NT Flashcards

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1
Q

Criteria to be a Neurotransmitter

A

Must be present within pre-synaptic neurons

Must be released in response to pre-synaptic depolarization (release is Ca+2 dependent)

Specific receptors for the transmitter must be present on the post-synaptic neuron

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2
Q

Types of NT

A
Small Molecule NTs
 -Other NTs
 -Amino Acid NTs
 -Monoamine (Biogenic Amine) NTs
   -Other Monoamine NTs
   -Catecholamine NTs
Peptide NTs
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3
Q

Other NT

A

Acetylcholine

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4
Q

Acetylcholine

A
Type: small molecule
Broken down in the synaptic cleft
Nicotinic receptors 
Excitatory ionotropic receptors
Muscarinic receptors
Some excitatory and some inhibitory metabotropic receptors
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5
Q

Acetylcholine and Brain Function

A

Cognition
Attention
Learning
Memory

Implicated in aging
Acetylcholine neurons die in Alzheimer’s disease

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6
Q

Amino Acid NTs

A

Glutamate

γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)

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7
Q

Glutamate

A

Type: Small molecule

Broken down within the pre-synaptic terminals

NMDA receptors (N-methyl-D-aspartate)
Excitatory ionotropic receptors 
AMPA receptors (α-amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionate)
Excitatory ionotropic receptors
Kainate receptors
Excitatory ionotropic receptors
mGluRs
Some excitatory and some inhibitory metabotropic receptors
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8
Q

Glutamate and Brain Function

A

Most widely used excitatory NT in the brain

At most excitatory synapses

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9
Q

γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)

A
Type: Small molecule
Broken down in mitochondria in presynaptic terminal
GABAA receptors
Inhibitory ionotropic receptors
GABAC receptors
Inhibitory ionotropic receptors
GABAB receptors
Inhibitory metabotropic receptors
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10
Q

GABA and Brain Function

A

Commonly found in local circuit interneurons

GABA fine-tunes other systems in the brain

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11
Q

Monoamine NT

A

Serotonin

Histamine

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12
Q

Serotonin and Brain Function

A

Important for eating behavior

Involved in mood regulation and mood/anxiety disorders

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13
Q

Histamine

A

Type: Small molecule
Broken down within the pre-synaptic neuron
Metabotropic receptors
Some excitatory and some inhibitory metabotropic receptors

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14
Q

Histamine and Brain Function

A

Sleep/wake cycles

Diffuse projections around the brain promote wake

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15
Q

Catecholamine NT:

A

Dopamine

Norepinephrine

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16
Q

Dopamine

A

Type: small molecule
Transporter: dopamine transporter (DAT), takes dopamine up from the synaptic cleft into the pre-synaptic neuron
Degraded in the pre-synaptic neuron by monoamine oxidase (MAO)
Metabotropic receptors
Some excitatory and some inhibitory metabotropic receptors

17
Q

Dopamine and Brain Function

A

Movement
Parkinson’s disease

Motivation and reward
Motivated behavior
Drug abuse

Psychiatric disorders
Schizophrenia

18
Q

Norepinephrine

A

Type: small molecule
Precursor: dopamine
Transporter: norepinepherine transporter (NET), takes norepinephrine up from the synaptic cleft into the pre-synaptic neuron
Degraded in the pre-synaptic neuron by monoamine oxidase (MAO)
Metabotropic receptors
Some excitatory and some inhibitory metabotropic receptors

19
Q

Norepinephrine and Brain Function

A

Sleep/wake patterns

Feeding behavior

Anxiety and affective disorders
Increases during stress and anxiety
Causes peripheral feelings of stress and anxiety

20
Q

Peptide NT: Opioids

A
Type: peptide 
Three classes of opioid NTs:
Endorphins
Enkephalins
Dynorphins 
Metabotropic receptors
All inhibitory metabotropic receptors
21
Q

Opioids and Brain Function

A

Body’s “natural drug”
Implicated in drug abuse
Morphine and heroin bind the μ-opioid receptor with high affinity
Many drugs other than opiates activate the opioid system through downstream mechanisms