What are converging neural pathways and their involvement in light sensitivity?

What are diverging neural pathways and their involvement in fine motor control?

What are reverberating pathways and their function?

What is the plasticity response and its importance in the nervous system?

What do I remember?

Higher Human BiologyNeurotransmitters mood and

behaviour Part 1

Any questions from what you read What are endorphins? Under what circumstances are endorphins

released? What is dopamine? What is the common term for where dopamine is

produced in the brain, which is also linked to addiction?

What is an agonist? What is an antagonist? What mode of action do some neurotransmitter

inhibitors use?

What are we learning today?

Endorphins

Are chemicals that function like neurotransmitters

Act as natural painkillers by combining with receptors at synapses and blocking the transmission of pain signals

They also reduce anxiety and stress

Action of Endorphins

Ways to Increase Endorphins

Endorphin production increases in response to: Physical and

emotional stress Severe injury prolonged and

continuous exercise Certain foods e.g.

chocolate

Other Ways to Increase Endorphin Production

sunlight

exercise

Listen to music

meditation

laugh

Effect of Increased levels of Endorphins

Regulate appetite Release sex hormones

Feelings of euphoria

Dopamine

Dopamine is the neurotransmitter used by the reward pathway

Released in pleasure centres of brain found in limbic system

It is released on engagement of beneficial behaviours, e.g. eating when hungry

It induces the feeling of pleasure and reinforces particular behaviour in the reward pathway, therefore linked to addiction

Agonists

An agonist is a chemical that binds to and stimulates a specific receptor on the post synaptic membrane

They mimic naturally occurring neurotransmitters

Trigger a normal cellular response

Antagonists An antagonist is a chemical that binds

to specific receptors on the post synaptic membrane blocking the action of the normal neurotransmitter

This reduces or stops normal transmission of nerve impulses

Inhibitors Inhibit the enzymes

which degrade neurotransmitters e.g. cholinesterase from degrading acetylcholine

Inhibit re-uptake e.g. norepinephrine

Treatment of Neurotransmitter Related Disorders

Many of the drugs used to treat neurotransmitter related disorders are similar to neurotransmitters

Disorders include Alzheimer’s disease Parkinson’s disease Schizophrenia Generalised anxiety disorders Depression

Case study Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and Schizophrenia

Activities

What are endorphins? Under what circumstances are endorphins

released? What is dopamine? What is the common term for where

dopamine is produced in the brain, which is also linked to addiction?

What is an agonist? What is an antagonist? What mode of action do some

neurotransmitter inhibitors use?

What have I learned today?