All Flashcards
How are SSRIs used in mental health?
As antidepressants, they block serotonin reuptake, improving mood.
How does caffeine affect alertness?
It blocks adenosine, increasing neural activity and alertness.
How do opioids affect pain?
They mimic endorphins, providing powerful pain relief and inducing euphoria.
Compare agonists and antagonists.
Agonists mimic or enhance neurotransmitter effects, while antagonists block them.
Compare stimulants and depressants.
Stimulants increase neural activity, while depressants decrease it.
What is a neuron?
A nerve cell that transmits information using electrical and chemical signals.
What are glial cells?
Cells that support, insulate, and protect neurons.
What is resting potential?
The negative charge inside a neuron when it is not firing.
What is the threshold?
The critical point a stimulus must reach to trigger a neuron to fire.
What is depolarization?
The process where the inside of a neuron becomes positive during an action potential.
What is the refractory period?
A short rest period after firing when a neuron cannot fire again.
What is reuptake?
The reabsorption of neurotransmitters to end the signal and prepare for the next one.
What are neurotransmitters?
Chemical messengers that relay signals between neurons.
What are hormones?
Chemical messengers produced by glands that travel through the bloodstream.
What are agonists?
Substances that mimic or enhance neurotransmitter effects.
What are antagonists?
Substances that block neurotransmitter effects.
What is tolerance?
The need for higher doses of a drug to achieve the same effect.
What is withdrawal?
Symptoms that occur when stopping drug use.