Neurotransmitters

Question 1

define biogenic amines

Answer 1

biogenic substance with one or more amine groups; a basic nitrogenous compound formed by decarboxylation of an amino acid or by amination or transamination of an aldehyde or ketone

Question 2

examples of biogenic amines

Answer 2

serotonin acetylcholine norepinephrine

Question 3

Who did the experiments with frogs to discover neurotransmitters (NTs)?

Answer 3

Otto Loewi

Question 4

what makes a neurotransmitter excitatory or inhibitory

Answer 4

Receptor through which NT acts (NOT transmitter itself)

Question 5

what NTs are considered small molecules

Answer 5

biogenic amines amino acids

Question 6

where are biogenic amines synthesized

Answer 6

nerve terminal

Question 7

what are the biogenic amines

Answer 7

acetylcholine dopamine serotonin histamine norepinephrine epinephrine

Question 8

which of the biogenic amines are also catecholamines

Answer 8

epinephrine norepinephrine dopamine

Question 9

what are the amino acids

Answer 9

GABA glutamate aspartate glycine

Question 10

what NTs are considered large molecules

Answer 10

peptides

Question 11

what are the peptides

Answer 11

opioid family: enkephalin endorphin dynorphin

Question 12

where are peptides synthesized

Answer 12

made in cell body from precursor peptides and then shipped to terminals

Question 13

what are peptides often co-released with

Answer 13

a classical transmitter

Question 14

other examples of NTs AKA co-factors AKA second messengers

Answer 14

NO CO adenosine eicosanoids taurine tryptamine prostaglandins neuroactive steroids

Question 15

what NTs are typically excitatory in the brain

Answer 15

glutamate aspartate small percentage ACh

Question 16

what is the direction of projections for glutamate

Answer 16

descending

Question 17

role of glutamate in CNS function

Answer 17

majority of fast synaptic transmission

Question 18

which disease results from too much glutamatergic transmission

Answer 18

Epilepsy

Question 19

which disease results from neurotoxicity via subtype of glutamate receptor

Answer 19

Huntington’s

Question 20

which diseases are due to problems with glutamate

Answer 20

epilepsy huntington’s

Question 21

what NTs are typically inhibitory in the brain

Answer 21

GABA (often but not always) dopamine

Question 22

what is the direction of projections for GABA

Answer 22

diffuse

Question 23

what diseases result from too low activity of GABA

Answer 23

Epilepsy Huntington’s Anxiety

Question 24

what direction of projections for dopamine

Answer 24

ascending

Question 25

disease where not enough dopamine

Answer 25

Parkinsons

Question 26

disease where too much dopamine

Answer 26

Schizophrenia

Question 27

anatomy for Parkinsons

Answer 27

cell bodies in substantial nigra project to striatum and these die/degenerate in parkinsons

Question 28

what is used as treatment of Parkinsons

Answer 28

L-dopa

Question 29

anatomy for Schizophrenia

Answer 29

cell bodies in ventral tegmental area project to nucleus accumbens and these are hyperactive in schizophrenia path to pre-frontal cortex is underreactive

Question 30

what is the nucleus accumbent important for besides Schizophrenia

Answer 30

addiction

Question 31

what diseases where dopamine affected

Answer 31

Parkinson's Schizophrenia Addiction

Question 32

where are the cell bodies that release acetylcholine

Answer 32

septal nuclei and nucleus basalis

Question 33

projections for acetylcholine

Answer 33

ascending to cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus

Question 34

what NT was the first identified NT

Answer 34

acetylcholine

Question 35

disease where affected by acetylcholine

Answer 35

Alzheimers cholinergic neurons degenerated avoid anticholinergic drugs in elderly cuz their use causes confusion and mental slowness

Question 36

disease where affected by acetylcholine and dopamine

Answer 36

Parkinson's as dopaminergic neurons die, cholinergic tone predominates on outflow from striatum

Question 37

balance of acetylcholine and dopamine in Parkinson's

Answer 37

see picture

Question 38

what is used to treat Parkinson's

Answer 38

anticholinergic drugs along with dopamine replacing or mimicking drugs

Question 39

what is norepinephrine typically in CNS (inhibitory or excitatory)

Answer 39

inhibitory

Question 40

where are cell bodies located for norepinephrine

Answer 40

locus coeruleus

Question 41

what direction are projections for norepinephrine

Answer 41

ascending

Question 42

terminal field for NE projections

Answer 42

neocortex cerebellum hippocampus

Question 43

role of NE in CNS function

Answer 43

attentiveness mood (dec levels of NE in depression) hyperactivity in withdrawal from addictive drugs

Question 44

origin of serotonin projections

Answer 44

raphe nucleus

Question 45

direction of projection with serotonin

Answer 45

ascending

Question 46

terminal field of projections with serotonin

Answer 46

cortex hippocampus cerebellum and many more

Question 47

role of serotonin in CNS function

Answer 47

depression migraine anxiety sleep

Question 48

origin of histamine projections

Answer 48

tuberomamillary nucleus of hypothalamus

Question 49

direction of projections of histamine

Answer 49

diffuse ascending projections

Question 50

role in CNS of histamine

Answer 50

wakefulness antihistamines that penetrate BBB make you sleepy newer antihistamines don't penetrate BBB so don't make you sleepy