Plasticity Flashcards
How is glutamate synthesised?
from glutamine via glutaminase
What are the types of glutamate vesicles?
VGLUT1
VGLUT2
VGLUT3
What are the implications of VGLUT1 and where are they found?
knockouts die ~ 3 weeks after birth
cortex and hippocampus
What are the implications of VGLUT2 and where are they found?
knockouts die at birth
subcortical structures
What are the implications of VGLUT3 and where are they found?
knockouts survive but are deaf
How is glutamate inactivated?
by excitatory amino acid transporters 1 and 2
uptake glutamate into astrocytes
glutamate + glutamate synthetase = glutamine
What are the types of glut receptor?
ionotropic; AMPA, NMDA, Kainate
metabotropic; mGluR1-8
What are the mechanisms of ionotropic receptors?
AMPA; Na+
NMDA; Na+ and Ca2+ (has a sodium block)
kainate; Na+
What are the mechanisms of metabotropic receptors?
inhibit cAMP formation
activate second messenger system
What are the major reward pathways and which NT mediates it?
VTA - NAcc via dopamine
PFC - VTA via glutamate
What is drug sensitisation?
with each dose there is an increased response to the drug; measured by locomotion
7 day withdrawal then re-exposure elicits greatest hyperactive response
How can relapse be modelled in animals?
train rats to self-administer drugs using a lever
drug-associated cue; light (e.g. smoke/needle)
after protracted withdrawal re-exposure to the associated cue induces high active lever presses
How can drugs affect dendritic spines?
repeated cocaine = increased accumbal spine density, length and branching
spine density only altered when cocaine given in novel environment
spine density altered by drug not instrumental learning
What is the structure and function of spines?
spines protrude from dendrites
AMPAR and NMDAR are located on spines
spine head size correlates with number AMPAR
spine density correlates with connectivity
In what circumstances can spines be abnormal?
mental disorder patients and drug addicts show abnormal density and morphology