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Week 7 - 12 > Neurotransmitters > Flashcards

Neurotransmitters Flashcards

1
Q

What does action potential cause in presynaptic neuron?

A

Opening of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels

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2
Q

What does opening of voltage-gated Ca2+ cause?

A

Ca2+ influx

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3
Q

What does Ca2+ influx cause?

A

Neurotransmitter-filled vesicles to fuse with cell membrane

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4
Q

What happens after neurotransmitter-filled vesicles fuse with cell membrane?

A

Neurotransmitter is released into synaptic cleft and binds to receptors

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5
Q

What happens when neurotransmitter binds to receptors on post-synaptic neuron?

A

Causes ion channels to open and result in ion influx into postsynaptic neuron

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6
Q

Criteria for a substance to be a neurotransmitter:

A

Synthesised in pre-synaptic neuron

Stored presynaptically

Released on demand

Inactivated

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7
Q

What things can happen to the neurotransmitter in synaptic cleft?

A

Re-uptake

Enzymatic inactivation + degradation

Diffusion

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8
Q

What causes synthesis of neurotransmitter?

A

Uptake of precursors

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9
Q

What happens after neurotransmitter is synthesised?

A

Transport/uptake into vesicles

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10
Q

What happens to excess neurotransmitter?

A

Degradation

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11
Q

What happens after neurotransmitter interacts with postsynaptic receptors?

A

Inactivation

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12
Q

Reuptake of neuotransmitters:

A

Re-uptake by nerve terminal

Re-uptake and release by non-neuronal cells

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13
Q

Characteristics of receptors for neurotransmitters?

A

Specific

May be more than one types of receptor for neurotransmitter

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14
Q

What influence a receptor’s response to a neurotransmitter?

A

Patterns of expression and receptor type

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15
Q

Types of receptors:

A

Ionotropic

Metabotropic

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16
Q

What groups are neurotransmitters classified in?

A

Amino acids

Biogenic amines

Peptides

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17
Q

Examples of amino acid receptors:

A

Glutamate

GABA

Glycine

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18
Q

What is glutamate like?

A

Amino acid

Primary excitatory neurotransmitter in central nervous system

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19
Q

What’s Glutamate involved in?

A

Memory

Learning

Cell death

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20
Q

What does GABA stand for?

A

Gamma-aminobutyric acid

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21
Q

What is GABA like?

A

Amino acid

Principle inhibitory neurotransmitter in central nervous system

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22
Q

What does GABA act via?

A

Via chloride channels - so takes membrane potential away from threshold

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23
Q

What is Glycine like?

A

Amino acid

Second most common inhibitory neurotransmitter in central nervous system

Primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in spinal cord and brainstem

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24
Q

What is the post-synaptic action of glutamate mostly?

