WELLNESS 10 ADDICTION UNIT LESSON 3 OF 10

 Review Neurotransmission  Worksheet “Neurotransmission”  Drugs Disrupt Neurotransmission  Reading  Questions  Animations  Drawings  Volleyball Tournament Results

Diagram 2  Communication between 2 neurons begins when an electrical impulse travels along the axon of a sending neuron toward the axon terminal.  The electrical impulse can’t cross the synapse. When it reaches the axon terminal, it causes the vesicles to move toward the membrane of the axon terminal.

Diagram 3Diagram 4  The membrane of the vesicle fuses with the membrane of the axon terminal, enabling the vesicle to release it’s contents (neurotransmitters) into the synapse.  The neurotransmitters (dopamine) drift across the synapse and bind to receptors on the receiving neuron.

Diagram 5  The binding of a neurotransmitter to its receptor can trigger an electrical impulse in the receiving neuron. The electrical signal then moves toward the cell body of the receiving neuron.

Diagram 6  Once the message is relayed, it releases from the receptor into the synapse.  Some neurotransmitters are degraded by enzymes in the synapse  Some are carried back into the sending neuron through transporters. They are repackaged into vesicles that can be released the next time an action potential reaches the axon terminal.

Reading, Questions, Animations, Drawings

1. In what 3 ways do drugs interfere with neurotransmission?  Increase the amount of dopamine released into the synapse  Activate or block dopamine receptors  Slow/stop the removal of dopamine from the synapse 2. What common action on the brain do ALL drugs of abuse share?  They all increase levels of dopamine

If time: How do drugs get into the body?