Agonist
*A drug that increases activity at a synapse
Antagonist
*A drug that decreases activity at a synapse
Acetylcholine
*A major neurotransmitter
Acetylcholinesterase
*An enzyme important in the breakdown of acetylcholine
Amino Acids
*Group of neurotransmitters that includes glutamate, GABA, glycine and aspartate
Anterior Pituitary
*Portion of the pituitary gland, composed of glandular tissue
Autoreceptors
*Receptors that respond to the released transmitter by inhibiting further synthesis and release
Catecholamines
*Group of neurotransmitters that includes dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine
COMT
*Enzyme that breaks down excess dopamine into inactive chemicals that cannot stimulate the dopamine receptors
Excitatory Postsynaptic Potential
*EPSP – Graded depolarization that increases the likelihood of an action potential
Endocrine Glands
*Hormone producing glands
Exocytosis
*Release of neurotransmitter from the presynaptic neuron into the synaptic cleft
Gap Junction
*A direct contact of one neuron with another, enabling electrical transmission
Hormone
*A chemical that is secreted by cells in one part of the body and conveyed by the blood to influence other cells
Inhibitory Postsynaptic Potential
*IPSP – Temporary hyperpolarization of a membrane that decreases the likelihood of an action potential
Iontotropic Effects
*Synaptic effects that depend on the rapid opening of some kind of gate in the membrane
Ligand-gated Channel
*Channel that opens when a neurotransmitter attaches
MAO
*Monoamine oxidase – An enzyme that converts catecholamines and serotonin into synaptically inactive forms
Metabotropic Effects
*A sequence of metabolic reactions that produce slow and long-lasting effects at a synapse
Monoamines
*Chemicals formed by a change in certain amino acids
Neurogliaform Cell
*A kind of neuron that releases huge amounts of GABA all at once, producing widespread inhibition
Neuromodulators
*Neuropeptides
Neuropeptides
*Chains of amino acids released by dendrites and cell body
Neurotransmitters
*Chemicals released by neurons that affect other neurons
Nitric Oxide
*A gas neurotransmitter released by many small local neurons
Oxytocin
*A hormone released by the posterior pituitary; important for sexual and parental behaviors
Peptide Hormones
*Hormones composed of short chains of amino acids
Pituitary Gland
*An endocrine gland attached to the base of the hypothalamus
Postsynaptic Neuron
*Neuron that receives transmission from another neuron
Presynaptic Neuron
*Neuron that sends transmission to another neuron
Posterior Pituitary
*Portion of the pituitary gland which releases hormones synthesized by the hypothalamus
Protein Hormones
*Hormones composed of long chains of amino acids
Purines
*A category of chemicals including adenosine and several of its derivatives
Reflex Arc
*A circuit from sensory neuron to muscle response
Reflexes
*Automatic muscular responses to stimuli
Releasing Hormones
*Hormone released by the hypothalamus that flows through the blood to the anterior pituitary, causing the pituitary to release particular hormones
Reuptake
*Reabsorption of a neurotransmitter by the presynaptic terminal
Spatial Summation
*Combination of effects of activity from two or more synapses onto a single neuron
Spontaneous Firing Rate
*The periodic production of action potentials even without synaptic input
Second Messenger
*A chemical that, when activated by a neurotransmitter, initiates communication to many areas within the neuron
Synapse
*A specialized gap as a point of communication between two neurons
Temporal Summation
*The cumulative effect of repeated stimuli within a brief time frame
Transmitter-gated Channels
*An ion channel that opens temporarily when a neurotransmitter binds to it
Transporters
*Special membrane protein where reuptake occurs of the neurotransmitter
Vasopressin
*Antidiuretic hormone released by posterior pituitary; raises blood pressure and enables kidneys to conserve water
Vesicles
*Tiny packets filed with neurotransmitter molecules
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