Neurotransmitters and Disease

• Equation for Acetylcholine synthesis

  Acetyl CoA + Choline -> Acetylcholine catalysed by Choline acetyl transferase
• Acetylcholine catabolism.

  Acetylcholine -> Acetate + Choline catalysed by Acetylcholinesterase
• What are the 2 main forms of ACh

  
  

  • Nicotinic
  • muscarinic
• What is Alzheimers

  Progressive onset of dementia [decline cognitive ability]
• What is the pathology of alzheimers.

  
  

  Formation of plaques and tangles [NFTs] resulting in gliosis.

  Brain atrophy develops.
• Alzheimer treatments

  
  

  • AChE inhibitors
  • Glutamate agonist [NMDA, Mg2+]
• What is the clinical presentation of parkinson's

  • stooped posture
  • shuffling [impaired volutnary]
  • Tremers at rest [impared involuntary]
• Treatments of Parkinson's disease

  
  

  1. L-dopa for dopamine production
  2. MAO-B + COMPT inhibitors [catoblism]
• Synthesis of seretonin

  
  

  1. Tryptophan [Tryptophan hydroxylase]
  2. 5-Hydroxytryptophan [5-hydroxytryptophan decarboxylase]
  3. 5-Hydroxytryptamine [Seretonin]
• What type of receptors does 5-HT utilise.

  • Ionotropic
  • Metabotropic [5-HT 3]
• What is low seretonin associated with.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  Depression and anxiety disorders.
• Glutamate and GABA

  Glutamate is excitatory, GABA is inhibitory
• Which GABA receptor is ionotropic and which metabotropic.

  • A = Ionotropic
  • B= Metabotropic
• Briefly describe each of the glutamate receptors.

  • NMDA = ionotropic
  • Non-NMDA = Ionotropic
  • mGLut = Metabotropic
• What cell is inolved in catoblism of GABA and glutamate.

  Astryocyte
• Where are peptide transmitters found.

  Hypothalamus.
• How are peptide transmitters actions terminated.

  Extracellular proteases.
• What is the relative rate of peptide transmitter action.

  Slow
• What do GABA agonists treat.

  Seizure disorders.
• What does memantine treat. [Glutamine agonist]

  Alzheimer's.
• How does memnatine work.

  • NDMA agonist [Glutamate]
  • Blocks Mg2+binding site
• Explain why memantine work.

  NMDA receptors are most pearmable to Ca2+.

  Prevents prolonged Ca2+ influx.
• Which ion(s) are NMDA receptors most permeable to.

  Ca2+.
• What ion(s) are Non-NMDA receptors most permeable to.

  Na+ and K+
• Describe the Glutamate life cycle.

  1. Glutamine [Glutamine synthetases]
  2. Glutamate [Astryocyte]
  3. Glutamine [Glutamine synthetases]
• Describe the GABA life cycles.

  1. Glutamine [Glutamine synthetases]
  2. Glutamate [Glutamate decarboxylate]
  3. GABA [Astryocyte]
  4. Citric Acid Cycle
  5. Glutamate [Glutamine synthetases]
  6. Glutamine
• What type of AA are Glutamate and GABA and why.

  Non-essential because they are not obtained from the diet.
• What enzymes catabolises seretonin.

  • monoamine oxidase
  • aldehyde dehydrogenase
• What is the role of the 5-HT transporters.

  Reuptake of 5-HT.
• What does SSRI stand for.

  
  

  Selective Serotonin reuptake inhibitors.
• What is the pathology of parkinsons.

  
  

  • Degeneration of dopaminergic neurones in substantia nigra [Mid brain]
• What condition is Ach associated with.

  Alzheimers.
• What condition is associated with dopamine loss.

  Parkinson's
• Describe the dopamine sysnthesis pathway.

  1. Tryosine [Tryosine hydroxylase]
  2. DOPA
  3. Dopamine
  4. Noraapinephrine
  5. Epinephrine
• What are D1 like receptors and what do they cause.

  • D1 and D5
  • Stimulate Adenylate cyclase
• What are D2 receptors and their effect.

  • D2, D3 and D4.
  • Inhibit adenylate cyclase