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Neuroscience > Chapter 5 > Flashcards

Chapter 5 Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the purpose of synaptic transmission?

A
  • Synaptic transmission is information transfer at the synapse
  • Plays a role in all the operations of the nervous system
  • 1987:Charles Sherrington
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2
Q

How does information flow through the synapse?

A
  • Generally in one direction: neuron to target cell
  • First neuron: presynaptic neuron
  • Target cell: postsynaptic neuron
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3
Q

What are the two types of synapses?

A
  1. Electrical synapses (later 1950s, Furshpan and Potter)
  2. Chemical synapses (1921, Otto Loewi)
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4
Q

What is the structure of the electrical synapse?

A

Electrical synapse consists of a gap junction: a channel formed by Connexin proteins

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5
Q

What does it mean for cells to be electrically coupled?

A

Ions from the cytoplasm of one cell flow to the cytoplasm of another cell

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6
Q

What is the difference between electrical and chemical synapses?

A
  • Electrical synapses are bidirectional
  • Very fast transmission (postsynaptic potentials PSPs)
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7
Q

What is synaptic integration?

A

When several postsynaptic potentials (PSPs) occur simultaneously to excite a neuron, causing action potential

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8
Q

What is axdendritic synapse?

A

Axon to dendrite

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9
Q

What is axsomatic synpase?

A

Axon to cell body

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10
Q

What is axoaxonic synapse?

A

Axon to axon

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11
Q

What is axospinous synapse?

A

Axon to dendritic spine

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12
Q

What are the two types of categories of CNS synaptic membrane differentiations?

A

Gray’s Type I morphology and Gray’s Type II morphology

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13
Q

What is Gray’s Type I Morphology?

A

Asymmetrical morphing, usually excitatory synapses
-Glutamate transmitter

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14
Q

What is Gray’s Type II Morphology?

A

Symmetrical morphing, usually inhibitory synapses
- GABA or glycine neurotransmitter
- In addition to being on dendrites, they’re also clustered on soma or near axon hillock

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15
Q

What is the role and function of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ)?

A
  • Studies of NMJ established the principles of synaptic transmission
  • The postsynaptic membrane (motor end plate) contains junctional folds with numerous neurotransmitter receptors
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16
Q

What is the basis for neurological and psychiatric disorders?

A

Defective synaptic transmission

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17
Q

What is the sequence for chemical synaptic transmission?

A
  • Neurotransmitter synthesis
  • Load neurotransmitter into synaptic vesicles
  • Vesicles fuse to presynaptic terminal
  • Neurotransmitter spills into synaptic cleft
  • Binds to postsynaptic receptors
  • Biochemical/electrical response elicited into postsynaptic cell
  • Removal of neurotransmitter from synaptic cleft
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18
Q

What are amino acids and their role?

A

Small organic molecules that act as vesicles
- Glutamate (Glu)
- GABA
- Glycine (Gly)

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19
Q

What are amines and their role?

A

Small organic molecules that also act as vesicles
- Acetylcholine (Ach)
- Dopamine
- Histamine

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20
Q

What are peptides and their role?

A

Short amino acid chains (proteins) that act as secretory granules
- Substance P
- Dynorphin
- Enkephalins

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21
Q

What is the pathway for secretory granules?

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A
  1. They are packaged with peptide neurotransmitters at the soma VIA the rough ER
  2. Enter the Golgi Apparatus pathway
  3. Transported to presynaptic sites via microtubule transport
22
Q

Synaptic vesicles require the local presence of….

Study These Flashcards
A
  1. Neurotransmitter synthesizing enzyme
  2. Vesicular neurotransmitter transport protein
    * Are largely used and recycled locally at presynaptic sites
23
Q

What is shown in the image?

Study These Flashcards
A

Release of neurotransmitter by exocytosis

24
Q

What is the purpose of SNARE proteins?

