Psychopharmacology

Question 1

When is synaptic transmission initiated?

Answer 1

when the action potential reaches the axon terminal

Question 2

When are the Ca2+ voltage-gated channels opened?

Answer 2

when the action potenital reaches the axon terminal

Question 3

What can happen to neurotransmitters when inactivated?

Answer 3

diffusion, enzymatic degradation, re-uptake

Question 4

What is diffusion of a neurotransmitter?

Answer 4

the transmitter is “lost” in the inter-cellular space

Question 5

What is enzymatic degradation of a neurotransmitter?

Answer 5

enzymes break down the transmitter (important for drugs)

Question 6

What is re-uptake of neurotransmitter?

Answer 6

the transmitter is recycled either in the pre-synaptic or the post-synaptic neuron

Question 7

What can TTX produce?

Answer 7

paralysis of the diaphragm and death due to respiratory failure

Question 8

The tetanospasmin toxin interferes with the vesicles of GAVA fusing with the cell membrane… meaning what

Answer 8

This reduces the amount of GABA released into the synapse.

Question 9

What is tetanus?

Answer 9

uncontrollable muscle contractions

Question 10

What is a monoamine?

Answer 10

contains a sinlge amino group

Question 11

Example of an excitatory synapse?

Answer 11

glutamate

Question 12

example of an inhibitory synapse?

Answer 12

GABA

Question 13

example of a mainly excitatory but also inhibitory synapse?

Answer 13

acetylcholine, dopamine…

Question 14

Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter taht has what two types of receptors?

Answer 14

Nicotinic (excitatory) and muscarinic (inhibitory)

Question 15

What does Botulinum toxin interfere with

Answer 15

the release of Acetylcholine at nicotinic synapses, by preventing the vesicles from fusing with the cell membrane

Question 16

What is Botulinum used in?

Answer 16

botox

Question 17

Amphetamine is a simlar structure to dopamine, meaning what

Answer 17

• Due to its similarity to dopamine, amphetamine can enter the dopamine-releasing neuron either directly through the membrane or by binding to the dopamine transporter (molecule that ‘recycles’ dopamine back into the cell from the synaptic cleft)

Question 18

What is the nucleus accumbens

Answer 18

a group of cells in Basal Ganglia

Question 19

Which plant toxxin causes paralysis?

Answer 19

. the plant toxin curare in South America occupies acetylcholine’s receptors in excitatory (nicotinic) synapses, blocking them and causing paralysis

Curare acts as an antagonist.

Question 20

What is curare used in surgery as?

Answer 20

an anaesthetic agent

Question 21

What do agonists do?

Answer 21

imitate the behaviour of the neurotransmitter

Question 22

What is heroin an agonist of?

Answer 22

endorphines - natural body chemicals that bind to opiate receptors and reduces pain and induces relaxation

Question 23

What is nicotine an agonist for?

Answer 23

acetylcholine

Question 24

What does cocaine block the transporter of?

Answer 24

noradrenaline and dopamine

Question 25

What substances are foudn in chocolate

Answer 25

anandamide and phenylethylamine

Question 26

What self-inhibiting transmitter is released in coffee?

Answer 26

adenosine

Question 27

What does caffeine act on?

Answer 27

• It acts on cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)

Question 28

What does cAMP control

Answer 28

controls the energy levels in the cell via the regulation of glucose metabolism

Question 29

At a low dose, alcohol is an agonist of what

Answer 29

the neurotransmitter GABA. GABA is typically found in inhibitory synapses

Question 30

In high doses, alcohol binds to what

Answer 30

GABA channels leads to powerful inhibition and sedation

Question 31

What do MAO inhibitors do?

Answer 31

interfere with the enzyme MAO, which breaks down serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline

Question 32

what do tricyclic antidepressants do?

Answer 32

inhibit the transporter of serotonin, dopamine and noradrenaline

Question 33

What is schizophrenia associated with?

Answer 33

a surplus of dopamine