Catecholamines
Neurotransmitters including dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine.
What are Catecholamines?
ADHD medications often increase the activity of this neurotransmitter
What is dopamine?
Norepinephrine is synthesized from this precursor.
What is dopamine?
Serotonin in the CNS is primarily involved in regulating this
What is mood?
Glutamate dysfunction is implicated in these mental health disorders
What are schizophrenia, depression, and Alzheimer’s disease?
This term refers to the process of eliminating excess catecholamines
What is enzymatic degradation and reuptake?
This ADHD medication blocks the reuptake of norepinephrine and dopamine
What is methylphenidate (Ritalin)
Increased levels of norepinephrine in the brain can lead to this state.
What is heightened arousal?
This enzyme is responsible for breaking down acetylcholine
What is acetylcholinesterase?
Glutamate plays a major role in this function of neurons
What is excitation?
These enzymes break down excess catecholamines
What are Monoamine oxidase (MAO) and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT)
Stimulants like Adderall increase catecholamine release by targeting this
What are presynaptic neurons?
MDMA does this to Serotonin levels
What is Increases them by releasing large amounts?
The precursor of acetylcholine is this molecule
What is choline?
Excessive glutamate release leading to neuron damage is called this.
What is excitotoxicity?
Catecholamines are packaged in what structure before release?
What are synaptic vesicles?
A neurotransmitter involved in the body’s “fight or flight” response.
What is norepinephrine?
MDMA was originally synthesized for this purpose.
What is to develop a medication for controlling bleeding?
These drugs (Cogentin and Artane) help manage symptoms of this disorder
What is Parkinson’s disease?
This term describes the process of neuron death
What is apoptosis?
Blocking catecholamine reuptake has this effect on neurotransmitter levels
What is Increases neurotransmitter levels in the synaptic cleft
This brain structure is associated with the noradrenergic system
What is the locus coeruleus?
Cell bodies producing serotonin are primarily found here in the brain
What is the raphe nuclei?
The basal forebrain cholinergic structures include this nucleus
What is the nucleus basalis?
This type of therapy is commonly used to treat anxiety disorders
What is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)?