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A

SNARE proteins dock the synaptic vesicle at the synaptic membrane

25
What stimulates the process of exocytosis?
Exocytosis is stimulated by an increase in intracellular Calcium
26
What is the sequence for Calcium stimulating exocytosis?
1. Calcium binds to calcium sensor protein (Synaptotagmin) 2. Alters conformation of SNARE complexes, triggering vesicle membrane incorporation intro presynaptic membrane
27
What is the end result of exocytosis?
Neurotransmitter is released into the cleft and the vesicle membrane is recovered by endocytosis
28
What are the neurotransmitter receptors?
- Metabotropic receptors - G-protein coupled receptors - Transmitter-gated ion channels (ionotropic receptors)
29
What is excitatory post-synaptic potential (EPSP)?
Transient postsynaptic membrane depolarization caused by presynaptic release of neurotransmitter
30
What is the purpose of EPSP integration?
- EPSP integration is when EPSPs are added together to produce significant postsynaptic depolarization - With sufficient EPSP integration, threshold can be reached to fire an action potential
31
What is inhibitory post-synaptic potential (IPSP)?
Transient hyperpolarization of postsynaptic membrane potential caused by presynaptic release of neurotransmitter
32
What is the function of inhibitory synapses?
They take membrane potential away from the action potential threshold - They exert powerful control over neuron output
33
What generates an EPSP?
- A neurotransmitter, commonly glutamate - Glutamate ion channels = AMPA, NMDA
34
What are synaptic vesicles?
Elementary units of synaptic transmission
35
What is the purpose quantal analysis?
It's used to determine the number of vesicles that release during neurotransmission
36
Membrane depolarization falls off ____
Exponentially with increasing distance along a dendrite
37
What are the purpose of dendrites?
- They contribute to more complex integrative properties - Excitable dendrites boost the transmission of an excitatory synaptic event to the soma
38
What ion channels are present in most dendrites?
Na+, K+, Ca2+
39
What is the summary of synaptic integration?
It's the process by which multiple synaptic potentials combine within one postsynaptic neuron
40
What is the summary of EPSP?
-EPSP allows for neurons to peroform sophisticated computations - Integration: EPSPs added together to produce significant postsynaptic depolarization - Spatial summation: EPSPs generated simultaneously at different sites - Temporal summation: EPSPs generated at the same synapse in rapid succession
41
What generates an IPSP?
1. A neurotransmitter, commonly GABA 2. Gaba ion channels = GABAR
42
What is the difference between excitatory and inhibitory synapses?
They bind different neurotransmitters and allow different ions to pass through channels - Inhibitory synapses exert powerful control over neuron output
43
What happens if the membrane potential is less negative than -65 mV IPSP?
IPSP will have hyperpolarizing effect
44
What is shunting inhibition?
The synapse inhibits current flow from soma to axon hillock
45
What is synaptic transmission modulation?
It's the signaling of events that modifies the strength of synaptic transmission Ex: activating G-protein coupled norepinephrine B-receptor
46
Where are receptors commonly found?
In the membrane of presynaptic axon terminal
47
What are autoreceptors?
Presynaptic receptors sensitive to the neurotransmitter released by the presynaptic terminal - Appear to function as a sort of safety valve
48
What is a common effect of activating autoreceptors?
Inhibition of neurotransmitter release
49
What are the possible outcomes of a synaptic released neurotransmitter?
* Diffusion of transmitter molecules away from synapse 1. Reuptake: neurotransmitter re-enters presynaptic axon terminal - Requires plasma membrane transport proteins 2. Uptake by nearby glia cells (astrocytes) - Requires plasma membrane transport proteins 3. Enzymatic degradation - Ex: AChE cleaves Ach to render it inactive
50
How do receptors react to drugs in the nervous system (neuropharmacology)?
1. Receptor antagonists: inhibitors of neurotransmitter receptors - Curare (nicotinic acetylcholine receptor blocker) 2. Receptor agonists: mimic actions of naturally occurring neurotransmitters - Nicotine (nicotinic acetylcholine receptor activator)
51
Essentially, what is the molecular basis for drug addiction?
Hijacking brain reward circuits

Neuroscience (8 decks)

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