A

Via ionotropic receptors

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25
Types of receptors for glutamate:
NMDA Kainate AMPA
26
NMDA receptors:
Calcium ions
27
Kainate receptors:
Sodium and potassium ions
28
AMPA receptors:
Permeable to cations (e.g. calcium, sodium and potassium)
29
Distribution of glutamate:
Neurons spanning hemispheres Neurons descending to brain stem or spinal cord
30
(Dys)functions off glutamate:
Synaptic plasticity Excitotoxicity Migraine Epilepsy
31
What is synaptic plasticity?
Synapses are strengthened or weakened by feedback mechanisms
32
What is involved in excitotoxicity?
Excessive stimulation of NMDA receptors cause large influx of Ca2 ions - can result in cell depth
33
How is glutamate associated with epilepsy?
Excessive excitation causes feedback loop
34
How can epilepsy begin as?
Partial seizures
35
What happens if epilepsy becomes more uncontrolled?
Grand Mal seizures
36
What can seizures be treated with?
Phenytoin Benzodiazepines
37
What does Phenytoin do?
Increases refractory period esteem firings in voltage gated sodium channels
38
What do benzodiazepines do?
Increase action of GABA - as inhibitory
39
How do benzodiazepines work?
Act on separate receptor binding site on GABA - leads to channel opening more often
40
Where is GABA found?
Predominantly in interneurons of CNS Striatum and globes pallidus
41
What does GABA act on?
Ligand gated chloride channels
42
What is GABA inactivated by?
Presynaptic reuptake
43
What does alcoholism do to GABA?
Changes GABA transmission Leads to withdrawal results in convulsive movements and seizures
44
How can GABA effected by alcoholism be treated with?
Benzodiazepines and phenytoin
45
What’s tetanus caused by?
Toxin from clostridium tetani
46
What happens in tetanus?
Inhibits glycine release
47
Mild effects of tetanus:
Restricted to muscles innervated by cranial nerves
48
Serious effects of tetanus:
Epileptiform fits
49
What’s tetanus treated with?
Anti-toxin and benzodiazepines
50
Give examples of Biogenic Amines:
Catecholamines Indolamines
51
Examples of catecholamines:
Dopamine Noradrenaline Adrenaline
52
What is dopamine involved with?
Neuromodulator Pleasure, addiction and movement
53
What’s noradrenaline also known as?
Norepinephrine
54
What’s noradrenaline involved with?
Sympathetic nervous system
55
What’s a decrease of noradrenaline usually seen in?
Parkinson’s and ADHD
56
What is adrenaline involved with?
Sympathetic nervous system Peripheral hormone from adrenal medulla
57
What’s adrenaline also known as?
Epinephrine
58
What are all catecholamines synthesised in?
Bouton
59
What are all catecholamines principally inactivated by?
Re-uptake
60
What are adrenoceptors?
G-protein linked metabotropic receptors
61
What’s the locus coeruleus associated with?
Sleep Wakefulness Alertness Attention
62
What’s the medulla/hypothalamus associated with?
Feeding behaviour Blood pressure regulation
63
What are dopaminergic receptors?
G-protein linked metabotropic receptors
64
What’s Nigrostriatal associated with?
Motor control
65
What’s Mesolithic and mesocortical associated with?
Behavioural effects
66
What’s tuberohypophyseal system associated with?
Endocrine control, via anterior pituitary
67
What structures are involved with noradrenaline pathways in brain?
Locus coeruleus Medulla/hypothalamus
68
What receptors are found in noradrenaline pathways?
Adrenoceptors
69
What structures are involved with dopamine pathways in brain?
Nigrostriatal Mesolimbic and mesocortical Tuberohypophyseal system
70
What receptor is found in dopamine pathways?
Dopaminergic
71
Effects of dopamine:
Parkinson’s Schizophrenia Addiction
72
Examples of catecholamines:
Noradrenaline Adrenaline Dopamine
73
Examples of indolamines:
Serotonin
74
Receptors in serotonin pathways:
Large family of both excitatory and inhibitory receptors in CNS and PNS
75
What does serotonin modulate?
A range of neurotransmitters such as glutamate, GABA and dopamine
76
What structures are involved with serotonin pathways in the brain?
Locus coeruleus Raphe nuclei
77
What’s locus coeruleus associated with?
Sensory signals
78
What’s raphe nuclei associated with?
Sleep Wakefulness Mood
79
Effects of serotonin:
Depression and OCD
80
Give examples of peptide based neurotransmitters:
Encephalin Endorphin Dynorphin
81
Where are peptides made?
In cell body and transported to bouton
82
What are peptide generally?
Neurotransmitters or neuromodulators
83
Effects of endorphins and encephalins:
Pain Emotional perception
84
What causes pain?
Endorphins and encephalins act on opioid receptors as endogenous ligands
85
What do opioids do?
Cause downregulation of opioid receptors in CNS
86
Give an example of an ester based neurotransmitter:
Acetylcholine
87
Where’s acetylcholine found?
Peripheral and central nervous system At neuromuscular junction
88
What are neurons like in CNS?
Project to hippocampus and cortex
89
What are hippocampus and cortex essential for?
Formation of new memories and learning
90
What’s Alzheimer’s disease associated with?
Dysfunction of ACh in CNS
91
What’s ACh?
Acetylcholine
92
What does nicotine do?
Acts on nicotonic ACh receptors
93
What do anticholinesterases do?
Prevent breakdown of ACh + prolong its activity Can be therapeutic but also toxic

Week 7 - 12 (38 decks)

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