Physiological Psychology 300 Test 1 -

Front 1

Acetylcholine

Back 1

Chemical neurotransmitter released by cholinergic neurons. All skeletal muscle neurons, smooth muscle, cardiac muscle and glands, sweatglands. Binds to nicotinic and muscarinic receptors.

Front 2

aceteylcholinesterase

Back 2

Breaks down Acetylcholine into acetate and choline.

Front 3

Addiction mechanism

Back 3

Drugs stimulate the nervous system and produce initial feelings of euphoria, drug reward system in limbic system is activated.

Front 4

agonist

Back 4

a drug that mimics or increase the effects of a neurotransmitter.

Front 5

alcoholism

Back 5

the continued use of alcohol despite medical or social harm, even after people have decided to stop or reduce drinking.

Front 6

amino acids

Back 6

GABA (inhibitory), Glycine, Aspartate, Glutamate (Excitatory), found only in CNS.

Front 7

amphetemines

Back 7

cause neuron's terminals to release dopamine and norepinephrine,

Front 8

antagonist

Back 8

drug that blocks the effects of a neurotransmitter.

Front 9

anterior pituitary

Back 9

One of two parts of the pituitary gland, synthesizes six hormones. They are released or inhibited by releasing hormones sent from the hypothalamus

Front 10

caffeine

Back 10

The most widely used psychoactive drug, produces behavioral effects indirectly by blocking the action of adenosine, which inhibits the reease of dopamine, norepineprine, and ACh.

Front 11

cannabinoids

Back 11

Chemical related to THC, have been used medically to releieve pain, nausea, glaucoma.

Front 12

catecholamine

Back 12

Dopamine, norepineprine, epinephrine

Front 13

chemical synapse events

Back 13

1) action potential opens CA++ gates.
2) Ca enters syn. term.
3) CA stimulates vesices to fuse with membrane and release NT via exocytosis
4) CA remove from synaptic knob by mitochondria or CA pumps.
5) NT diffues across cleft, binds to post. membrane.
6) Receptor changes shape of ion channel, changing membrane potential
7) NT destroyed by enzymes or reup. by astrocytes or post memb.

Front 14

cholinergic receptors

Back 14

Acetylcholine binds to cholinergic receptors

Front 15

cocaine

Back 15

A stimulant that heightens the effects of norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin by blocking their reabsorption

Front 16

Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)

Back 16

main chemical in marijuana. It binds to neurons in certain regions of the brain, especially with the limbic sysem and substantia nigra.

Front 17

Curare

Back 17

An antagonist to Ach at the neuromuscular junction

Front 18

Depressant drugs

Back 18

Psychoactive drugs that slow down or impair the activity of the CNS.

Front 19

Dopamine

Back 19

Binds to dopaminergic receptors ofsubstantia nigra of midbrain and hypothalumus
Invoved in motor control, autonomic functioning, hormone reguaion, motivational behavior and reward.
Hypothesized to be heavily involved in all addictive drugs and behaviors.

Front 20

Drug reward system

Back 20

Complex mechanism primarily in limbic system. User is strongly motivated to maintain a constant level of drug in bloodstream or binge when drug is available.

Front 21

Drugs interfere with neurotransmission-how?

Back 21

Increase # of impulses
Release NT from vesicles
Block reuptake or receptors
Produce more or less NT
Prevent vesicles from releasing NT

Front 22

What is drug tolerance?

Back 22

After repeated use, larger doses are needed to produce the same behavioral effect.

Front 23

What is drug dependence?

Back 23

User seeks out drug to avoid effects of withdrawl

Front 24

What is drug withdrawal?

Back 24

A range of unpleasant effects that occur because the body adjusts to repeated administration of the drug and its continued presence.

Front 25

Endocrine glands

Back 25

Glands that produce hormones, includes Hypothaamus, pineal gland and pituitary gland.

Front 26

EPSPs

Back 26

Excitatory postsnaptic potentials. EPSPs are graded potentials that can initiate an action potential in an axon. They use only chemically gated channels.

Front 27

Exocytosis

Back 27

release of neurotransmitter in bursts from the presynaptic neuron into the synaptic cleft

Front 28

GABA

Back 28

1) gamma amino butyric acid
2) can be direct or indirect
3) Main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain.
4) Inhibitory effects increased when alcohol GABA increase receptors.

Front 29

gap junctions

Back 29

They are synapses without transmitter substances. At these locations, a nerve impulse is passed immediately to the next neuron through gaps in the membranes

Front 30

G-protein

Back 30

Processing releases a second neurotransmitter.

Front 31

glutamate

Back 31

1) indirect via G proteins and 2nd mssengers
2) direct opening Ca++ channels
3) Excitatory, found throughout brain.
4) Learning and memory
5) toxic and cancer

Front 32

hallucenogenic drugs

Back 32

A drug that distorts perception and conscious experience.

Front 33

hormone

Back 33

A hormone is a chemical that is secreted, in most cases by a gland that influences activity in other organs.

Front 34

inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP)

Back 34

Temporary hyperpolarization of a membrane occuring when synaptic input selectively opens the gates for potassium ions to leave the cell or for chloride ions to enter the cell.

