Research Methods in Pharmacology Flashcards
scientific method
observation - generate question - form hypotheses - generate predictions - perfomr experiments - observations - refine hypotheses - generate predictions
in vivo
analyses performed in a living organism
in vitro
in glass, analyses performed in test tube
ex vivo
analyses performed in live tissue removed from an organism
in situ
analyses performed in context to living tissue but typically after dissection
Stereotaxic surgery
Apparatus for specific positioning of instruments/syringe into the brain
Microdialysis
Technique for collecting fluid from a live and awake animal – analysis of neurotransmitter levels, signalling molecules, drugs, etc in vivo
Chromatography
Chromatographic techniques separate molecules based on their size, charge, relative polarity, or specific interactions
Analytes proteins
column chromatography (size exclusion, cation/anion exchange, affinity)
Analytes Proteins/peptides
high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) often coupled to mass spectroscopy (HPLC-MS)
Analytes Neurotransmitters
– HPLC, gas chromatography (GC)
Analytes Drugs
HPLC, GC, thin layer chromatography (TLC)
Electrophysiological recording
A variety of techniques for measuring electrical activity in organisms, tissues, or cells
Electrophysiological recording beneficial in
in vivo, ex vivo, or in vitro
In vivo electrical recordings
Implantable electrodes connected to an external recorder
Can measure activity in specific regions during normal behaviour
Typically measure field activity (relatively large number of neurons)
Intracellular recording
Measures activity across the membrane of a single cell
Immunohistochemistry
the detection of proteins in tissue
Immunocytochemistry
the detection of proteins in cells (typically cells cultured in vitro)
Confocal microscopy
Specialized technique used in fluorescence microscopy to filter out-of-plane light
2-Photon microscopy
Uses infrared lasers (700-900 nm) to image living tissue
Magnetic resonance imaging
uses the phenomenon of nuclear magnetic resonance to generate structural images of living tissue
Positron Emission Tomography
Uses positron-emitting radiotracers to analyze brain receptors or metabolism
Radioligands for specific receptors can
Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography
Uses gamma-emitting radiotracers to analyze brain blood flow
fMRI is used to
measure functional connectivity by correlating changes in activity during tasks between regions (fcMRI)
Structural connectivity is established using
DTI
Optogenetics
Expression of opsins can be used to non-invasively stimulate or inhibit neuronal function in vivo
Construct validity
Similarity between the methods by which the models is induced and the etiology of disease
Predictive validity
Utility of the model to predict drug effects
Face validity
Ability of the model to recreate key features of a disease
Morris water maze tests
spatial memory
