week 3 Flashcards
What is the primary role of dopamine (DA)?
Motivation and coordination, emotions, pleasure, attention, voluntary judgment, and release of prolactin
Also involved in memory, mood, sleep, learning, concentration, and movement.
What are signs of low dopamine levels?
Apathy, low energy and motivation, low libido, and inability to experience pleasure
Associated with depression and Parkinson’s.
What can an increase in dopamine lead to?
Schizophrenia, mania, aggressive behavior, substance use disorder and addiction.
What is the purpose of serotonin (5-HT)?
Responsible for sleep, arousal, libido, appetite, mood and aggression, pain perception, coordination and judgment
Also involved in platelet aggregation and increases gastric emptying.
What happens when serotonin levels decrease?
Major depressive disorder, PTSD, OCD, and impacted sexual drive.
What is serotonin syndrome?
A condition that occurs with increased serotonin levels, leading to symptoms of mania, schizophrenia, and anxiety.
What is the role of norepinephrine (NE)?
Mood, cognition, perceptions, locomotion, cardiovascular functioning, forming memories, sleep and arousal.
What is the ‘Fight or Flight’ response associated with?
Norepinephrine (NE)
Causes an increase in attention span.
What are the effects of decreased norepinephrine?
Depression that can lead to ADHD.
What can an increase in norepinephrine lead to?
Anxiety and mania.
What is the primary function of Y-aminobutyric acid (GABA)?
A primary inhibitory neurotransmitter that slows down body activity.
Fill in the blank: More GABA = _______.
Less anxiety.
What are the consequences of decreased GABA levels?
Anxiety and mood disorders, panic attacks.
What does an increase in GABA help with?
Reduces stress, relieves anxiety, and improves sleep.
What is glutamate primarily associated with?
Memory, learning, cognition, and emotion.
What happens with decreased glutamate levels?
Psychosis and schizophrenia.
What are the effects of increased glutamate?
Memory and learning impairments.
What is the role of acetylcholine (ACh)?
Cognition, learning, sleep, arousal, pain, perception, movement and memory.
What condition is associated with decreased acetylcholine levels?
Alzheimer’s disease.
In what population do we see an increased level of acetylcholine?
Those who are actively depressed
mechanism of action for benzodiazepines
- bind GABA throughout the CNS
- given during an emergency due to fast acting nature
What is the purpose of benzodiazepines?
Relieve stress and anxiety.
What are the side effects of benzodiazepines?
Respiratory depression/arrest, drowsiness, do not take with alcohol.
What is the action of buspirone?
- Mediated by 5-HT1A receptors
- inhibits serotonin (which increases it)
- slow acting
purpose of buspirone
short term treatment of generalized anxiety disorder
side effects of buspirone
nausea and headaches, not given during an acute anxiety attack
action of SSRIs
inhibits the re-uptake of serotonin
What is the purpose of SSRIs?
Treat major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder.
What are common side effects of SSRIs?
Agitation, sexual dysfunction, increased risk for suicidal ideation.
What is the action of first-generation antipsychotics (FGA)?
Block dopamine (decreases dopamine).
purpose of FGAs
suppress symptoms of schizophrenia (delusions, hallucinations, alterations in speech)
What are the side effects of first-generation antipsychotics?
Anticholinergic effects: dry mouth, constipation, orthostatic hypotension.
What distinguishes second-generation antipsychotics (SGA) from FGAs?
SGAs block dopamine receptors and some serotonin receptors.
purpose of SGAs
treats schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and irritability in those with autism
What are the side effects of second-generation antipsychotics?
Weight gain, exacerbations of diabetes, increased cholesterol.
What is the action of cholinesterase inhibitors?
Increase levels and duration of acetylcholine action by inhibiting cholinesterase enzyme (breaks down aCh)
purpose of cholinesterase inhibitors
treatment of Alzheimer’s disease
mechanism of action for stimulants
cause presynaptic neurons to release dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine and blocks the re-uptake of each
What is the therapeutic use of stimulants?
ADHD and narcolepsy.
What are the side effects of stimulants?
Growth suppression; adequate diet education required.
What is the mechanism of action of mood stabilizers like lithium?
Affects regulating the reuptake of monoamine neurotransmitters.
what do mood stabilizers (lithium) treat
bipolar disorder
What are the side effects of lithium therapy?
Diarrhea, nausea, increased thirst, fine hand tremors, weight gain.
