Slides 1 Flashcards
What do local anesthetics do?
They reversibly block impulse conduction along nerve axons that utilize sodium channels as the
primary means of action potential generation.
What are local anesthetics used for?
1) To block pain sensation from specific areas of the body.
2) To block sympathetic vasoconstrictor impulses to specific areas of the body.
At least three nociceptors
are recognized:
1) Acid
2) Injury
3) Heat
What does a nerve ending have?
Opioid receptors
What do opioid receptors do?
Inhibit action potential generation
What does the axon have?
Na+ and K+ channels
What do Na+ and K+ channels do?
Propagate action potentials
Synaptic transmission involves:
The release of substance P, a neuropeptide (NP), and glutamate and activation of their receptors on the secondary neuron.
What modulates the transmission process?
Alpha2 adrenoceptors and opioid receptors
What are the ionotropic glutamate receptors?
1) α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-
proprionic acid (AMPA) receptors
2) Kainic acid (KA) receptors
3) N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors
Where are AMPA receptors found?
In all neurons
What are AMPA receptors permeable to?
Na+ and K+, but NOT to Ca+2
Where are KA receptors found?
1) Hippocampus
2) Cerebellum
3) Spinal cord
What are KA receptors permeable to?
Na+ and K+, and some to Ca+2
Where are NMDA receptors found?
In all neurons
What are NMDA receptors permeable to?
Na+, K+, and Ca+2
Peptides often coexist with ___ in the same neuron.
A conventional nonpeptide transmitter
Substance P is contained in and released from:
Small unmyelinated primary sensory neurons in the spinal cord and brain stem.
What does substance P do?
Causes a slow EPSP in target neurons = transmit noxious stimuli.
Substance P is also released with:
Glutamate