Neuro - Anat & Phys (Neurotransmitters & Blood-brain barrier)

Question 1

Where is norepinephrine synthesized?

Answer 1

Locus ceruleus (pons)

Question 2

Where is dopamine synthesized?

Answer 2

Ventral tegmentum and SNc (midbrain)

Question 3

Where is 5-HT synthesized?

Answer 3

Raphe nucleus (pons, medulla, midbrain)

Question 4

Where is ACh synthesized?

Answer 4

Basal nucleus of Meynert

Question 5

Where is GABA synthesized?

Answer 5

Nucleus accumbens

Question 6

What are 2 behavioral components that are controlled through the locus ceruleus?

Answer 6

Locus ceruleus - stress and panic.

Question 7

What are 4 behavioral components that are controlled by the nucleus accumbens? What other nucleus is also associated with these 4 behavioral components?

Answer 7

Nucleus accumbens and septal nucleus - reward center, pleasure, addiction, fear.

Question 8

What is the primary purpose of the blood-brain barrier? What are 2 helpful consequences of this?

Answer 8

Prevents circulating blood substances from reaching the CSF/CNS; Helps prevent bacterial infection from spreading into the CNS. Also restricts drug delivery to brain.

Question 9

What 3 structures form the blood-brain barrier?

Answer 9

Formed by 3 structures: (1) Tight junctions between nonfenestrated capillary endothelial cells (2) Basement membrane (3) Astrocyte foot processes

Question 10

What are 2 changes in norepinephrine caused by diseases?

Answer 10

(1) Increase in anxiety (2) Decrease in depression

Question 11

What are 3 changes in dopamine caused by diseases?

Answer 11

(1) Increase in Huntington disease (2) Decrease in Parkinson disease (3) Decrease in depression

Question 12

What are 3 changes in 5-HT caused by diseases?

Answer 12

(1) Increase in Parkinson disease (2) Decrease in anxiety (3) Decrease in depression

Question 13

What are 3 changes in ACh caused by diseases?

Answer 13

(1) Increase in Parkinson disease (2) Decrease in Alzheimer disease (3) Decrease in Huntington disease

Question 14

What are 2 changes in GABA caused by diseases?

Answer 14

(1) Decrease in anxiety (2) Decrease in Huntington disease

Question 15

Name 1 neurotransmitter that is increased in anxiety and 2 neurotransmitters that are decreased in anxiety.

Answer 15

INCREASE ANXIETY: (1) Norepinephrine; DECREASE ANXIETY: (1) 5-HT (2) GABA

Question 16

Name 3 neurotransmitters that are decreased in depression.

Answer 16

DECREASE DEPRESSION: (1) Norepinhephrine (2) Dopamine (3) 5-HT

Question 17

Name 1 neurotransmitter that increases in Huntington disease and 2 neurotransmitters that decrease in Huntington disease.

Answer 17

INCREASE HUNTINGTON DISEASE: (1) Dopamine; DECREASE HUNTINGTON DISEASE: (1) ACh (2) GABA

Question 18

Name 2 neurotransmitters that increase in Parkinson disease and 1 neurotransmitter that decreases in Parkinson disease.

Answer 18

INCREASE PARKINSON DISEASE: (1) 5-HT (2) ACh; DECREASE PARKINSON DISEASE: (1) Dopamine

Question 19

Name 1 neurotransmitter that decreases in Alzheimer disease.

Answer 19

DECREASE ALZHEIMER DISEASE: (1) ACh

Question 20

In general, what substances cross the blood-brain barrier, and how?

Answer 20

GLUCOSE AND AMINO ACIDS cross slowly by carrier-mediated transport mechanism; NONPOLAR/LIPID-SOLUBLE substances cross rapidly via diffusion

Question 21

Draw a visual of the blood-brain barrier, including and labeling the following: capillary lumen, basement membrane, tight junction, and astrocyte foot processes.

Answer 21

See p. 449 in First Aid 2014 or p. 413 in First Aid 2013 for visual

Question 22

Explain the mechanism and purpose of the exception to the blood-brain barrier in certain brain regions. Also, include examples of the substances involved.

Answer 22

A few specialized brain regions with fenestrated capillaries and no blood-brain barrier allow molecules in the blood to affect brain function (e.g., area postrema - vomiting after chemo, OVLT - osmotic sensing) or neurosecretory products to enter circulation (e.g., neurohypophysis - ADH release)

Question 23

Besides the blood-brain barrier, name 2 other notable blood barriers.

Answer 23

Other notable barriers include: (1) Blood-testis barrier (2) Maternal-fetal blood barrier of placenta.

Question 24

What can result from infarction of endothelial cell tight junctions in the blood-brain barrier? What else can cause this?

Answer 24

Infarction and/or neoplasm destroys endothelial cell tight junctions –> vasogenic edema

Question 25

What kind of neurologic inputs and outputs permeate the blood-brain barrier?

Answer 25

Hypothalamic inputs and outputs permeate the blood-brain barrier.