Agonist Drugs:
Mimic effects of neurotransmitters naturally found in the human brain
Antagonist Drugs:
Block the brain’s neurotransmitters
Neurotransmitter
Function
Effect of
Deficit
Effect of
Surplus
Agonist Drug
Acetylcholine (ACh)
Produces muscle
contractions and is
found in the motor
neurons: Involved in
memory formation,
learning, and general
intellectual functioning
Paralysis,
Alzheimer’s
Violent
Muscle
Contractions
Nicotine
Dopamine
Involved in voluntary
muscle movement,
attention, learning,
memory, emotional
arousal, and
pleasurable
sensations
Parkinson’s
Schizophrenia Cocaine
Drug
addiction
Serotonin
Involved in mood,
sexual behavior, pain
perception, sleep,
eating behavior, and
maintaining a normal
body temperature
Depression,
Anxiety,
OCD,
Insomnia
Autism
Prozac, SSRIs
Norepinephrine
Involved in increasing
heartbeat, arousal,
learning, memory, and
eating
Depression
Anxiety
Caffeine,
Amphetamines
Endorphins
Regulates pain
perception and
involved in sexuality,
pregnancy, labor, and
positive emotions
associated with
aerobic exercise
Body
experiences
pain
Body may not
give adequate
warning about
pain, artificial
highs
Opiates
Silly memory aids for the neurotransmitters
Antagonist
Drug
Anti-Psychotic
drugs like
Thorazine
Lithium
ACh- Take the “A” and put it with “Alzheimer’s”, Alzheimer’s involves memory loss and ACh
involves memory processing
Dopamine- Too much Dopamine makes you “dopey” (as in Schizophrenic) Excess dopamine
causes the brain to be over stimulated or “dopey’
Serotonin- “Sarah’s tone is very sad.” Too little serotonin causes depression as this chemical
plays a role in moods.
Norepinephrine- “Nora is bi-polar” Too much and too little norepinephrine causes mania and
depression in folks who have bi-polar as this chemical also affects moods
GABA- “Gabby” talks too much and needs to be quieted down, and made to be more
“inhibited.” GABA is an inhibitory chemical that slows down neural functions.
Glutamate- Glutamate sounds like glucose. Glucose is a sugar-like substance, and sugar
increases energy and “excites” the body. Glutamate is an excitatory chemical that speeds up
the nervous system.
ACh- Acetylcholine
● Controls muscle movement and memory processing
● Alzheimers -Lack
● Uncontrollable Muscle Movement- Excess
● Nicotine- Agonist
Dopamine● Controls mood
● Parkinsons- Lack
● Schizophrenia- Excess
● Cocaine- Agonist
● Antagonist- Anti-psychotic Drugs
Serotonin● Affects mood
● Depression, Anxiety, OCD, Insomnia- Lack
● Autism- Excess
● SSRIs- Agonist
Norepinephrine● Affects mood
● Depression- Lack
●
●
●
Anxiety- Excess
Caffeine, Amphetamines- Agonist
Lithium- Antagonist
GABA● Gabby needs to be calmed down
● Inhibiting neurotransmitter
Glutamate● Excitatory neurotransmitter
● Like Sugar
Endorphins● Affects mood and pleasure and pain sensitivity
● Feel immense amounts of pain- Lack
● Dangerous to not feel pain- Excess
○ Natural Highs
● Agonist- Opiates
The knee jerk reflex is controlled by interneurons in the (SPINAL CORD)
Action potential, electrical state of axon is (DEPOLARIZED; SLIGHTLY NEGATIVE)
Endocrine gland and body growth (PITUITARY GLAND)
(Spinal Cord)
Action potential, electrical state of axon is (Depolarized)(less negative)
Endocrine gland and body growth (Pituitary Gland)
Runners high is due to the release of (endorphins)
Reuptake (reabsorption of excess neurotransmitters by sending neuron)
Neurons that carry info away from spinal cord (efferent neurons)
S(Sensory)
A(Afferent)
M(Motor)
E(Efferent)
Opiate drugs occupy the same receptor sites as (endorphins)
~Block pain signals
Hormones are chemical messengers of the (endocrine system)
Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that travel across the (synaptic gap)
Studies neurotransmitter abnormalities in depressed patients (biological psychologist)
ACh is linked to (alzheimers)
Positively charges ions across the membranes of a neuron an produce (action potential)
All or none response pattern (firing a neural impulse)
The selectively permeability of a neural membrane creates an (resting potential)
~Slightly negative because selectively permeability
PNS to sensory neurons as CNS is to (interneurons)
~Central nervous system only has INTERNEURONS
~Brain and Spinal Cord
Sequence of neural impulse transmission
Dendrite Cell body Axon Terminal Branches Synapse
Longest part of motor neuron is (Axon)
Role of sympathetic nervous system (Preparing for fight or flight)
Strengtnening of synaptic connections facilitates the formation of (Neural Networks)
Simple reflex simple (sensory neuron
Drug that enhances the effects of a neurotransmitter (an agonist)
~Tell the next neuron to fire
Theory about bumps on skull revealing abilities and traits is (phrenology)
Too much dopamine is associated with (schizophrenia)
~Not enough is (Parkinsons)
-Anti psychotic works to stop dopamine firing
Electrical charge that travels down the axon of a neuron is called (action potential)
Dendrite function is to (Receive Signals)
Depolarization of neural membrane can create a (action potential)
The neuron located exclusively in the brain and spinal cord is the (interneuron)
Voluntary movements, such as writing with a pencial are directed by the (Somatic Nervous
System)
Job of sodium pump is to (Keep axon charged by returning and keeping sodium outside)
Psychoactive drugs interfere with normal neural transmission. Where does this take place?
(Synapse)
~Mimics neurotransmitters
Speed of a neural impulse increases when the axon is covered with (myelin sheath)
Electrochemical information system is called (Nervous System)
Self regulating body function are governed by the (Autonomic Nervous system)
Serotonin Affects (Mood)
Acetylcholine (ACh)
Muscle contractions, and memory
Dopamine
Serotonin
Sarah is in a bad tone, affects mood
Alzheimers, Paralysis
Norepinephrine
Noradrenaline,
Endorphins
Pain threshold