Neurotransmitters Flashcards

1
Q

What are the 4 conditions to be a neurotransmitter?

A
  1. The substance must be synthesized in the presynaptic neuron.
  2. The substance must be present in presynaptic terminals and have an effect on its postsynaptic target.
  3. When experimentally applied, the substance must mimic the effects of the substance that is naturally released by the neuron.
  4. A mechanism must exist for the substance to be cleared from the synaptic cleft.
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2
Q

What are the 3 categories of neurotransmitters?

A
  1. Small-molecule
  2. Large molecule
  3. Lipid
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3
Q

What are the amines?

A

Sub-category of small-molecule neurotransmitters, contain

  1. Acetylcholine
  2. Biogenic amines
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4
Q

What are amino-acid neurotransmitters?

A

Sub-category of small-molecule neurotransmitters, contain

  1. Glutamate
  2. Glycine
  3. Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)
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5
Q

What are large-molecule neurotransmitters?

A

Neuroactive peptides (opioid peptides)

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6
Q

What are the lipid neurotransmitters?

A

Endocannabinoids

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7
Q

What are the 2 types of endocannabinoids?

A

Anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol

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8
Q

What are the cannabinoids receptors?

A

CB1 and CB2

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9
Q

What are the 2 receptors of acetylcholine?

A

Nicotinic and Muscarinic

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10
Q

What are the 2 main pathways of dopamine?

A

Nigrostriatal pathway

Mesocorticolimbic pathway

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11
Q

What are the receptors of norepinephrine?

A

Adrenergic receptors:
Alpha 1
Alpha 2
Beta

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12
Q

What are the 3 receptors of glutamate?

A

AMPA receptor
NMDA receptor
Kainate receptor

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13
Q

Why is neocortex called like that?

A

Bc its the latest part of the cortex to develop

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14
Q

Which type of neurotransmitters are most abundant in the brain?

A

Amino-acid neurotransmitters

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15
Q

Which is the most abundant inhibitory neurotransmitter in the CNS?

A

GABA

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16
Q

What is the antagonist of glycine? What does it do?

A

Strychnine

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17
Q

What are biogenic amines?

A
  1. Serotonin

2. Catecholamines

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18
Q

What are the catecholamines?

A
  1. Dopamine
  2. Norepinephrine (noreadrenaline)
  3. Epinephrine (adrenaline)
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19
Q

How is acetylcholine also called?

A

Cholinergic neurotransmitter

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20
Q

What are the 2 pathways of acetylcholine?

A

Medial-septal

Pontomesencephalo-tegmental

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21
Q

What are the 3 kinds of opioid peptides?

A

B-Endorphin
Enkephalin
Dynorphin

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22
Q

What are the 3 opiod receptors?

A

Mu
Delta
Kappa

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23
Q

Small molecule neurotransmitters are contained in what?

A

Synaptic vesicles

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24
Q

Large-molecule neurotransmitters are contained in what?

A

Secretory granules

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25
Q

What are the 2 main types of neurotransmitters, and what do they do?

A

Excitatory: triggers action potentials
Inhibitory: decreases the likelihood of action potentials

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26
Q

What structures does the medial-septal pathway of acetylcholine uses?

A

The medial septal nuclei (to cortex and hippocampus) and the basal nucleus of meynert
This pathway goes to cortex and hippocampus

27
Q

What structures does the pontomesencephalo-tegmental pathway of acetylcholine uses?

A

The pontomesencephalo-tegmental complex

This pathway goes to the thalamus

28
Q

Where are nicotinic receptors located?

A

at the neuromuscular junction; causes your muscles to contract

29
Q

Where are the muscarinic receptors located?

A

at the heart; causing it to slow down

30
Q

Name the antagonist of nicotinic receptors?

A

Curare

31
Q

Name the antagonist of muscarinic receptors

A

Atropine

32
Q

Where does the nigrostriatal pathway of dopamine originates from? Where is it going? What does it do?

A

Originates form substantia nigra
Goes to striatum
Goal: regulating voluntary movement and learning motor skills

33
Q

What are the subdivisions of the mesocorticolimbic pathway of dopamine?

A

Mesocortical pathway

Mesolimbic pathway

34
Q

What is the destination of the mesocortical pathway of dopamine and what is its effect?

A

Direction: from ventral-tegmental area to prefrontal cortex
Goal: Executive functions and selection of appropriate actions

35
Q

What is the direction and the goal of the mesolimbic pathway of dopamine?

A

direction: from VTA to nucleus accumbens, amygdala, hippocampus
Goal: control of emotional states and motivation

36
Q

What are the 5 dopamine receptors and their subclasses?

A

D1 to D5
Class 1: D1-like (includes D1 and D5)
Class 2: D2-like (includes D2-D4)

37
Q

Where is norepinephrine produced?

A

In the locus coeruleus (in the brain stem)

38
Q

Name 2 important functions of norepinephrine

A

Role in wakefulness

Activates sympathetic nervous system

39
Q

How are called norepinephrine receptors?

A

Adrenergic receptors (or noradrenergic)

40
Q

What are the categories of adrenergic receptors?

A

Alpha1, Alpha 2, beta

41
Q

What are the 2 most common receptors in the brain?

A

alpha 1 and alpha 2

42
Q

Where are setotonergic neurons (serotonin)

A

In the raphe nuclei

43
Q

Where are the neurons of the serotonergic caudal group?

A

In the cerebellum and spinal cord

44
Q

Where are the neurons of the serotonergic rostral group?

A

In the basal ganglia, thalamus, neocortex, hypothalamus and temporal lobe

45
Q

What are the main functions of serotonin?

A

Regulation of mood, sleep and apetite

Also plays a role in the brain’s reward system

46
Q

What can serotonergic dysfunctions lead to?

A

depression, skizophrenia, and anxiety-related diseases (like OCD)

47
Q

What are the 2 receptors for serotonin?

A

5-HT1 to 5-HT7

48
Q

What is glutamate synthesized from?

A

From the amino acid glutamine

49
Q

What is GABA synthesized from?

A

Glutamate

50
Q

What is the most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain?

A

Glutamate

51
Q

What is one main role of glutamate

A

Formation of long term memories

52
Q

Which neurotransmitter has a mesocorticolimbic pathway that parallels that of dopamine

A

glutamate and GABA

53
Q

What is the main role of GABA? How does it do that?

A

To silence the activity of neurons, and play a role in the regulation of fear and anxiety
To do that, it allows the entry of cl- to HYPERPOLARIZE the neurons, making them less likely to fire

54
Q

What is allosteric modulation?

A

When different chemicals can regulate the activity of a channel by each having their own receptor site on that same channel

55
Q

What is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brainstem and spinal cord?

A

Glycine

56
Q

What is the main role of glycine?

A

Paralyzing the body during REM sleep

57
Q

Name a few of the functions of opioid peptides

A

Pain analgesia, reward mediation, modulation of emotions and response to stress

58
Q

Which opioid peptide does mu binds with?

A

B-endorphin (drug-rewarding effects)

59
Q

Which opioid peptide does delta binds with?

A

Enkephalin (drug rewarding effects)

60
Q

Which opioid peptide does kappa binds with?

A

Dynorphin (regulates mood/stress)

61
Q

Name the major functions of endocannabinoids

A

Learning and memory, appetite, sleep, regulation of emotional states
Also modulates the content of dreams

62
Q

Dysfunction in endocannabinoids can do what?

A

Cause disorders such as anxiety, depression, and schizophrenia

63
Q

What is retrograde signaling?

A

The proces by which the activity of a neuron is regulated by chemical messenger released by its postsynaptic target neuron