Psychopharmacology Flashcards
What is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter?
GABA
What is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter?
Glutamate
What are antagonists?
Drugs that oppose or inhibit the effects of a NT on the postsynaptic cell.
What are agonists?
Drugs that facilitate the effects of a particular NT on the postsynaptic cell.
What are the agonistic effects that drugs can have on synaptic transmission? (6)
- Drug serves as precursor (creates more NT)
- Drug stimulates release of NT
- Drug blocks autoreceptors, inc synthesis / release if NT
- Drug stimulates postsynaptic receptors
- Drug blocks reuptake
- Drug inactivates acetylcholinesterase (post synaptic neuron)
What are antagonistic effects drugs can have?
Drug inactivates synthetic enzyme & inhibits synthesis of NT
Drug prevents storage of NT in vescicles
Drug stimulates autoreceptors, inhibits synthesis/release of NT
Drug inhibits release of NT
Drug blocks postsynaptic receptors
Where are neurotransmitters stored?
Vescicles
What are transporter molecules responsible for?
Reuptake of NT into terminal button
How do antagonist drugs work on transporter molecules?
Drug binds with molecule and blocks NT from entering
How do antagonistic drugs prevent release of NTs from terminal buttons?
Deactivate proteins that cause synaptic vesicles to fuse with presynaptic membrane
How do agonistic drugs increase release of NTs from terminal buttons?
Bind with proteins , triggering release of NTs
What is competitive binding?
Drug competes with neurotransmitter for binding site
What is non competitive binding
Binding of a drug on a receptor doesn’t interfere w primary binding
What is a direct agonist?
Drug that binds with and activates a receptor
What is a direct antagonist?
Binds with a receptor but doesn’t activate it (also known as receptor blocker)
How do antagonist drugs work on dendrites?
Activate dendrite autoreceptors, tf hyperpolarising the neuron and reducing its rate of firing.
How is the postsynaptic potential terminated?
Reuptake of the NT or destruction by an enzyme
How do drugs affect reuptake?
Attach to transporter molecules and block them from uptake
How do drugs affect destruction of NT by enzymes?
Molecules of drug bind with enzyme and stop it working
What is impact of NT transmitter molecules in synaptic cleft?
Stimulates autoreceptors
Are the drugs that impact on NT reuptake or destruction agonist or antagonist?
Agonist
What are the three catecholamines
Dopamine
Norepinephrine
Epinephrine
What is the Indolamine neurotransmitter?
Serotonin
What is the ethylamine neurotransmitter?
Histamine
What is acetylcholine?
Primary NT found in PNS
What are the effects if acetylcholine in dorsolateral pons?
Facilitate REM sleep
What are effects if acetylcholine in the basal forebrain?
Activating cerebral cortex and learning (esp perceptual)
What are effects if acetylcholine in medial septum?
Electrical rhythms of hippocampus and formation of particular types if memories
What are three systems (pathways) of dopaminergic neurons?
Nigrostriatal system (movement) Mesolimbic system (reinforcement) Mesocortical system (formation of short term memories, planning, problem solving)
Describe the Mesolimbic pathway for dopamine?
Neurons are located in ventral tegmental area and project axons to limbic system, incl nucleus accumbens which plays role in reinforcing effects if stimuli
Where are most of the cell bodies of noradrenergic (norepinephrine) neurons found?
Pons and medulla, thalamus
What does activation of noradrenergic (norepinephrine) neurons in locus coerulus (dorsal pons) do?
Increase in vigilance
What does seratonin affect?
Regulation of mood, control of eat, sleep and arousal, response to pain
What type of PSPs does dopamine produce?
Both excitatory and inhibitory, depends on type of receptor
What are increased levels of dopamine in nucleus accumbens caused by?
Drugs of abuse Natural reinforces (eg food if choice)
What do dopamine receptor blockers do?
Interfere with reinforcement (antagonist)
What are two methods by which amphetamines increase norepinephrine?
Block reuptake
Stimulate release of catecholamines
What does Prozac do?
Blocks reuptake of seratonin (SSRI - seratonin specific reuptake inhibitor)
