acetylcholine (ACh): the process by which Ciliary muscles adjust the lengths to bring nearby

objects into focus

agonist: the inability to recognize advocates despite being able to describe them in terms of
forms and colors

amine neurotransmitter: in your transmitter based on modifications of a single amino acid

nucleus

amino acid neurotransmitter: and your transmitter that is itself an amino acid

anandamide: an endogenous substance that binds the cannabinoid receptors molecules

antagonist: it’s substance that blocks or attenuates the actions of transmitters or other singling
molecules

anxiolytic: a substance that is used to reduce anxiety

auto receptor: a receptor for synaptic transmitter that is located in the pre-somatic
membrane that tells the terminal how much transmitter was has been released

barbiturate: an early anxiolytics drug and sleep aid that has depressant activity in the
nervous system

basal forebrain: a region, ventral to the basal ganglia, that is the major source of cholinergic
projections in the brain

benzodiazepine: any class of antianxiety drugs that are agonists of GABAA receptors in the
central nervous system

binding affinity: the propensity of molecules of a drug to bind to receptors

bioavailable: referring to a substance, usually a drug, that is present in the body in form that is
able to interact with physiological mechanisms

biotransformation: the process in which enzymes convert a drag into metabolite is itself active
possibly in ways substantially different from actions of the original substance

blood-brain barrier is a highly selective semipermeable border that separates the

circulating blood from the brain and extracellular fluid in the central nervous system
(CNS).
cholinergic: Referring to cells that use acetylcholine as their synaptic transmitter

co-localization: the synthesis and releases of more than one type of neurotransmitter by a
given presynaptic neuron

cross-tolerance: a condition in which the development of tolerance for when drug

costs individual to develop tolerance front of the drug
delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)

dopamine (DA): a monoamine transmitter found in the midbrain

dopaminergic: referring to cells that use dopamine as their synaptic transmitter

dose-response curve (DRC): describes the magnitude of the response of an organism, as

a function of exposure (or doses) to a stimulus or stressor (usually a chemical) after a
certain exposure time

down-regulation: a compensatory decreased in receptor availability at the synapses of

neuron

drug tolerance: a condition in which, with repeated exposure to a drug, an individual becomes
less responsive to a drug constant dose

dysphoria: a state of unease or generalized dissatisfaction with life.

efficacy: the extent to which a drug activates a response when it binds to a receptor

endocannabinoid: an endogenous ligand of cannabinoid receptors, thus an analog of cannabis

that is produced by the brain

endogenous opioid: any of class of opium-like peptide transmitters that have been referring to
as the body’s own narcotics

exogenous: rising from the outside body

fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD): a family of developmental disorder that vary in
severity, resulting from fetal exposure to alcohol consumed by the mother

first-generation antipsychotics: any of a class of antipsychotic drug that elevates symptoms of

schizophrenia typically by blocking dopamine receptors
functional tolerance: the form of drug tolerance that arises when repeated exposure to the
drug causes receptors to be up regulated or down regulated

gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA): a widely distributed amino acid transmitter, the main
inhibitory transmitter in the mammalian nervous system.

gas neurotransmitter: neurotransmitter that is soluble gas.

glutamate: an amino acid transmitter, the most common excitatory transmitter

inhibitor (SSRl):

insula: a region of cortex lying below surface, within the lateral sulcus, of the frontal, temporal,
and parietal lobes

ionotropic receptor: receptor of protein containing anion channel of the open when receptor is
bound by agonist receptors as bonded by

khat: an African shrub that, when chewed acts as stimulant

lateral tegmental area: a multisynaptic network of neurons that is involved in many

subconscious homeostatic and reflexive pathways.

ligand: a substance that binds receptor molecules

locus coeruleus: a small nucleus in the brainstem whose neurons produce norepinephrine and
modulate large area of the forebrain

metabolic tolerance: the form of drug tolerance arises when repeated exposure to the drug
causes the metabolic machinery of the body to become more efficient at clearing the drug.

metabotropic receptor: a receptor protein that does not contain ion channels but may, when
activated, use a second messenger system to open nearby ion channels or to produce other
cellular effects

monoamine oxidase (MAO): an enzyme that breaks down monoamine transmitters, thereby
inactivating them.

noradrenergic: referring to cells using norepinephrine as a transmitter

norepinephrine (NE): in your transmitter produced and released by sympathetic postganglionic

neurons told accelerate organ activity
nucleus accumbens: a region of the forebrain that receives dopaminergic innervation from the
ventral tegmental area, often associated with reward and pleasurable sensations

partial agonist: drugs that bind to and activate a given receptor, but have
only partial efficacy at the receptor relative to a full agonist

peptide neurotransmitter: in our transmitter consisting of short chain of amino acids

periaqueductal gray: an area of gray matter found in the midbrain

pharmacokinetics: collective name for all the factors that affect the movement of a drug into,
though, and out of the body

raphe nuclei: a string of nuclei in the midline of the midbrain and brainstem that contains most
of the serotonergic neurons of the brain

receptor subtype: hey type of receptor having functional characteristics that distinguishes
from other types of receptors for the same neurotransmitter

transmitter: carry singles

retrograde transmitter: the function of one part of a cell is controlled by feedback from
another part of the cell, or where one cell sends reciprocal messages back to another
cell that regulates it.

second-generation antipsychotic: a group of antipsychotic drugs (antipsychotic drugs in

general are also known as major tranquilizers and neuroleptics

selective serotonin reuptake: an antidepressant drug that blocks the reuptake of transmitter as
serotonergic synapses

serotonergic: referring to the cells that use serotonin as their synaptic transmitter

substantia nigra: a brainstem structure that innervates the basal ganglia and is a major
source of dopaminergic projecting

up-regulation: a compensatory increase in receptor availability at the synapses of neuron.

ventral tegmental area (VTA): a portion of the midbrain that projects dopaminergic fibers to
nucleus
 Mnemonics
Blood Brain Barrier- BBB, can’t get past me
Acetylcholine- Allows ace to flex his muscles
Dopamine- if you have to little you become ‘dopey’
Norepinephrine- no way I’m not scared
Binding affinity- please bind to me (rhymes)
Question
Why are pain blocking addictive drugs like heroine deadly? What in it makes it lethal and how
can it kill you so fast?