1. 9 October 2008 Section C: Synapses Section D: Structure of the Nervous System Quiz on Wednesday, Oct 14 covering: Action Potential Conduction Velocity Lab Synapses (Chapter 6 C) Autonomic Nervous System (in Chapter 6 D)

2. Figure 6.34 Recall AChE and MAO & SSRI Most neurotransmitters are synthesized in the axon terminal. Exceptions: Peptide NTs originate in cell body, move in vesicles by fast orthograde axonal transport to axon terminal.

3. Figure 6.36 Glutamate receptor subtypes named for their agonists. Excitotoxicity and spreading Necrosis

4. Pharmacological agents intended to act in brain must be able to cross blood-brain barrier. Who Cares? Treatments for Parkinsonism: tablets of L-Dopa (which crosses the BBB) unlike Dopamine (which would have widespread effects.neuronal transplants (self, fetal, stem cell, pig), electrical stimulation,) NIH Stem Cell Information NIH Stem Cell Information Parkinsons Disease

5. Begin Chapter 6 D Structure of Nervous System

6. Nerves & Ganglia Tracts, pathways, commissures & Nuclei Control of digestive functions in quadraplegics via enteric nervous system.

7. Figure 6.38

8. Figure 6.39 Components of gray matter

9. How do we know the functions of various brain regions? Correlations of deficits of stroke victims with brain regions affected. Selective ablations and spreading necrosis. Selective electrical and chemical microstimulation Analogy: experiments to discover the function of a battery in a car. Wilder Penfield Dr. Hettes

11. Dorsal roots = sensory (afferent) Ventral roots = motor (efferent, both somatic and autonomic) Gray matter regions of brain and spinal cord “Pinched nerves” and bulging discs Ascending and descending axonal tracts in white matter not anatomically delineated.

12. Explanation for Cervical and lumbar enlargements of spinal cord. Spinal nerves named for vertebral level. Using patient’s localization of symptoms with knowledge of dermatomes to determine which spinal nerve is affected by damage. Epidural injections into region of cauda equina of Lidocaine-like agents to block action potentials in sensory and motor axons without risk of damage to spinal cord.