Neurotransmitters

Question 1

What is a synapse?

Answer 1

Junction between neurones or a neurone and an effector cell

Question 2

What is a neurotransmitter?

Answer 2

Chemical that diffuses across a synapse - from pre to post synaptic membrane

Question 3

Inactivation of neurotransmitters is essential. What are the 2 ways they can be inactivated (can be either or both)?

Answer 3

Enzyme breakdown

Reuptake into synapse or glia cells

Question 4

Give an example of a neurotransmitter that is broken down by enzymes

Answer 4

Monoamines

Question 5

Give an example of a neurotransmitter that is reuptaken into synapse or glia cells

Answer 5

Acetylcholine

Question 6

What are glia cells? Give examples

Answer 6

Cells surrounding neurons
Provide support/insulation
Oligodendrocyte, Schwann cells

Question 7

How is acetylcholine reuptaken?

Answer 7

Broken down by acetylcholinesterase
Choline taken up by cholie transporter
Acetate and choline repackaged and reformed to acetylcholine

Question 8

What are the hormones for stress and alertness?

Answer 8

Monoamines

Question 9

What is the hormones for happiness?

Answer 9

Serotonin

Question 10

What is the hormone for movement and reward behaviours? Give an example of a disease which is a lack of this

Answer 10

Dopamine

Parkinson’s

Question 11

What is the hormone for love?

Answer 11

Oxytocin

Question 12

What type of calcium channels have a low threshold? Which have a high threshold? (Need large pulse to activate)

Answer 12

Low threshold = T-type

High threshold = L-type and N-tpye

Question 13

Which type of calcium channels are fast release? Which are slow release?

Answer 13

Fast release = N, P, Q, R

Slow release = L

Question 14

What is the main family of monamines? What hormones are included in this group?

Answer 14

Catecholamines

Dopamine, adrenaline, noradrenaline

Question 15

Which hormones do tricyclic antidepressants boost?

Answer 15

All monamines

Question 16

Why might SSRIs be used rather than tricyclic antidepressants?

Answer 16

Less side efects

Question 17

Lack of serotonin cause what emotions?

Answer 17

Aggression

Misery

Question 18

Are postsynaptic receptors always excitatory?

Answer 18

No - can be inhibitory

Question 19

What is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain?

Answer 19

Glutamate

Question 20

What is the primary excitatory inhibitory in the brain?

Answer 20

GABA

Question 21

What are the 3 types of receptors?

Answer 21

Ionotropic receptors
Metabotropic receptors
Electrical receptors (no neurotransmitter)

Question 22

Which are the fastest receptors?

Answer 22

Electrical receptors

Question 23

Which is the slowest receptor?

Answer 23

Metabotropic receptors

Question 24

Electrical, neurotransmitter free receptors are uncommon except in a few specialised systems What do they consist of in terms of cell connections?

Answer 24

Gap junctions

Question 25

Which receptors are ligand gated?

Answer 25

Ionotropic receptors

Question 26

Which receptors are second messenger coupled?

Answer 26

Metabotropic receptors

Question 27

What is summation?

Answer 27

Arrival of a neurotransmitter may be subthreshold

If enough neurotransmitter arrives simultaneously, may evoke an action potential

Question 28

What are the 2 types of summation?

Answer 28

Temporal

Spatial

Question 29

What is temporal summation?

Answer 29

High frequency stimulation

By 1 presynaptic neuron

Question 30

What is spatial summation?

Answer 30

Simultaneous stimulation

By multiple presynpatic neurone

Question 31

What is negative summation?

Answer 31

Same as normal summation, except inhibitory