Neurochemistry & Psychopharmacology (Lecture Notes)

synthesis: enzyme + choline acetyltransferase, acetylcholenzyme A+choline+acetyltransferases

breakdown: acetylcholinesterase breaks it back down

receptors: nicotinic receptors – bound by nicotine, found in brain and muscle cells muscarinic receptors – bound by muscarine

neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, neuro-hormones, neuromodulators

chemical signals that are used to talk from one neuron to (commonly) another neuron

short sequences of amino acids

released from neurons into the blood stream

influence signaling at a synapse, not direct communication

acetylcholine, catecholamine, serotonin

dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine

L-Tyrosine turned into L-DOPA using tyrosine hydroxyl
L-DOPA turned into dopamine by DOPA decarboxylase
dopamine turned into norepinephrine
norepinephrine to epinephrine by DNMT

reuptake transporters pulls dopamine back into cell

MAO (manoamine oxidase) and COMT (catechol-o-methyltransferase)

stimulant drugs (cocaine, meth)
antipsychotics (D2-antagonists)
antidepressants (MAOI’s, tricyclic antidepressants, SNRI’s)

starts with L-tryptophan, turns into 5-hydroxytryptophan (5HT) by tryptophan hydroxylase

5HT1-5HT8, 18 total, all metabotropic except 5HT3 (ionotropic)

breakdown by MAO
metabolism/reuptake by SERT (serotonin reuptake transporter)

MDMA, hallucinogens, antidepressants

glutamate and aspartate

primary a.a. nt’s
ionotropic receptors: NMDA, AMPA, kainate
metabotropic receptors: mGluR1-mGluR8
drugs: caffeine, PCP, MSG, astrocytes pull glutamate out of synapse

GABA and glycine

made and conserved in pathway GABA shunt
glutamate turns into GABA using glutamic acid decarboxylase

GABA broken down into smaller components by GABA transaminase, recycled in GABA shunt

GABA-A, possess specific binding sites

barbituates

tetanus, pesticide form can cause seizures, drug interaction is strychnine

endogenous opioids, hypothalamus

made by the body, shorter strands of a.a., cleaved from propeptides (longer peptides)
endorphins: synthesized by pro-pomc
enkephalin: synthesized by proenkephalin
dynorphins: synthesized by prodynorphin

receptors: bind to mu, kappa, & delta receptors

drugs: opiate/opiod drugs, exogenous

released into bloodstream from posterior pituitary
oxytocin & vasopressin (AVP)

start of labor, causes milk let down in nursing mothers, “love hormone”

causes kidneys to conserve water, antidiuretic hormone, may cause social voidance

sympathetic nervous system, fight or flight, HPA axis, system designed to be short-lived, should turn itself off

hypothalamus, pituitary, adrenal gland
hypothalamus releases CRH
causes anterior pituitary to release ACTH
causes adrenal gland to release cortisol
(cortisol mobilizes energy, helps fight off infection)

hippocampus: has glucocorticoids, change neurons in structure & function when constantly activated

amygdala: attuned to processing fear responses, SNS & HPA axis

locus coeruleus: brain cells in brain stem, alertness/awareness

can activate a receptor although NOT a hormone or neurotransmitter

inhibits activation of a receptor, blocks a hormone or neurotransmitter

how well something is bonded to a receptor

how well it activates a receptor

affect mood, thinking, behavior
psychoactive drugs
pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics

movement of a drug through the body
route of administration: how it gets into the system
absorption: process of getting into the bloodstream, best to be lipid soluble
distribution: disbursement throughout the body, depot binding (hinders distribution, have an affinity for fat cells)
biotransformation: metabolism of the drug in liver
excretion: kidneys/urine, waste, saliva, breast milk

the effect of a drug at the target tissue, agonist vs antagonist, pharmacodynamics tolerance (change in the neuron)