76 Questions
Which category of neurotransmitters is synthesized locally in the presynaptic terminal?
Amino acids
Which category of neurotransmitters is synthesized in the cell soma and transported to the terminal?
Monoamines
Which neurotransmitter is categorized as a catecholamine?
Dopamine
Which neurotransmitter is released in response to a global increase in Ca2+?
Acetylcholine
Which neurotransmitter slightly depolarizes the postsynaptic cell's membrane?
Glutamate
Which neurotransmitter slightly hyperpolarizes the postsynaptic cell's membrane?
GABA
Which category of neurotransmitters is released in response to a local increase in Ca2+?
Amino acids
Which neurotransmitter is synthesized in the cell soma and transported to the terminal?
Acetylcholine
Which drug blocks the reuptake of serotonin and is used in the treatment of depression and OCD?
Fluoxetine
Which neurotransmitter is degraded by acetylcholinesterase in the synaptic cleft?
Acetylcholine
Which neurotransmitter is released in response to local increase in Ca2+ concentration in the presynaptic terminal?
Acetylcholine
Which neurotransmitter is stored in vesicles and is terminated by reuptake by Serotonin transporters?
Serotonin
Which neurotransmitters are neuropeptides?
Endorphins and Neuropeptide Y
Which neurotransmitters are released in response to global increase in Ca2+ concentration in the presynaptic terminal?
Serotonin and Acetylcholine
Which neurotransmitter is synthesized from glutamate in a reaction catalyzed by glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD)?
GABA
Which neurotransmitter is synthesized in the cell soma and transported to the terminal, stored in secretory granules, and released in response to a global increase in Ca2+?
Acetylcholine
Which neurotransmitter is a catecholamine?
Dopamine
Which enzyme converts Levodopa into dopamine?
Dopa decarboxylase
Which transporter is responsible for reuptake of dopamine and norepinephrine into the axon terminal?
Norepinephrine transporters (NETs)
Which drug blocks dopamine reuptake into terminals, resulting in more dopamine in the synaptic cleft and extended action on the postsynaptic neuron?
Cocaine
Which drug is a COMT inhibitor that increases the available amount of neurotransmitter?
Entacapone
Which of the following is NOT a type of neurotransmitter mentioned in the text?
Neuropeptides
Which category of neurotransmitters is synthesized a long way away in the presynaptic soma?
Neuropeptides
Which neurotransmitter is your excitatory neurotransmitter?
Glutamate
Which neurotransmitter is your inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain?
GABA
Which neurotransmitter is your inhibitory neurotransmitter in the spinal cord?
Glycine
Which neurotransmitter is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter?
GABA
Which neurotransmitter is the main excitatory neurotransmitter?
Glutamate
Which neurotransmitter is synthesized from glucose via the Krebs cycle and converted by two enzymes into glutamate?
Glutamate
Which neurotransmitter is synthesized from glutamate and is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter?
GABA
Which neurotransmitter is involved in mood disorders like depression, sleep regulation, pain perception, emotion processing, and appetite?
Serotonin
Where are neuro modulators mainly synthesized in the nervous system?
Brainstem
What is the common principle of organization for all neuro modulators?
They are synthesized in a small set of neurons, usually in the brainstem
Why does the nervous system have multiple neurotransmitters?
To coordinate information processing over large parts of the network
Which neurotransmitter is synthesized from tyrosine and is involved in the motor system and reward signals?
Dopamine
Which neurotransmitter is released in response to a global increase in calcium ion concentration in the presynaptic terminal, leading to cell death due to excitotoxicity?
Glutamate
Which neurotransmitter is involved in sedation and coma when there is an excess amount in the cortex?
GABA
Which neurotransmitter is synthesized from tyrosine and is important in regulating the balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters?
Dopamine
Which neurotransmitter is synthesized from tyrosine in two steps and can be further synthesized into noradrenaline and adrenaline?
Dopamine
Which enzyme is responsible for creating noradrenaline from dopamine and is found only within the synaptic vesicles?
Vesicular monoamine transporter
Which drug blocks the reuptake of dopamine and norepinephrine into the axon terminals, resulting in more dopamine available in the synaptic cleft and extended action on the postsynaptic neuron?
Amphetamine
Which drug is a COMT inhibitor that increases the available amount of dopamine by preventing its breakdown?
Levodopa
Which enzyme is responsible for converting tryptophan into serotonin?
Tryptophan hydroxylase
What is the role of serotonin transporters?
To terminate the signal by reuptake
Which drug blocks the free uptake of serotonin?
Fluoxetine
What is the function of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)?
To increase the available amount of serotonin
What role does serotonin play in mood disorders?
It indicates the role of serotonin in mood disorders
Which neurotransmitter is destroyed by mouths in the cytoplasm?
Serotonin
Which neurotransmitters are released in response to high frequency stimulation in the presynaptic terminal?
Glutamate and neuropeptides
What is the advantage of having different neurotransmitters in the central nervous system?
They can work at different time scales
Which neurotransmitters require a global increase in calcium ion concentration for release?
Glutamate and neuropeptides
What is the difference between the release of small molecule neurotransmitters and neuropeptides in the presynaptic terminal?
