Nuerotransmitter - CNS Flashcards
What are the important nuerotransmitters ?
How many Nuerons within the brain
85 billion
What are the TWO main nuerotrasnmitters wthinin the brain
Glutamate (90%)
Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) (10%)
What are the key receptors for Glutamate ?
Receptors:
Ionotropic (cation channel):
AMPA receptors
NMDA receptors
Kainate
Glutamate is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain
How is GABA made ?
Synthesised from glutamate
What are the receptors for GABA ?
Ionotropic:
GABAA receptors (THIS IS IMPORTANT FOR PHARMACOLOGY LOTS OF DRUGS TARGET HERE !!!!) GABAC receptors (retina
What does glutamate do ?
what does GABA do ?
MAKE YOUR BRAIN GO
STOP BRAIN GETTING OVERACTIVE
Explain signal intergration
Glu and GABA are the main drivers of neuronal activity via ionotropic receptors: depolarising (Glu), hyperpolarising (GABA)
Other neurotransmitters modulate cell activity via receptors or altering ion channel activity
What are the dopaine receptors ?
Receptors:
Metabotropic
D1 Gq-linked D2 Gi/o-linked
Where are the three places that release dopamine and what do the pathways do ?
Substantia nigra
motor control pathway
Ventral tegmental area
reward pathway eg drug addiction and impulsive behaviour
Arcuate nucleus
hormone release especially prolactin
How is noradrenaline made
metabolised from dopamine
what are the receptors that noradrenaline bind to ?
Where is noradrenalin released from in the brain
Locus coeruleus
What is the effect of noradrenaline
Widespread innervation of brain
Generally stimulant:
↑ arousal
↑ alertness
↑ reward
↑ excitement
What is 5-HT
Serotonin
What are the receptors for 5-HT (Serotonin)
Ionotropic
5-HT3 – cation channel
Metabotropic:
5-HT1 Gi/o-linked
5-HT2 Gq-linked
5-HT4 Gs-linked
Where is 5-HT (Serotonin released from)
Dorsal raphe nuclei
What is the function of 5-HT (Serotonin)
Mood (positive / anxiety)
Body temperature
Appetite
Cognitive (e.g. memory)
Arousal
What is the Acetocholine receptors ?
Ionotropic:
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChR)
Cation channel
Metabotropic:
Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChR)
Where is Acetylcholine released from ?
Numerous subcortical and brainstem nuclei
What is the function of acetychline
Complex, wide-ranging effects, generally stimulant:
↑ arousal ↑ memory Cognitive
Whar is the function of histamine and what is its receptor?
Histamine:
Mostly involved in sleep regulation – pro-arousal
Receptors: H1 – Gq-linked
H2 – GC-linked
H3 (Gi/o)& H4
What is the function of Glycine and what is its receptor ?
Glycine (Gly):
Main inhibitory NT in the spinal cord (instead of GABA)
Ligand-gated chloride channels, very similar to GABAA
