Lecture 3.1

Question 1

What does space mean?

Answer 1

Different places within the brain are specialized for different processes

Question 2

What is the nigrostriatal function?

Answer 2

Involuntary control.

Question 3

What is the mesolimbic function?

Answer 3

Reward and motivation.

Question 4

What is the mesocortical function?

Answer 4

Cognitive function, motivation, and emotions.

Question 5

What is the tuberoinfundibular function?

Answer 5

Inhibit prolactin release.

Question 6

What does time mean?

Answer 6

How quickly a signal occurs after a receptor is stimulated.

Question 7

What is fast-onset?

Answer 7

Start within milliseconds of receptors being occupied by a neurotransmitter.

Question 8

What is slow-onset?

Answer 8

Start within multiple milliseconds to full seconds of time.

Question 9

What does function mean?

Answer 9

The function that a particular process has within the neurochemical system.

Question 10

What are presynaptic processes?

Answer 10

Synthesizing and packaging neurotransmitters, supporting enzymes, and/or receptors.

Question 11

What is post-synaptic activation?

Answer 11

Activating receptors, second messenger systems, or post-synaptic genes.

Question 12

What is the post-synaptic cascade?

Answer 12

Cascading processes according to a new set of genes (e.g., making new synapses).

Question 13

What are receptors?

Answer 13

Long and complex 3D chains of amino acids (proteins) that wind in and out of the cell.

Question 14

What is the transport carrier?

Answer 14

Membrane protein that facilitates movement of molecules or ions across a cell membrane that would otherwise not be able to pass through.

Question 15

What is an active transport carrier?

Answer 15

Requires energy (ATP) to move molecules against their concentration gradient (low to high); e.g., sodium-potassium pump.

Question 16

What are passive transport carriers?

Answer 16

Requires no energy to move molecules down their concentration gradient (high to low); e.g., ion channels / aquaporins.

Question 17

What are second messenger systems?

Answer 17

Signaling pathways where second molecules are released in response to initial extracellular signaling molecules, often enhancing the initial signal inside the cell.

Question 18

What is gene regulation?

Answer 18

The process which determines when, where, and how much of a protein or RNA is produced.

Question 19

What are enzymes?

Answer 19

A protein that acts as a biological catalyst by accelerating chemical reactions.

Question 20

What are the 3 dimensions that can describe chemical transmission?

Answer 20

Space. Time. Function.

Question 21

What are examples of the 3 dimensions that can describe chemical transmission?

Answer 21

Nigrostriatal. Mesolimbic. Mesocortical. Tuberoinfundibular.

Question 22

Does the location of chemical systems matter?

Answer 22

Yes, where chemical systems are located is very important.

Question 23

What are the 2 categories of onset?

Answer 23

Fast-onset and Slow-onset.

Question 24

What are the 3 groups of functions?

Answer 24

Presynapatic processes. Post-synaptic activation. Post-synaptic cascade.

Question 25

What are the 3 portions of a receptor? What can each portion do?

Answer 25

○ Extracellular portion. § Ligand binding. § Sensing extracellular stimuli. § Interacting with other proteins. § Forms part of ion conducting pore. § May have receptor here. ○ Intracellular portion. § Can trigger second messenger systems by interacting with other transmembrane or intracellular proteins. ○ Transmembrane portion. § Forms part of ion conducting pore. § Facilitate passive movement of ions. § May have receptor here or hold it in place. § Selective binding sites for neurotransmitters. § Number of sections varies (is important functionally).

Question 26

How are receptors and their portions arranged?

Answer 26

In a 3D spiral around a central core.

Question 27

What are the 2 types of receptors?

Answer 27

G-protein coupled and Ligand-gated.

Question 28

What are some of the structures that the 2 types of receptors can be on?

Answer 28

Transport carriers.

Question 29

The cell membrane acts as what? How are transport carriers involved?

Answer 29

A barrier to keep various ions and proteins from mixing; transport carriers facilitate movement across the membrane.

Question 30

Are transport carriers active or passive?

Answer 30

Both active and passive.

Question 31

What is an example of a transport carrier?

Answer 31

Sodium-potassium pump.

Question 32

Can transport carriers facilitate reuptake?

Answer 32

Yes, transport carriers can also facilitate the reuptake of neurotransmitters from the synapse back to the pre-synaptic neuron.

Question 33

How do first and second messengers (systems) differ?

Answer 33

First messengers provide the initial activation of a receptor, then activates the second messenger, which then intracellularly activates ion channels.

Question 34

What are some common second messengers?

Answer 34

Calcium ions and nitric oxide.