Test Bank of Essential Psychopharmacology with questions and Answers,Stahl’s
Net agonist - ANSWER When full agonist is absent, partial agonist acts as a...
Neurons - ANSWER Specialized nerve cells in the CNS
Dendrites - ANSWER Tree-like branching that extends from the cell body that forms chemical
communication with axons, soma, and other dendrites; also contain dendritic spines
Soma - ANSWER Cell body; contains cell organelles (mitochondria, ER, synaptic vesicles, mRNA
Axon - ANSWER Tail-like structure that extends from the cell body that is responsible for electrical and
chemical neurotransmission
Synapse - ANSWER Chemical transmission between neurons
Presynaptic - ANSWER Anterograde chemical transmission
Postsynaptic - ANSWER Retrograde chemical transmission
Synaptic cleft - ANSWER The point of chemical transmission between neurons
Axodendritic - ANSWER Chemical communication between the axon and dendrites
Axosomatic - ANSWER Chemical communication between the axon and cell body
,Axoaxonic - ANSWER Chemical communication between the axons of two neurons
Net antagonist - ANSWER In the presence of a full antagonist, a partial agonist acts as a...
Electrical communication - ANSWER Can be communication within a neuron
Chemical communication - ANSWER Communication between neurons
Excitation-secretion coupling - ANSWER The first stage of chemical neurotransmission from the
presynaptic axon terminal to the postsynaptic neuron; process by which electrical impulses in the
presynaptic neuron is converted into a chemical signal at the synapse; the way the neuron transducer an
electrical stimulus into a chemical event; changes the ionic charge across the neuronal membranes,
inducing an action potential in the postsynaptic neuron that causes the synaptic vesicles to spill their
chemical contents into the synapse
Classic synaptic neurotransmission - ANSWER Begins with an electrical process causing the stimulation of
a presynaptic neuron by neurotransmitters, light, drugs, hormones or nerve impulses that causes
electrical impulses to be sent to its axon terminal that are then converted into chemical messengers that
stimulate the receptors of postsynaptic neurons
Retrograde neurotransmission - ANSWER Occurs when the postsynaptic neuron communicates with their
presynaptic neuron
Examples of retrograde neurotransmitters - ANSWER Endocannabinoids, nitric oxide, and neurotrophic
factors neurotransmitters (nerve growth factor)
Direction of retrograde neurotransmission - ANSWER Neurotransmitters are released from postsynaptic
neurons, taken back into vesicles and transported back to the cell nucleus via RTS, and interact with the
cells genome
,Volume neurotransmission - ANSWER Neuronal transmission that does not require a synapse; chemical
messengers (neurotransmitters) can spill over to distant neurons by diffusion (chemical puffs); example
dopamine in the prefrontal cortex are usually diffused across synapses of neurons that do not have
dopamine receptors due to lack of dopamine reuptake transporter pumps (DATs) to terminate the action
of dopamine released
Monoamine autoreceptors - ANSWER An example of volume neurotransmission; located on the
dendrites and soma of neurons; monamines released from dendrites of this neuron binds to these
autoreceptors and would inhibit neuronal impulse flow in that neuron
Neurotransmitters - ANSWER Serotonin (SSRIs), Norepinephrine (NRIs), Dopamine (D2 Antagonists),
Acetylcholine, Glutamate, GABA
Dopamine (D2 Antagonists) - ANSWER Neurotransmitter involved in the treatment of psychosis
Acetylcholine - ANSWER Neurotransmitter necessary for memory/parasympathetic nervous system
Glutamate - ANSWER Excitatory neurotransmitter
GABA - ANSWER Inhibitory neurotransmitter
Endogenous substrates - ANSWER Neurotransmitters that are produced by the body
Examples of endogenous substrates - ANSWER B-endorphin (morphine-like), anandamide (marijuana-
like), adrenaline
Exogenous substrates - ANSWER Neurotransmitters that are introduced to the body that often mimic the
brain's natural neurotransmitters
, Examples of exogenous substrates - ANSWER Antidepressants, anxiolytics, hallucinogenic
Signal transduction - ANSWER The propagation or cascade of events that occur following the stimulation
of a postsynaptic receptor
Gene expression - ANSWER The final or ultimate function of neurotransmission
Epigenetics - ANSWER A system that determines whether a given gene is made into its specific RNA and
protein, or if it is ignored or silenced
Epigenetic mechanism - ANSWER Turn genes on and off by modifying the structure of chromatin in the
cell nucleus
What contributes to mental disorders? - ANSWER Expression of inherited genes that have abnormal
nucleotide sequencing which impact malfunctioning neurons
One-third - ANSWER Approximately _________ of all drugs that are used in clinical practice target
neurotransmitters
Another third - ANSWER Amount of all drugs that target receptors and G-proteins
10 percent - ANSWER Approximately _________ of all drugs that are used in clinical practice target
enzymes
Ion channels - ANSWER Targeted by a small amount of all drugs in use
Targets of drug action - ANSWER Neurotransmitters Transporters, receptors, enzymes, ion channels
Net agonist - ANSWER When full agonist is absent, partial agonist acts as a...
