1. Neurological Disorders Lesson 5.2 How do drugs alter synaptic transmission? Human Brain Rat Brain

2. Do Now: Addictive drugs increase synaptic transmission in the reward pathway. Brainstorms ways in which drugs of abuse could increase synaptic signaling.

3. The Brain’s Reward Circuit Human Brain Rat Brain VTA NAc PFC

4. The Brain’s Reward Circuit VTA NAc Prefrontal Cortex Inhibitory Neuron

5. Synaptic Transmission Ca 2+ 1. Action Potential in VTA 2. Voltage-gated Ca 2+ channels open. Ca 2+ flows into cell 4. Dopamine binds to postsynaptic receptors. 5. Ion channels open on postsynaptic membrane, allowing ions to flow into cell. 6. Excess dopamine is pumped back into presynaptic cell. 3. Ca 2+ sensitive proteins fuse synaptic vesicles to membrane, releasing dopamine into synaptic cleft Dopamine

6. How do drugs of abuse alter synaptic transmission???

7. VTA NAc Prefrontal Cortex Inhibitory Neuron Drugs Act at Many Sites in the Brain’s Reward Circuit Cocaine & Amphetamines Nicotine Alcohol Heroin & Morphine Marijuana

8. Ca 2+ Dopamine Alcohol Heroin & Morphine Drugs Have Many Targets in the Synapse Inhibitory Neuron

9. Ca 2+ Nicotine & Marijuana Drugs Have Many Targets in the Synapse Inhibitory Neuron VTA

10. Ca 2+ Dopamine VTANAc Cocaine & Amphetamines Drugs Have Many Targets in the Synapse

11. VTA NAc Prefrontal Cortex Inhibitory Neuron What do all the drugs have in common? Cocaine & Amphetamines Nicotine Marijuana Alcohol Heroin & Morphine Dopamine