Small molecule neurotransmitters are released in the active zone, while neuropeptides are released further back
What neurotransmitters are synthesized locally in presynaptic terminal?
Amino acids
What type of neurotransmitters are stored in synaptic vesicles?
monoamines
What type of neurotransmitters are released in response to local increase in Ca2+?
Acetylcholine
What type of neurotransmitters are synthesized in the cell soma and transported to the terminal and stored in secretory granules and released in response to global increase in Ca2+
Neuropeptides
What is NOT true regarding the neurotransmitter Glutamate?
glial cells convert glutamine to Glu and this is transported from the glia (“ball boys”) back to nerve terminals where it is converted back into Glutamate.
What is NOT true regarding GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid)?
lower proportion of GABA is made de novo to refill vesicles rather thanrecycling
What metabolite that can be converted back to GABA- Increases amount of available GABA- too much leads to unconsciousness and coma?
GHB γ-hydroxybutyrate (date rape drug)
What happens when there is too much GABA?
sedation/coma
Monoamine neurotransmitters include indolamines and the catecholamines. What is NOT an example of a catecholamines?
serotonin
Monoamine neurotransmitters include indolamines and the catecholamines. What is an example of an indolamines?
Serotonin
Which neurotransmitters are released in response to global increase in Ca2+ concentrationin the presynaptic terminal?
Neuropeptides
All catecholamines are synthesized from the amino acid l-tyrosine according to the following sequence: tyrosine → dopa (dihydroxyphenylalanine) → dopamine → norepinephrine (noradrenaline) → epinephrine (adrenaline)
Which enzyme catalyses the conversion of dopamine to norepinephrine, and is located in synaptic vesicles only, and NE is the only transmitter synthesised within vesicles.
Dopamine β-Hydroxylase (DBH)
What molecule is the precursor of dopamine, an used as a treatment for Parkinson’s disease. Dopa decarboxylase converts it into dopamine increasing the pool of releasable transmitter
L DOPA
What is NOT true regarding catecholamine release and uptake?
in the cytoplasm the catecholamines are activated by Catechol-O-methyl-transferase (COMT)
What is NOT true regarding modulation of catecholamine release & reuptake by drug?
Cocaine and Methylphenidate (Ritalin) enhance DA reuptake into terminals. Less DA in synaptic cleft – extended action on postsynaptic neuron
What are the correct steps for serotonin synthesis?
tryptophan hydroxylase converts tryptophan to 5-hydroxytryptophan, which is then decarboxylated to produce serotonin
What is NOT true regarding serotonin storage, release and reuptake?
stored in the cytoplasm
What is NOT true regarding drugs modulating serotonin release and reuptake?
Fluoxetine (Prozac) enhances reuptake of serotonin (SSRI – selectiveserotonin reuptake inhibitor) (treatment of depression, OCD
What is NOT true regarding Acetylcholine (ACh)?
Choline is transported back into the postsynaptic terminal and converted to acetylcholine
Which enzyme block the breakdown of ACh, prolonging its actions in the synaptic cleft e.g. Neostigmine (treatment of myasthenia gravis, MG)
AChE (Acetylcholinesterase) inhibitors
What is NOT true regarding a major neurotransmitters in the CNS: Neuropeptides
Long polypeptide chains (3 to 36 amino acids)
What is NOT true regarding Neuropeptide release and degradation?
release is faster than small molecule release and signals may be maintained for longer
What is NOT true regarding soluble gases: Nitric oxide (NO) and Carbon monoxide
Activates guanylyl cyclase which makes the third messenger cGMP
What is NOT true regarding Endocannabinoids?
Big lipid which mostly cause reduced GABA release at certain inhibitory terminals
Study Notes
Chemicals in the Brain Lecture Summary
- The lecture is about chemicals in the brain and is for personal use only.
- The lecture covers the location and structure of chemical signals and synapses.
- It also discusses synaptic transmission, including the synthesis, storage, release, recovery, and breakdown of neurotransmitters.
- The lecture categorizes neurotransmitters into amino acids, monoamines, acetylcholine, and neuropeptides.
- Amino acid transmitters are fast and can be excitatory or inhibitory.
- The serotonergic system, part of the diffuse modulatory systems, functions in mood, sleep, pain, emotion, and appetite.
- Glutamate is a fast neurotransmitter synthesized in the presynaptic terminal and is the most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter in the CNS.
- GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter synthesized from glutamate and is stored in vesicles.
- Excessive glutamate or inadequate GABA can lead to hyper-excitability or sedation/coma.
- Catecholamines, such as dopamine and norepinephrine, are synthesized in two steps and stored in vesicles.
- Serotonin is synthesized in two steps and stored in vesicles, and its release and reuptake can be modulated by drugs.
- Acetylcholine is synthesized from choline and acetyl CoA and is rapidly degraded by acetylcholinesterase.
Test your knowledge on serotonin synthesis, storage, release, and reuptake with this quiz. Learn about the two-step synthesis process, the role of serotonin transporters, and the drugs that modulate serotonin release and reuptake. Keywords: serotonin, synthesis, storage, release, reuptake, serotonin transporters, drugs
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