Biochemistry and Pharmacology of Synaptic Transmission

By MIT OpenCourseWare · Published by MIT Open Learning · Language: English
Source: MIT Open Learning Format: Course materials Undergraduate / College
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"Biochemistry and Pharmacology of Synaptic Transmission" is a Course materials drawn from MIT Open Learning and catalogued under Chemistry for Undergraduate / College. From the source: This course considers the process of neurotransmission, especially chemicals used in the brain and elsewhere to carry signals from nerve terminals to the structures they innervate. We focus on monoamine transmitters (acetylcholine; serotonin; dopamine and… Slide Collection preserves the upstream link, the original creator credit and the licensing terms; download the file to use it in a classroom, study group or revision plan.

About this presentation

This course considers the process of neurotransmission, especially chemicals used in the brain and elsewhere to carry signals from nerve terminals to the structures they innervate. We focus on monoamine transmitters (acetylcholine; serotonin; dopamine and norepinephrine); we also examine amino acid and peptide transmitters and neuromodulators like adenosine. Macromolecules that mediate neurotransmitter synthesis, release, inactivation and receptor-mediated actions are discussed, as well as factors that regulate their activity and the second-messenger systems and ion fluxes that they control. The involvement of particular neurotransmitters in human diseases is considered.

How to study this deck

Chemistry decks layer micro and macro views of matter. Watch for the moment a slide shifts from molecular drawings to bulk reaction equations — that transition is usually where misconceptions enter. Re-read those slides twice.

Undergraduate viewers should treat this as a scaffolding for deeper reading — the slides outline the territory, but the textbook chapters and primary sources remain the actual content.

Five questions to test your understanding

  1. What is the single most important claim on the first three slides, and what evidence is offered for it?
  2. Which slide could you remove without losing the argument? Which slide is load-bearing?
  3. Where does the deck switch from definitions to applications? Mark that transition.
  4. What would a student who already disagreed with the conclusion need to see to be convinced?
  5. Which two slides, if combined, would give the clearest one-slide summary of the whole deck?

Where this deck fits in the wider catalogue

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