Acetycholine
A neurotransmitter in the cholinergic system located in many parts of the brain, with high concentrations in the motor cortex and basal ganglia; also a neurotransmitter in the ANS and at peripheral neuromuscular junctions. It exerts excitatory effects at
Dopamine
a neurotransmitter in the dopaminergic system; is inhibitory in the basal ganglia but may be excitatory in other areas. Repeated stimulation of dopamine receptors decreases their numbers (DOWN-REGULATION) and their sensitivity to dopamine (desensitization
Gamma-aminobutyric acid GABA
abundant in the brain and spinal cord, the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the CNS with a role in many neuronal circuits
Glutamate
the most important excitatory neurotransmitter, occurs in high concentrations in most areas of the CNS
neuron
structural unit of the nervous system
neurotransmission
neurotransmitters, synapses, and receptors work together to produce communication networks; the interactions between and among these systems promote order to disorder in the body's physical and mental processes
neurotransmitters
chemical substances that carry messages from one neuron to another, or from a neuron to other body tissues, such as cardiac or skeletal muscle
norepinephrine
mainly an excitatory neurotransmitter that stimulates the brain to generalized increased activity
receptors
proteins that are embedded in cell membranes of body tissues. in the CNS most receptors are on postsynaptic neurons, few are on presynaptic nerve terminals.
Increase in # and activity is up-regulation
decrease in # and activity is down-regulation or overa
serotonin
a major neurotransmitter in the cns, thought to produce sleep inhibiting by inhibiting CNS activity and arousal; seratonin receptors are associated with mood, anxiety, and temperature regulation
synapse
a microscopic gap that separates neurons in a chain
Most acute CNS responses are caused by fast-acting neurotransmitters such as (acetylcholine, dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin) and amino acids (aspartate, GABA, glutamate, glycine)
no info here
Factors that affect the availability and function of neurotransmitters
1. availability of needed proteins and enzymes necessary to synthesize particular neurotransmitters
2. the number and binding capacity of receptors in the cell membranes
3. acid-base imbalances
4. hypoxia...which causes CNS depression
5. drugs that may al
When does up-regulation of receptors occur?
Up-regulation occurs when receptors are increased in number and activity.
A patient has Parkinson's disease. In caring for him and administering medications, the nurse understands his symptoms and his drug regimen as being related to what?
a decrease in the neurotransmitter dopamine, reflected in the medication regimen and in symptoms of the disease.
The neurotransmitter system most associated with REM sleep is what?
The noradrenergic system has been found to play an important role in REM sleep, the sleep during which dreaming occurs
When caring for a patient with serious sleep disorders that are linked to an imbalance in neurotransmitters the nurse knows that the patient is most likely to have an abnormal level of what?
An imbalance in serotonin is thought to be involved in mental depression and sleep disturbances
A patient is admitted to a unit with a diagnosis of Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. The nurse knows that this condition is triggered by a deficiency in what?
The Wernike-Korsakoff syndrome is a form of encephalopathy, triggered when thiamine deficiency reduces glucose use and thereby causes degeneration of the myelin sheaths of neurons.