pharmacology Flashcards
4 ways you can inactivate NA once released from pre synaptic terminal
- neuronal uptake (major)
- metabolism by the pre synaptic terminal by monoamine oxidase
- extraneuronal uptake
- post synaptic metabolism by monoamine oxidase and COMT
action of cocaine at synapses
prevents neuronal reuptake of NA at the pre-synaptic terminal –> and therefore there is increased activation of the receptors –> increased response when nerves being activated
action of amphetamine/ephedrine at synapses
indirectly acting sympathomimetics –> displace NA from the vesicles even with no activation by an AP –> non-exocytotic release of NA and activation of response
pathway for making NA
tyrosine –> L-DOPA –> dopamine –> NA –> adrenaline
pathways that dopamine is involved in…
- movement
- behaviour
- dependence
- pituitary function –> prolactin secretion
how does cocaine become addictive
linked to its dopaminergic action
which NT does cocaine act on
- blocks dopamine, NA, and serotonin uptake
- blocks Na channels
which areas of the brain are involved in the extrapyradmidal motor system
corpus striatum
substantia nigra
globis pallidum
Subthalamic nucleus
thalamus
motor cortex
which NTs are involved in the extrapyramidal motor system
dopamine
glutamate
GABA
what causes parkinson’s disease (in general - NTs)
degeneration of dopaminergic pathways
treatment for parkinson’s disease
L-DOPA (precusor for dopamine that can piggy back on an amino acid carrier) and peripheral dopamine decarboxylase inhibitor (so that the L-DOPA is only used in the CNS and not wasted in the PNS)
what causes Huntington’s disease (in general - NTs)
GABA deficiency
treatment for huntington’s
GABA agonist
dopamine antagonists
how can a NT be both excitatory and inhibitory at different places
depends on which receptors are present
what is the difference between local and general anaesthetic
local - regionalised inhibition of pain/sensory pathways with no loss of consciousness
general - depresses cortical processing of pain/sensory signal with a loss of consciousness
what is analgesia
stops sensitization of the sensory nerve endings by prostaglandins
how do local anaesthetic agents work?
they reversibly block conduction of nerve impulses at the axonal membrane
what are the 3 broad types of local anaesthetics?
aminoesters (procaine)
aminoamides (lignocaine)
benzocaine
difference in duration and metabolism between aminoesters and aminoamides
aminoesters - shorter acting, and are hydrolysed by esterases
aminoamides - longer acting and are metabolised through hepatic metabolism
what is the proportion of the blockade of sensory and motor functions in a nerve with local anaesthetics
when sensory 100% blocked, motor only ~25% blocked
where do local anaesthetics bind to
the transmembrane domain (IC) of the Na channel
What are the two mechanisms of the local anaesthetics getting to the I/C transmembrane domain of the Na channel
1) hydrophobic (benzocaine)
2) hydrophillic (aminoesters and aminoamides)
what is the hydrophobic mechanism of local anaesthetics blocking the Na channel
crosses the lipid membrane (no matter whether the channel is activated or not) as it is mostly in the non-ionized form. It then binds to and blocks the channel, preventing Na influx and therefore preventing threshold and AP
what is the hydrophilic mechanism of local anaesthetics blocking the Na channel
crosses through the membrane predominantly in the uncharged form. Once IC it promotes the formation of the charged from. The charged form binds to the Na channel only when the Na channel is open (needs activated channels) –> prevents Na influx and therefore prevents threshold and AP
which mechanism of the way local anaesthetics work is faster
the hydrophobic way - eg. benzocaine
do local anaesthetics change the resting membrane potential of the axon?
no
which nerves are the most sensitive to local anaesthetics? Motor, sensory or Autonomic?
sensory (smallest)
methods of administration of general anaesthetics
inhalation
intravenous
respiratory side effects of general anaesthetics
- impaired ventilation
- depression of respiratory centre
- obstruction of airways
- retention of secretions
cardiovascualr side effects of GA
- decreased vasomotor centre function
- depress contractility
- peripheral vasodilation
- cardiac arrythmias
- inadequate response to fall in BPor CO
2 theories of how GA works
1) Lipid theory - accumulation of GA in the lipid space causes expansion –> squashes the proteins –> cant work very well
2) inhibition of excitatory receptors or enhancement of inhibitory receptors
what is thought to cause epilepsy
too little inhibitory input to motor nerve or too much excitatory input to motor nerve
treatment of epilepsy
- benzodiazepines (enhance inhibitory (GABA) receptor activity)
- phenytoin (limits excitatory nerve activation
others
what are benzodiazepines used for
epilepsy
anxiety
sleep disorders - insomnia
premedication
acute alcohol withdrawal