NeuroscienceLesson 1 of 3 in the course Neurotransmitters and neuromodulation

Neurotransmitter Signaling, Effects, and Major Transmitter Systems

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

Save course
Lesson progress
0 / 5

Your progress is kept in this browser only.Sign up to save it

Summary

Neurotransmitters are chemical messengers that allow neurons to communicate with other cells. This lesson introduces the synapse and follows a neurotransmitter through its basic signaling cycle.

A neurotransmitter is a signaling molecule secreted by a neuron to affect another cell across a synapse. The receiving cell, called the target cell, may be another neuron, a muscle cell, or a gland cell.

All flashcards

What evidence can help identify a chemical as a neurotransmitter?
Evidence includes neuronal synthesis, activity-dependent release, a response in target cells, and a mechanism for removal.
What is neurotransmitter co-localization?
The presence of more than one transmitter in the same neuron.
What is an indirect agonist?
A substance that increases transmitter signaling without directly activating its target receptor.
Which signaling molecules can be released without vesicle storage?
Gasotransmitters such as nitric oxide and carbon monoxide can be synthesized and released rapidly without vesicle storage.
What roles are associated with epinephrine?
It acts as a neurotransmitter and hormone and helps mobilize the body during stress.

Quiz questions

  1. When an action potential reaches a presynaptic terminal, what directly promotes synaptic vesicle fusion?Answer: Calcium entry through voltage-gated calcium channels.
  2. Which description best defines a receptor antagonist?Answer: It binds to a receptor without activating it and reduces agonist effects.
  3. Which neurotransmitter is used at most fast excitatory synapses in the brain and spinal cord?Answer: Glutamate.
  4. Which structural pattern is characteristic of Type I synapses?Answer: Round vesicles, denser membrane material, and a larger active zone.
  5. How does cocaine affect dopamine signaling at synapses?Answer: It blocks dopamine reuptake, leaving dopamine available in the cleft longer.

Based on the Wikipedia article Neurotransmitter, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

More in Neuroscience

All Neuroscience lessons
NeuroscienceHuman Sensory Systems: Receptors, Transduction, and Sensory Pathways5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →NeuroscienceForebrain and Medullary Control of Autonomic Responses5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →NeuroscienceNeuroplasticity: Mechanisms, Learning, Rehabilitation, and Adaptation5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →NeuroscienceGABA Signaling: Receptors, Development, Metabolism, and Pharmacology5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →NeuroscienceBrain and Spinal Cord: Neural Organization, Function, and Measurement5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →NeuroscienceCentral Nervous System: Brain Regions, Cortical Areas, and Spinal Pathways5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 4 gamesPlay free →