PSYC 100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Substance P, Motor Coordination, Peripheral Nervous System

• School: McGill University
• Department: Psychology
• Course: PSYC 100
• Professor: Jens Pruessner

Document Summary

Agonist: drugs and toxins that enhance neurotransmitters" action. Antagonist: drugs and toxins that inhibit these actions. Drugs and toxin can also bind to the receptors, mimicking neurotransmitters. (heroin, cocaine) Acetylcholine (ach): responsible for motor control at the junction between nerves and muscles; also involved in mental processes such as learning, memory, sleeping and dreaming. Botulism (inhibits the release of ach, also used as botox, paralyzing muscles that cause wrinkles) alzheimer"s disease is associated with diminished ach. Drugs that are ach antagonist may enhance memory. Four of these are called monoamines (epinephrine, norepinephrine, serotonine, and dopamine). Their major function is to control states of arousal and affect feelings and to motivate behaviour. Epinephrine: neurotransmitter responsible for adrenaline rushes, bursts of energy caused by its release throughout the body. Noreinephrine: involved in states of arousal and awareness. It inhibits the response to weak synaptic inputs and strengthens or maintains responsiveness to strong one.