neurotransmitters and psychopharmacology (e2)

Question 1

what is the role of calcium?

Answer 1

in response to AP, Ca2+ channels open in the axon terminal and Ca2+ ions enter trigger the proteins (SNAREs) that cause exocytosis

Question 2

what is exocytosis?

Answer 2

presynaptic axon terminals contain vesicles that contain neurotransmitters; the vesicles fuse with the membrane and neurotransmitters are released in the synaptic cleft

Question 3

what are the two types of receptors?

Answer 3

ionotropic and metabotropic

Question 4

ionotropic effects are for…

Answer 4

vision and hearing

Question 5

ionotropic effects

Answer 5

neurotransmitter binds to an ionotropic receptor and opens its channels

Question 6

are effects of ionotropic receptors fast or slow?

Answer 6

fast, less than a millisecond

Question 7

metabotropic effects are for…

Answer 7

pain, attention, and emotion

Question 8

metabotropic effects

Answer 8

initiate metabolic reaction; a second messangers communicates to many areas within the cell

Question 9

are effects of metabotropic receptors fast or slow?

Answer 9

slow, (30n ms+) but longer lasting (few seconds)

Question 10

what does dopamine control?

Answer 10

voluntary movement, reward, motivation, cognitive control, and psychosis

Question 11

what are dopaminergic drugs?

Answer 11

anti-psychotics, stimulants, recreational drugs

Question 12

who has more dopamine?

Answer 12

girls

Question 13

dopaminergic pathways in the brain

Answer 13

mesocortical - ventral tegmental area (VTA) to prefrontal cortex
mesolimbic - VTA to nucleus accumbens
nigrostriatal - substantia nigra to basal ganglia (striatum)

Question 14

importance of mesocortical pathway

Answer 14

delayed gratification

Question 15

importance of mesolimbic pathway

Answer 15

pathway studied for addiction

Question 16

importance of nigrostriatal pathway

Answer 16

important for movement; when they start dying, we see the effects of parkinsons

Question 17

what is the main synthesizer for norepinephrine?

Answer 17

locus coeruleus (close to the VTA and SN)
in the PNS, adrenal cortex

Question 18

what is the function of norepinephrine?

Answer 18

energy, arousal, mood, fight or flight response

Question 19

norepinephrine is positively correlated with…

Answer 19

dopamine

Question 20

what is the main synthesizer for serotonin?

Answer 20

raphe nuclei; has numerous receptors

Question 21

what does serotonin control?

Answer 21

sleep and wakefulness (it is the precursor to melatonin), mood

Question 22

who has more serotonin?

Answer 22

boys

Question 23

when is serotonin the highest?

Answer 23

when animals are awake

Question 24

what drugs are used for serotonin?

Answer 24

SSRIs, TCAs, MAOI

Question 25

what is glutamate?

Answer 25

the most important excitatory neurotransmitter; receptors are AMPA and NMDA

Question 26

too little glutamate is correlated with…

Answer 26

psychosis

Question 27

excitotoxicity

Answer 27

too much glutamate; sodium channels open

Question 28

what is GABA?

Answer 28

inhibitory postsynaptic potentials; influx of chloride, channels open

Question 29

what is acetylcholine?

Answer 29

nucleus basalis of Meynery, muscles, memory and attention (Alzheimer’s)