Anatomy neurotransmitters and drugs

Methamphetamine

• dopamine

  • taken up by dopamine transporters and pushes dopamine out of vesicles

  • pump dopamine into the synapse where it becmes trapped

    • repeatedly binds to receptors

Alcohol

• GABA and Glutamate

  • increases the inhibitory effects of GABA

    • binds to glutamate receptors, preventing glutamate from binding to and exciting the cell

Cocaine

• dopamine

  • blocks dopamine transporters

    • excess dopamine becomes trapped in the synapse whereit repeatedly binds to receptors and overstimulates the cell

LSD

• serotonin

  • mimics serotonin and binds to serotonin receptors

  • can be excitatory or inhibitory

Heroin

• dopamine and inhibitory neurotransmitters

  • mimics natural opiates, binding to opiate receptors, which turns off dopamine inhibition

    • allows dopamine to flood the synapse

  • immediate feelings of sedation and well-being

  • painkiller

Ecstasy

• serotonin

  • mimics serotonin and is taken up by serotonin transporters

  • more easily taken up than serotonin itself

Marijuana

• dopamine and an inhibitory neurotransmitter

  • binds to cannabinoid receptors

  • turns of the release of inhibitory neurotransmitters

  • excess dopamine floods the synapse

Acetylcholine's function

muscle contraction in the PNS

• also memory and learning

dopamine’s function

motor control and brain’s reward system

Epinephrine function

excites heart, flight of fight response

GABA function

inhibits CNS activity

Glutamate function

excitation of CNS

serotonin

excites/inhibits nervous system

• affects mood, hunger, sleep, and arousal

Norepinephrine function

attention, alertness, mood

• fight or flight resposne

Endorphins function

opiate-like, control pain, produce sense of euphoria

4 inhibitory neurotransmitters

• Endorphins

• GABA

• Dopamine

• serotonin

3 Excitatory neurotransmitters

• Glutamate

• Acetylcholine

• norepinephrine

What is a result of too much / too little acetylcholine

too much - muscle spasms

too little - alzheimers

What is a result of too much / too little dopamine

too much - schizophrenia/depression

too little - Parkinson’s, tremors

What is a result of too much / too little GABA

too much: panic attacks, stress

too little: anxiety, seizures, tremors, insomnia

What is a result of too much / too little glutamate

too much: migraines and seizures

too little: no known conditions

What is a result of too much / too little norepinephrine

too much: anxiety

too little: mental disorders, mainly depression

What is a result of too much / too little serotonin

too much: hallucinations

too little: depression, some anxiety disorders, OCD