Pharmacology Test #1

• Drug interactions occur when two or more drugs react with each other, altering their effects or causing harmful effects.
• The CNS is comprised of the brain and spinal cord.
• The peripheral nervous system contains 12 pairs of cranial nerves
• The peripheral nervous system contains 31 pairs of spinal nerves
• The Somatic nervous system is voluntary
• The autonomic nervous system is involuntary
• The autonomic nervous system and somatic nervous system are divisions of the peripheral nervous system
• Neurons of ANS innervate cardiac and smooth muscle walls of internal organs and glands
• The ANS regulates rate at which organs work to maintain homeostasis
• The sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system are divisions of the autonomic nervous system
• Adrenergic receptors respond to norepinephrine and epinephrine
• Cholinergic receptors respond to acetylcholine
• Afferent neurons carry sensory information toward the CNS
• Efferent neurons carry motor responses away from the CNS
• Synapses are the junction between two neurons, and allow communication between the two so the signal continues to the destination
• Sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the fight or flight response
• Sympathetic nervous system is housed in the thoracolumbar division
• Sympathetic nervous system originates from the thoracic and lumbar spinal nerves T1-L3
• The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for rest and digest
• The parasympathetic nervous system is housed in the craniosacral division
• Parasympathetic nervous system originates from the sacral spinal nerve S2-4
• Parasympathetic nervous system originates from the brain, cranial nerves 3, 7, 9, 10
• SNS activation is not selective
• PSNS activation is selective
• Sumpathetic preganglionic nerve fibers are short while parasympathetic nerve fibers are long
• Sympathetic postganglionic nerve fibers are long while parasympathetic nerve fibers are short
• Sympathetic neurons release NE, making it adrenergic
• Parasympathetic neurons release ACH, making it cholinergic
• The postganglionic neuron contains a nicotinic receptor, receiving ACH, where it releases either ACH or NE to the muscarinic receptor on the target cell
• SNS causes vasoconstriction
• PSNS causes vasodilation
• People have syncopal episodes on the toilet due to the vaso-vagal response, putting pressure on the vagus nerve
• Formation of norepinephrine in sympathetic postganglionic fibers: tyrosine --> DOPA --> dopamine, --> NE
• Alpha 1 target organs: smooth muscle walls of blood vessels, iris muscle
• alpha 2 targets: adrenergic nerve endings
• beta 1 targets: heart and juxtaglomerular cells of the kidney
• beta 2 targets: smooth muscle
• Alpha 1 responds to NE and epi
• Alpha 2 responds to NE and epi
• Beta 1 responds to NE and epi