NUR 371 Exam 1
Functions of the brain Monitor changes in the external world, monitor composition of body fluid,
regulate contraction of skeletal muscles, regulate internal organs, control basic drives, mediate
conscious sensation, store and retrieve memories, regulate mood and emotions, think and perform
intellectual functions, regulate sleep cycle, produce and interpret language, and process visual and
auditory data.
Sympathetic Response Increases pupil, lacrimal gland, heart, bronchi, and epinephrine. Decrease salivary
flow, arterioles, stomach motility and secretion, pancreas, intestinal motility, and bladder wall.
Parasympathetic Response Decreases pupil, lacrimal gland, heart, and bronchi. Increases salivary flow,
arterioles, stomach motility and secretion, pancreas, intestinal motility, and bladder contraction.
Monoamine Neurotransmitters Dopamine, Norepinephrine, Serotonin, and Histamine
Dopamine Fine motor movements, emotions and thoughts, decision making, and hormone release
Decrease in dopamine Parkinsons and Depression
Increase in dopamine Schizophrenia and mania
Norepinephrine Affects mood, attention and arousal; fight or flight response
Increase in Norepinephrine Mania, anxiety states, and schizophrenia
Decrease in Norepinephrine Depression
,Serotonin Sleep regulation, hunger, mood states, pain perception, hormonal activity, aggression, and
sexual behavior
Decrease in serotonin Depression
Histamine Alertness, inflammatory response, and gastirc secretion
Decrease in Histamine Sedation and weight gain
Amino ACids GABA and Glutamate
GABA Reduces aggression, excitation, and anxiety; role in pain perception, anticonvulsant and muscle
relaxation; may impair cognition and psychomotor functioning.
Decrease in GABA Anxiety, schizophrenia, mania, and Huntington's disease
Increase in GABA Reduction of anxiety
Glutamate Excitatory and a role in learning and memory
Decrease in Glutamate Psychosis
Increase in Glutamate Prolonged increased state can be neurotoxic and neurodegeneration in
Alzheimers disease. (AMPA): Improvement of cognitive performance in behavioral tasks
Cholinergic Acetycholine
, Acetycholine · Learning and memory, Rest and digest, and affects sexual and aggression behavior.
Decrease in Acetycholine Alzheimers, huntingtons, and parkinsons
Increase in Acetycholine Depression
Peptides Substance P, Hypocretin, and Neurotensin
Substance P Transmission of pain signals, and antags have antidepressant effects. ·
Involved in regulation of pain and possibly mood and anxiety
Hypocretin/orexin Promotes and sustains wakefulness
Decrease in hypocretin Narcolepsy
Neurotensin Endogenous antipsychotic like properties. Possibly involved with disorders involving
dopamine such as schizophrenia and parkinsons disease.
Brainstem Controls functions such as heart rate, breathing, digestion, and sleeping.
Limbic System Role in emotional status and psychological status using norepinephrine, serotonin, and
dopamine.
Hypothalamus Controls basic drives such as hunger, thirst, and sex. Linking higher activities to the
functioning of internal organs. Processing sensory information that is then sent to the cerebral cortex.
Regulating the sleep and wakefulness cycle and the ability of the cerebrum to carry out conscious
mental activity.
Functions of the brain Monitor changes in the external world, monitor composition of body fluid,
regulate contraction of skeletal muscles, regulate internal organs, control basic drives, mediate
conscious sensation, store and retrieve memories, regulate mood and emotions, think and perform
intellectual functions, regulate sleep cycle, produce and interpret language, and process visual and
auditory data.
Sympathetic Response Increases pupil, lacrimal gland, heart, bronchi, and epinephrine. Decrease salivary
flow, arterioles, stomach motility and secretion, pancreas, intestinal motility, and bladder wall.
Parasympathetic Response Decreases pupil, lacrimal gland, heart, and bronchi. Increases salivary flow,
arterioles, stomach motility and secretion, pancreas, intestinal motility, and bladder contraction.
Monoamine Neurotransmitters Dopamine, Norepinephrine, Serotonin, and Histamine
Dopamine Fine motor movements, emotions and thoughts, decision making, and hormone release
Decrease in dopamine Parkinsons and Depression
Increase in dopamine Schizophrenia and mania
Norepinephrine Affects mood, attention and arousal; fight or flight response
Increase in Norepinephrine Mania, anxiety states, and schizophrenia
Decrease in Norepinephrine Depression
,Serotonin Sleep regulation, hunger, mood states, pain perception, hormonal activity, aggression, and
sexual behavior
Decrease in serotonin Depression
Histamine Alertness, inflammatory response, and gastirc secretion
Decrease in Histamine Sedation and weight gain
Amino ACids GABA and Glutamate
GABA Reduces aggression, excitation, and anxiety; role in pain perception, anticonvulsant and muscle
relaxation; may impair cognition and psychomotor functioning.
Decrease in GABA Anxiety, schizophrenia, mania, and Huntington's disease
Increase in GABA Reduction of anxiety
Glutamate Excitatory and a role in learning and memory
Decrease in Glutamate Psychosis
Increase in Glutamate Prolonged increased state can be neurotoxic and neurodegeneration in
Alzheimers disease. (AMPA): Improvement of cognitive performance in behavioral tasks
Cholinergic Acetycholine
, Acetycholine · Learning and memory, Rest and digest, and affects sexual and aggression behavior.
Decrease in Acetycholine Alzheimers, huntingtons, and parkinsons
Increase in Acetycholine Depression
Peptides Substance P, Hypocretin, and Neurotensin
Substance P Transmission of pain signals, and antags have antidepressant effects. ·
Involved in regulation of pain and possibly mood and anxiety
Hypocretin/orexin Promotes and sustains wakefulness
Decrease in hypocretin Narcolepsy
Neurotensin Endogenous antipsychotic like properties. Possibly involved with disorders involving
dopamine such as schizophrenia and parkinsons disease.
Brainstem Controls functions such as heart rate, breathing, digestion, and sleeping.
Limbic System Role in emotional status and psychological status using norepinephrine, serotonin, and
dopamine.
Hypothalamus Controls basic drives such as hunger, thirst, and sex. Linking higher activities to the
functioning of internal organs. Processing sensory information that is then sent to the cerebral cortex.
Regulating the sleep and wakefulness cycle and the ability of the cerebrum to carry out conscious
mental activity.
