Walden NURS 6630 Psychopharmacology Study Guide
1. stimulation of a presynaptic neuron (e.g., by neurotransmitters, light, drugs,
hormones, nerve impulses) causes electrical impulses to be sent to its axon
terminal. These electrical impulses are then converted into chemical messen-
gers and released to stimulate the receptors of a postsynaptic neuron.: classic
synaptic neurotransmission
2. is the gap between the presynaptic neuron and the postsynaptic neuron; it
contains proteins and scaffolding and molecular forms of "synaptic glue" to
reinforce the connection between the neurons. Receptors are present on both
sides of this cleft and are key elements of chemical neurotransmission.: The
synaptic cleft
3. is the command center of the nerve and contains the nucleus of the cell: the
soma
4. Neurons send information via an that forms presynaptic terminals as
the passes by (en passant) or as the ends: axon
5. synaptic connections between the axon and dendrites of two neurons: ax-
odendritic
6. synaptic connections between the axon and the soma: axosomatic
7. synaptic connections between axons of the two neurons: axoaxonic
8. is how chemical signals are coded, decoded, transduced, and sent along
the way.: The chemical basis of neurotransmission
9. is neurons and the connections between them, called synapses, some-
times also called the anatomically addressed nervous system, a complex of
"hard-wired" synaptic connections between neurons, not unlike millions of
telephone wires within thousands upon thousands of cables: The anatomical
basis of neurotransmission
10. mediates how the body metabolizes many drugs, including antipsy-
chotics.: The cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme system
11. in the gut wall or liver converts the drug into a biotransformed product in
the bloodstream. After passing through the gut wall and liver, the drug will
exist partly as unchanged drug and partly as biotransformed drug.: The CYP
enzyme
12. produces a conformational change in the G-protein-linked receptor that
turns on the synthesis of second messenger to the greatest extent possible-
: agonist
13. is generally represented by the naturally occurring neurotransmitter itself,
although some drugs can also act in as full a manner as the natural neuro-
transmitter: full agonist
14. in the absence of agonist, the receptor's conformation is such that it leads
to a low level of activity: Constitutive activity
1/2
1. stimulation of a presynaptic neuron (e.g., by neurotransmitters, light, drugs,
hormones, nerve impulses) causes electrical impulses to be sent to its axon
terminal. These electrical impulses are then converted into chemical messen-
gers and released to stimulate the receptors of a postsynaptic neuron.: classic
synaptic neurotransmission
2. is the gap between the presynaptic neuron and the postsynaptic neuron; it
contains proteins and scaffolding and molecular forms of "synaptic glue" to
reinforce the connection between the neurons. Receptors are present on both
sides of this cleft and are key elements of chemical neurotransmission.: The
synaptic cleft
3. is the command center of the nerve and contains the nucleus of the cell: the
soma
4. Neurons send information via an that forms presynaptic terminals as
the passes by (en passant) or as the ends: axon
5. synaptic connections between the axon and dendrites of two neurons: ax-
odendritic
6. synaptic connections between the axon and the soma: axosomatic
7. synaptic connections between axons of the two neurons: axoaxonic
8. is how chemical signals are coded, decoded, transduced, and sent along
the way.: The chemical basis of neurotransmission
9. is neurons and the connections between them, called synapses, some-
times also called the anatomically addressed nervous system, a complex of
"hard-wired" synaptic connections between neurons, not unlike millions of
telephone wires within thousands upon thousands of cables: The anatomical
basis of neurotransmission
10. mediates how the body metabolizes many drugs, including antipsy-
chotics.: The cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzyme system
11. in the gut wall or liver converts the drug into a biotransformed product in
the bloodstream. After passing through the gut wall and liver, the drug will
exist partly as unchanged drug and partly as biotransformed drug.: The CYP
enzyme
12. produces a conformational change in the G-protein-linked receptor that
turns on the synthesis of second messenger to the greatest extent possible-
: agonist
13. is generally represented by the naturally occurring neurotransmitter itself,
although some drugs can also act in as full a manner as the natural neuro-
transmitter: full agonist
14. in the absence of agonist, the receptor's conformation is such that it leads
to a low level of activity: Constitutive activity
1/2
