NEUR 3200 Lecture Notes - Lecture 8: Psychoactive Drug, Autoreceptor, Reserpine

• School: Carleton University
• Department: Neuroscience
• Course: NEUR 3200
• Professor: Patrice Smith

Document Summary

When a wave of depolarization reaches the axon terminal, voltage-gated ca2+ channels open and ca2+ rushes into the cell; then vesicles dock with the cell membrane. Exocytosis: fusion of vesicle membranes with the axon terminal membrane, releasing the neurotransmitter into the synaptic cleft. The vesicle membrane is recycled with endocytosis, which is when the cell membrane buds and pinches off a portion, which then fuses with an endosome. Neurotransmitter auto-receptors: auto-receptors: receptors for the same transmitter released by the neuron, terminal auto-receptors: activated by the neurotransmitter; inhibit neurotransmitter; inhibit further transmitter release. Both auto-receptors and terminal auto-receptors act as off switches. Clonidinecan stimulate auto-receptors for 5-ht (serotonin); and reduces. It results in an antagonistic effect, but it is not an antagonist. It binds to auto-receptors and results in their activity. (question on clonidinecan on the midterm) Illicit drug use is more prevalent in late adolescence and early adulthood.