Chapter 7 CNS Introduction, and Sedative-Hypnotic and Anxiolytic Drugs
I. CNS Introduction: See Rapid Review Neuroscience, Chapters 4 to 6, for a review of principles needed to understand how drugs affect neurobiological processes.
a. Slower and more complex signaling process than via electrical synapses; important for actions of most CNS drugs
(1) Release of neurotransmitter from the presynaptic terminal requires calcium; enters through voltage-dependent calcium channels.
• Space between presynaptic axon terminal and postsynaptic membrane through which transmitter diffuses
(1) Binding of neurotransmitter activates second-messenger pathways by way of guanosine triphosphate-binding (G proteins).
3. Norepinephrine (NE); Fig. 7-4; also review Fig. 3-2B for syntheses, storage release and inactivation
b. Activation of α-amino-3-hydroxyl-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionate (AMPA) or kainite receptors is excitatory.
![image](/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/B9780323068123000079_gr7.jpg)
7-7 Chemistry and pharmacology of the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) synapse.
(From Weyhenmeyer JA and Gallman EA: Rapid Review Neuroscience. Philadelphia, Mosby, 2007, Figure 6-6.)
GABA is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in brain.
Decreased GABA activity or increased glutamate activity lead to seizures.
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