v2

thesis of dopamine. Dopamine is depleted in
patients with Parkinson?s, and L-DOPA can be
given to them for alleviation of their Parkinson?s
symptoms. Another drug that stimulates
synthesis of neurotransmitters is a drug called
?alpha- methyl dopa?, which is used for treatment
of high blood pressure.
Before neurotransmitters are released,
they need to be stored. Many antipsychotic
drugs are used to treat schizophrenia, and
they work by blocking transporters that take
drugs to be stored. Since they block storage,
they deplete the postsynaptic receptor of
neurotransmitters dopamine, norepinephrine,
epinephrine, and serotonin.
Neurotransmitters being released, as
already mentioned, are triggered by an action
potential. Action potentials allow calcium to
enter the terminal, and this influx of calcium
induces effect of neurotransmitters. ADHD
drugs, like methylphenidate (Ritalin), and amphetamines
actually work by releasing
dopamine, norepinephrine, epinephrine, or
serotonin into the synapse: they have a lot of
potential to be abused.
Postsynaptic effect has a huge impact on an
individual. Basically, postsynaptic effect receptor
activation is linked to metabotropic
channels, meaning it leads to secondary pathways.
It can essentially lead to ?long term
changes in gene expression in a neuron? (Salamone,
2016), in which case, a lot of things
could change in an individual. Alcohol and
marijuana are examples of drugs that affect
postsynaptic effect.
Inactivation of neurotransmitters is
done by enzymes that break down the neurotransmitter
into smaller substances that are
then recycled. An example of a drug that inhibits
inactivation of neurotransmitters is
Cognex, a drug used to treat Alzheimer?s disease.
A few other common examples of drugs
that block inactivation are cocaine, various
amphetamines, and Prozac (an
antidepressant).
The action of the drugs obviously goes
much deeper than this, this is barely skimming
the surface. It is a very fascinating subject, as
there are various types of drugs, various effects
and side effects, and various diseases to
treat with a simple concoction. As for neuropsychopharmacology,
the possibilities are
endless.
Salamone, J. (2016).Drugs and Behavior First Half 2017 SPRING for POSTING.[PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from lms.uconn.edu