonergic system

A

serotonin

77
Q

What does the serotonergic system arise from

A

Raphe Nuclei

78
Q

Describe the projection of neurons of the serotonergic system

A

each neuron - different region of the brain

79
Q

What does the serotonergic system modulate

A

pain related sensory signals, sleep wake cycle, mood

80
Q

When is the serotonergic system most active

A

wakefulness

81
Q

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

A

tryptophan, 5HT receptors, termination of activity

82
Q

How many subtypes of 5HT receptors are there

A

7

83
Q

How is tryptophan obtained

A

diet

84
Q

Describe the subtypes of 5HT receptors

A

excitatory or inhibitory

85
Q

What are the 5HT subtype receptors

A

6 - metabotropic

1 - ionotropic

86
Q

What is the function of Fluoxetine

A

selectively prevents 5HT uptake

87
Q

What kind of drug is fluoxetine

A

serotonin selective re-uptake inhibitor

88
Q

What is the function of MAO-A inhibitors

A

reduce enzymatic degradation of 5HT, noradrenaline

89
Q

What is a side effect of MAO-A inhibitors

A

hypertensive crisis

90
Q

What does ATP bind to

A

purinergic receptors

91
Q

Name two purinergic receptors

A

P2X, P2Y

92
Q

What type of receptors is P2X

A

ligand gated ion channel

93
Q

What type of receptor is P2Y

A

G protein coupled receptors

94
Q

What do endocannabinoids bind to

A

GPC cannaboid receptors

95
Q

What is nitric oxide

A

small, membrane permeable gasotransmitter