L25 MCQ - Biogenic Amines and Neurotransmitters Quiz

Dopamine and Motor Control

• The enzyme COMT is responsible for the degradation of dopamine in the synaptic cleft.
• Insufficient dopamine in the nigrostriatal pathway is associated with Parkinson's disease.

Neurotransmitters and Enzymes

• Dopamine is the main neurotransmitter involved in motor control.
• Tyrosine hydroxylase is the enzyme responsible for converting tyrosine into L-DOPA, a precursor to dopamine.

Substantia Nigra and Parkinson's Disease

• The substantia nigra is involved in motor control and is affected in Parkinson's disease.
• The loss of pigmentation in the substantia nigra in Parkinson's disease is due to the death of dopaminergic neurons.

Treatments for Parkinson's Disease

• Dopamine Enhancers, such as L-DOPA, are a common treatment for Parkinson's disease that enhance dopamine signaling.
• Reserpine, a drug that depletes catecholamine stores, has an opposite effect on dopamine signaling.

Biogenic Amines and Neurotransmission

• Biogenic amines, including dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin, are synthesized from amino acids.
• Vesicles containing dopamine β-hydroxylase (DBH) are found in postganglionic neurons of the sympathetic nervous system.
• The VMAT (vesicular monoamine transporter) is responsible for the uptake and storage of catecholamines and indoleamines.
• D1-like receptors are coupled to G proteins and increase adenylate cyclase activity when stimulated.

Catecholamines and Lewy Bodies

• Catecholamines, including dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine, are involved in various bodily functions, such as motor control and stress response.
• Lewy bodies are abnormal protein clumps found in catecholaminergic cells and are a hallmark of Parkinson's disease.
• Tyrosine is not converted into L-DOPA by tyrosine hydroxylase in the absence of a cofactor.

Diagnostic Markers

• The presence of TH-positive neurons is a diagnostic marker for catecholaminergic cells.

Test your knowledge on biogenic amines, bioactive amine neurotransmitters implicated in various behaviors such as movement, reward, addiction, depression, and sleep. Learn about the catecholamines and their role as neurotransmitters like dopamine and norepinephrine. Explore the pharmacological drugs that affect their neurotransmission.