Front 35

ionotropic effect (direct)

Back 35

When the NT opens ion channels. it promotes rapid responses (e.g. ACh and amino acides.)

Front 36

metabotropic effect (indirect)

Back 36

neurotransmitters that act through secondary messengers

Front 37

Monoamines

Back 37

Catecholines (norepinephrine, dopamine, epinephrine) and indolamines (serotonin and histamine). Important sympathhetic NTs, play roles in emotional behaviors and our biological clock.

Front 38

morphine & heroin

Back 38

Depressants derived from opium, activateopiate receptors, mainly in limbic system. Supress activity of neurons that inhibit the release of dopamine.

Front 39

muscarinic receptor

Back 39

G-protein couple receptors, on all parasympatheti target organs (cardiac and smooth muscles), are excitatory in most cases; inhibitory in others.

Front 40

myasthenia gravis

Back 40

occurs when ACH receptors destroyed by patients' own antibodies.

Front 41

Neuropeptide Y

Back 41

stimulates apetite and food intake. Acts on G-protein linked receptors.

Front 42

Neurotransmitter

Back 42

Chemicals used for neuronal communication with the body and brain.

Front 43

Nicotine

Back 43

Stimulant that activates one set of synaptic receptors for the NT acetylcholine.Like an acetylcholine agonist.

Front 44

Nicotinic receptor

Back 44

Receptor that controls the release of the hormone epinephrine from the adrenal gands and release of dopamine and serotonin from neurons in the limbic system.

Front 45

nitric oxide

Back 45

Novel messenger that's a short-lived toxic gas. diffuses through post-synaptic membrane to bind with intracelular receptor (guanynyl cyclase). It's a free radical and highlyreactive.

Front 46

Norepinephrine

Back 46

Biogenic amine that is main NT of sympathetic branch of automatic nervous system. binds to adrenergic receptors. Exci or inhib depending on receptor. It's the feel good NT. Amphetamines enhance reease. Plays a role in bipolar disease.

Front 47

Nucleus accumbens

Back 47

Located in the forebrain.. Nearly all abused drugs, as well as a variety of other highly reinforcing or addictive activities, increase dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens.

Front 48

opiate drugs

Back 48

Drugs derived from or chemically similar to those derived from the opium poppy. Tey act like endorphins. They stimulate endorphin synapses, which inhibit neurons that inhibit release of dopamine.

Front 49

opioids

Back 49

Systems that respond to opiate drugs and similar chemicals.

Front 50

oxytocin

Back 50

A pituitary hormone involved in sexual pleasure, reproductive behavior, decrease in anxiety afterorgasm.

Front 51

peptide

Back 51

Short chain of amino acids.

Front 52

peptide hormone

Back 52

Short chain of amino acid which attaches to membrane receptors and then activates a 2nd messenger.

Front 53

pituitary gland

Back 53

Endocrine gland attached to the base of the hypothalamus. They hypothalamus sends messages to pituitary telling it to release hormones.

Front 54

postsynaptic neuron

Back 54

Cell that receives the message.

Front 55

presypnatic neuron

Back 55

Cell that sends the message.

Front 56

Reuptake mechanism

Back 56

Presynaptic neuron takes up most of the released NT molecules intact and reuses them.

Front 57

Second messenger

Back 57

In metabotropic synapse, Substance activated by G protein-linked receptors that open or close ion channels, activate kinase enzymes, phosporylate proteins, activate genes and induce protein synthesis.

Front 58

Self-stimulation of the brain

Back 58

Behavior that is reinforced by direct electrical stimuation of the brain area.

Front 59

Serotonin

Back 59

Synthesized from tryptophan, may play role in sleep, appetite, mood reguation, drugs thatbock uptake relieve anxiety and depression. Ecstasy targets serotonin receptors.

Front 60

spatial summation

Back 60

Postynaptic neuron is stimulated by a large number of presynaptic neurons at the same time.

Front 61

spontaneous firing rate

Back 61

A periodic production of action potentials even without synaptic input. In such neurons, EPSPs increase the frequency of action.

Front 62

stimulant drugs

Back 62

Psychoactive drugs that speed up or enance the activity of the central nervous system.

Front 63

substance abuse

Back 63

Maladaptive pattern of substance use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress.

Front 64

substance P

Back 64

A NT released in response to strong pain along with glutamate by pain axons in the spinal chord. If it is not present, only mild pain will be exerpienced.

Front 65

synaptic delay and fatigue

Back 65

The delay that occurs at junction between one neuron and the next. Discovered because velocity of impulse traveling along reflex arc was slower than action potential along a single axon.

Front 66

synaptic fatigue

Back 66

Resynthesis and transport of recycled NT unable to keep pace with demand for NT. Synapse remains inactive until NT has been replenished.

Front 67

temporal summation

Back 67

one presynaptic neuron transmits impulses in rapid-fire order.

Front 68

Vesicle

Back 68

Tiny nearly spherical packets in the presynaptic terminal that hold high concentrations of neurotransmitter molecules.

Front 69

VTA

Back 69

ventral tegmental area is located in midbrain, is a major source of axons that release dopamine in the nucleus accumbens.