Neurons - ANSWER Specialized nerve cells in the CNS
Dendrites - ANSWER Tree-like branching that extends from the cell body that forms chemical
communication with axons, soma, and other dendrites; also contain dendritic spines
Soma - ANSWER Cell body; contains cell organelles (mitochondria, ER, synaptic vesicles, mRNA
Axon - ANSWER Tail-like structure that extends from the cell body that is responsible for electrical and
chemical neurotransmission
Synapse - ANSWER Chemical transmission between neurons
Presynaptic - ANSWER Anterograde chemical transmission
Postsynaptic - ANSWER Retrograde chemical transmission
Synaptic cleft - ANSWER The point of chemical transmission between neurons
Axodendritic - ANSWER Chemical communication between the axon and dendrites
Axosomatic - ANSWER Chemical communication between the axon and cell body
,Axoaxonic - ANSWER Chemical communication between the axons of two neurons
Net antagonist - ANSWER In the presence of a full antagonist, a partial agonist acts as a...
Electrical communication - ANSWER Can be communication within a neuron
Chemical communication - ANSWER Communication between neurons
Excitation-secretion coupling - ANSWER The first stage of chemical neurotransmission from the
presynaptic axon terminal to the postsynaptic neuron; process by which electrical impulses in the
presynaptic neuron is converted into a chemical signal at the synapse; the way the neuron transducer an
electrical stimulus into a chemical event; changes the ionic charge across the neuronal membranes,
inducing an action potential in the postsynaptic neuron that causes the synaptic vesicles to spill their
chemical contents into the synapse
Classic synaptic neurotransmission - ANSWER Begins with an electrical process causing the stimulation of
a presynaptic neuron by neurotransmitters, light, drugs, hormones or nerve impulses that causes
electrical impulses to be sent to its axon terminal that are then converted into chemical messengers that
stimulate the receptors of postsynaptic neurons
Retrograde neurotransmission - ANSWER Occurs when the postsynaptic neuron communicates with their
presynaptic neuron
Examples of retrograde neurotransmitters - ANSWER Endocannabinoids, nitric oxide, and neurotrophic
factors neurotransmitters (nerve growth factor)
Direction of retrograde neurotransmission - ANSWER Neurotransmitters are released from postsynaptic
neurons, taken back into vesicles and transported back to the cell nucleus via RTS, and interact with the
cells genome
,Volume neurotransmission - ANSWER Neuronal transmission that does not require a synapse; chemical
messengers (neurotransmitters) can spill over to distant neurons by diffusion (chemical puffs); example
dopamine in the prefrontal cortex are usually diffused across synapses of neurons that do not have
dopamine receptors due to lack of dopamine reuptake transporter pumps (DATs) to terminate the action
of dopamine released
Monoamine autoreceptors - ANSWER An example of volume neurotransmission; located on the
dendrites and soma of neurons; monamines released from dendrites of this neuron binds to these
autoreceptors and would inhibit neuronal impulse flow in that neuron
Neurotransmitters - ANSWER Serotonin (SSRIs), Norepinephrine (NRIs), Dopamine (D2 Antagonists),
Acetylcholine, Glutamate, GABA
Dopamine (D2 Antagonists) - ANSWER Neurotransmitter involved in the treatment of psychosis
Acetylcholine - ANSWER Neurotransmitter necessary for memory/parasympathetic nervous system
Glutamate - ANSWER Excitatory neurotransmitter
GABA - ANSWER Inhibitory neurotransmitter
Endogenous substrates - ANSWER Neurotransmitters that are produced by the body
Examples of endogenous substrates - ANSWER B-endorphin (morphine-like), anandamide (marijuana-
like), adrenaline
Exogenous substrates - ANSWER Neurotransmitters that are introduced to the body that often mimic the
brain's natural neurotransmitters
, Examples of exogenous substrates - ANSWER Antidepressants, anxiolytics, hallucinogenic
Signal transduction - ANSWER The propagation or cascade of events that occur following the stimulation
of a postsynaptic receptor
Gene expression - ANSWER The final or ultimate function of neurotransmission
Epigenetics - ANSWER A system that determines whether a given gene is made into its specific RNA and
protein, or if it is ignored or silenced
Epigenetic mechanism - ANSWER Turn genes on and off by modifying the structure of chromatin in the
cell nucleus
What contributes to mental disorders? - ANSWER Expression of inherited genes that have abnormal
nucleotide sequencing which impact malfunctioning neurons
One-third - ANSWER Approximately _________ of all drugs that are used in clinical practice target
neurotransmitters
Another third - ANSWER Amount of all drugs that target receptors and G-proteins
10 percent - ANSWER Approximately _________ of all drugs that are used in clinical practice target
enzymes
Ion channels - ANSWER Targeted by a small amount of all drugs in use
Targets of drug action - ANSWER Neurotransmitters Transporters, receptors, enzymes, ion channels
