Download Neurons and Neurotransmission - Milton

What you will do…
• Simulate a zombie apocalypse where the
best and brightest young people (YOU!)
are being trained as medical students with
a specialty in neuroscience
• Compare a “normal” brain to that of a
“zombie” brain to understand the important
role of neurons and neurotransmission
• Develop a cure to the epidemic and save
humanity
Your Mission
Welcome to Harvard Medical School. We have recruited
you because you are the best and the brightest young
minds boasting skills in technology, working well in groups,
and most important of all, your creativity. We will assume
that you have at least some background in biology, but
nothing more yet. We will especially be focusing on
neuroscience as we have at least deduced that the brain
plays a very important role in explaining zombie behavior.
Your ultimate goal, should you pass your tests, will be to
become a medications development specialist doctor and
create a cure for the zombie plague that is destroying the
entire world. Will you decide to save the world or will let it
fall into eternal ruin?
Background Information
“One-third of humanity has perished from the plague. 2.3 billion people
have died, and countless more are quickly moving towards the final
stages of the disease. There is reason to believe that in a short time,
nearly everyone on Earth will be infected. The virus continues to
spread exponentially, and all attempts at a vaccine or cure have failed.
Scientific and industrial infrastructure is rapidly faltering. Early attempts
at controlling the spread of the disease via nuclear and non-nuclear
incineration have left the planet in an ecologically fragile state. Current
computer models suggest that civilization can only survive for
approximately another decade before we face total destruction. These
are indeed dire times.”
The Zombie Autopsies by Steven C. Schlozman, M.D.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pElSu_ECJGM
To save the planet you must
understand three questions…
1. What is a neuron?
2.What does it do?
3.How does it do it?
A Neuron is:
•A specialized cell that
receives information
and transmits it to
other cells
Neuron under an electron microscope
A Neuron
How Does it Work?
Neurotransmission is
a fancy name for two or
more neurons
communicating with
each other.
There are 4 neurons
communicating in the picture to
the right or you could say that
neurotransmission is taking
place
1
3
4
2
Now let’s watch two
animated version of
neurotransmission.
Click on the links below
Neurotransmitter
Synapse 3D
Animation
Neuron – 3D
Medical Animation
On your “cartoon” . . .
Make a key and color the following:
• Axon Terminal
• Synapse
• Neurotransmitter
• Dendrite
• Impulse/Message
• Vesicles
Neurons stay at rest with their
sodium ions on the outside of
the cell body (or soma)
and potassium ions on the inside.
Neurons are no longer at
rest when the
sodium ions on the outside
of the cell body rush in
and potassium ions on the
inside rush out.
An electrical impulse is
caused from the rushing
in and out of the ions
(depolarization)
The electrical impulse
races down the axon
Nerve Impulse
Once the electrical
impulse reaches
the axon terminal, it
triggers the vesicles
(containing
neurotransmitters),
to move toward the
bottom of the axon
terminal.
Neurotransmitters
are released from
axon terminal and
cross the tiny space
between it and the
next neuron called the
synapse.
Neurotransmitters
• A neurotransmitter is a chemical messenger
that carries signals between neurons as well as
other cells in the body. These chemicals are
released from the end of one neuron and cross
the synapse to receptor sites in the next
neuron.
Neurotransmitters
Acetylcholine
• Acetylcholine (often abbreviated ACh) is the
most common neurotransmitter. It is located in
both the central nervous and peripheral
nervous system
• Acetylcholine was the first neurotransmitter be
identified in 1914
• As a neuromodulator it acts on basic
autonomic and muscular fuctions
• Sarin Gas disrupts its ability to function and
often leads to death
Neurotransmitters
Dopamine
• Generally involved in regulatory motor activity
• In the basal ganglia, involved in mood, sensory
perception, and attention
Neurotransmitters
Glutamate
•
•
•
•
Is an excitatory neurotransmitter
Plays a role in learning and memory
Too much can cause seizures
Malfunction of glutamate has also been
associated with Alzheimer's’
Neurotransmitters
Epinephrine
• Also known as adrenaline
• Causes the feeling of being
“revved up” or on edge
• Activates a “fight or flight” reaction in the
autonomic nervous system
Neurotransmitters
Serotonin
• Attention and other complex cognitive functions,
such as sleep (dreaming), eating, mood, pain
regulation
• Neurons which use serotonin are distributed
throughout the brain, stomach and spinal cord
• Mood disorders
Neurotransmitters
GABA
(gamma-aminobutyric acid)
• GABA is the most important and common
inhibitory neurotransmitter
• Stops the brain from becoming overexcited
»Too much may cause hallucinations
References
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pElSu_ECJG
M
• http://reviewsbysteve.wordpress.com/2013/10/2
1/enemies-within-a-review-of-the-walking-deadseason-4-episode-2-infected/
• http://scientopia.org/blogs/scicurious/2011/05/04
/science-101-the-neuron/
• www.wwnorton.com
• www.sumanasinc.com