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Neurotransmitters: Catecholamines & Acetylcholine Chapters 5 & 6. Catecholamines Dopamine Norepinephrine Epinephrine Acetylcholine Serotonin Glutamate GABA. Neurotransmitter Families. Neurotransmitters. Structural features of catecholamines. Synthesis of Catecholamines .
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Neurotransmitters:Catecholamines & AcetylcholineChapters 5 & 6 • Catecholamines • Dopamine • Norepinephrine • Epinephrine • Acetylcholine • Serotonin • Glutamate • GABA
Neurotransmitter Families Neurotransmitters
Synthesis of Catecholamines “rate-limiting enzyme”
CatecholeminesSome adjectives • Dopamine (DA) • “dopaminergic” • Norepinephrine (NE) • “noradrenergic” • Epinephrine (EPI) • “adrenergic”
Storage of Catecholaminesvesicular monoamine transporter protein (VMAT2)
Behavioral effects of reserpine http://home.caregroup.org/clinical/altmed/interactions/Images/Herbs/rauwolfi.gif
Dopamine Systems in the Brain • Mesolimbic pathway • Reinforcement • Mesocortical pathway • Planning • Nigrostriatal pathway • Movement
Parkinson’s Disease: Damage to the substantia nigra http://www.urmc.rochester.edu/neuroslides/slides/slide199.jpg
Causes of Parkinson’s Disease • Degeneration of substantia nigra • Less dopaminergic activity in basal ganglia • Discovery of MPPP MPTP and MPP+
Norepinephrine http://homepage.psy.utexas.edu/homepage/class/Psy301/Salinas/sec2/Brain/31.GIF
Functions of Acetylcholine (ACh) • Neuromuscular junction (movement) • Central nervous system (learning and memory)
Acetylcholine Receptors • Nicotinic receptors • Neuromuscular junctions • Ionotropic (ion channel) • Curare works on these receptors • Muscarinic receptors • Metatropic (second messengers) • Hippocampus, striatum • Morphine • Also located in heart and smooth muscles • Nightshade
Serotonin (5-HT) • Mood • Appetite • Sleep
Glutamate • Is an amino acid • Made from breakdown of glucose • Used for: • Making other proteins • Metabolism (energy) • Excitatory neurotransmitter
Glutamate • Excitotoxicity • Excessive exposure to glutamate which leads to cell damage or cell death • Examples: • Domoic acid • Strokes
GABA • GABA is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter of the central nervous system. • The GABAA receptor interacts with a number of drugs.
Why is Inhibition Important? • Tetanospasmin (tetanus toxin) hitches a ride to the central nervous system from a wound site using the retrograde transport system within axons. • The toxin binds to receptor sites for gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA),and can’t be dislodged. • Without normal inhibitory input from GABA, muscles begin to go into sudden, involuntary contractions, or spasms.