Peripheral Nervous System Pharmacology Flashcards
What does the Peripheral Nervous System do?
Conveys signals between the CNS and tissues
Describe “afferent” input.
Signal from the tissue(s) back to the CNS via somatic afferents (skeletal muscle) and visceral afferents (internal organs)
Describe “efferent” output.
Signals from the CNS back to the tissues via somatic motor neuron (mainly muscles and glands) and autonomic neurons (influences internal organs).
What are the three branches of the Autonomic Nervous System?
Sympathetic, Parasympathetic and Enteric.
What are the functions of the Autonomic Nervous System?
- Contraction and relaxation of smooth muscle in Blood Vessels & organs
- Regulation of glandular secretion
- Control of heart rate
- Metabolism
What actions are only governed by the sympathetic branch of the ANS?
- Sweat glands
2. Dilation or Constriction of blood vessels
What action is only governed by the parasympathetic branch of the ANS?
Contraction or relaxation of the ciliary muscle of the eye.
What action is common upon stimulation of both sympathetic and parasympathetic neurons?
Salivation.
In a pre-ganglionic fibre, what neurotransmitter is released and where does it act upon?
Acetyl Choline, and it acts upon the nicotinic receptor on the post-ganglionic neuron.
How many classes of nicotinic receptors are there and what are they?
3, and they are:
- Muscle
- Neuronal in the CNS
- Neuronal in autonomic ganglia
How many subunits make up a nicotinic receptor and state what the autonomic ganglia is compromised of.
5 (Pentamer), and autonomic ganglia is compromised of (α3 x 2)+(β4 x 3)
What physiological actions are there as a consequence of nicotinic receptor stimulation in the periphery?
- Stimulation of voluntary muscle
- Stimulation of autonomic ganglia (Parasymp & Symp)
- Secretion of ADRENALINE from the Adrenal Medulla
What happens when nicotinic receptor are stimulated in the periphery?
Sympathetic stimulation dominates and so blood pressure and heart rate increase
Name three drugs which stimulate autonomic ganglia.
Nicotine, Dimethylphenylpiperazinium (DMPP), Acetyl Choline (ACh)
What are the effects of stimulating all peripheral ganglia?
- Tachycardia
- Increase in blood pressure
- Increase in secretions such as sweat and salivation
There are many effects of ganglion blocking drugs, but the most significant are the cardiovascular effects. What are they?
- Fall in blood pressure due to inhibition of sympathetic tone (vasodilation)
- Postural Hypotension, loss of sympathetic vasoconstrictor activity upon standing.
Most post-synaptic sympathetic fibres release Noradrenaline (NA). However, there are a few exceptions. What are they?
- Sweat glands (releases ACh)
2. Renal vessels (releases Dopamine)
Describe the process of heterotropic inhibition using examples.
When one presynaptic ganglion inhibits another with a different neurotransmitter. For example, NA will inhibit ACh and vice versa.
Describe the process of homotropic inhibition using examples.
When a neurotransmitter will autoinhibit itself at the origin of its release. For example, NA will act on its α2 receptor to provide autoinhibitory feedback.
What is a co-transmitter?
A co-transmitter is a substance released at the same neurons as ACh/NA to modulate as a form of modulation.
Most sympathetic post-synaptic fibres release which neurotransmitter?
Noradrenaline (NA)
Outline the synthesis of Noradrenaline from the amino acid Tyrosine INCLUDING the enzymes.
- Tyrosine –> L-DOPA (catalysed by Tyrosine Hydroxylase)
- L-DOPA –> Dopamine (catalysed by DOPA Decarboxylase)
- Dopamine –> Noradrenaline (catalysed by Dopamine β-Hydroxylase)
Which drug can inhibit the initial enzyme in the synthesis of Noradrenaline?
α-methyl-p-tyrosine
Which drug inhibits the enzyme DOPA Decarboxylase (the second stage enzyme in the synthesis of Noradrenaline)?
Carbidopa
How are NA vesicles released?
Depolarised nerve endings opens VGCCs (Voltage Gated Calcium Channels) which leads to exocytosis.
What is the name of the false precursor used to inhibit the synthesis of Noradrenaline?
Methyldopa (is also an α2 agonist which encourages autoinhibition)
Respectively, what are the enzymes which breakdown NA in the neuron cytoplasm and take up NA into vesicles?
Monoamine Oxidase (MAO) and Vesicular Monoamine Transporter (VMAT)
How is released Noradrenaline taken up into the pre-synaptic fibre?
Neuronal Epinephrine Transporter (NET) (otherwise known as UPTAKE1)
How is released Noradrenaline taken up into the post-synaptic fibre?
Extraneuronal Monoamine Transporter (EMT) (otherwise known as UPTAKE2)
How does the drug Guanethidine work?
Substrate for both NET and VMAT, so it blocks depolarisation at the nerve terminal and displaces NA slowly
How does Reserpine work?
It inhibits VMAT, therefore causing NA to be left in the neuronal cytoplasm, thus, being metabolised by MAO.
Noradrenaline transmission is terminated by two enzymes. What are they?
Monoamine Oxidase (MAO) Catechol-O-Methyl Transferase (COMT)
List the different adrenoceptors and their respective functions.
α1 - constricts MOST smooth muscles (except the GI tract, where it relaxes)
α2 - presynaptic inhibition of neurotransmitter release (AUTOINHIBITION)
β1 - increases heart rate and force of contraction
β2 - dilates/relaxes smooth muscle
β3 - thermogenesis in skeletal muscle
Adrenaline is slightly more potent at which adrenoceptors?
α2 and β2
α2 and the β adrenoceptors undergo which secondary messenger process?
Adenylyl Cyclase, ultimately phosphorylating a protein causing a cell response.
α1 undergoes which secondary messenger process?
Phospholipase C, catalysing PIP2 to IP3 causing calcium release and thus a cell response
Adrenaline (as a drug) can be used for what?
Cardiac Arrest