Neuropharmacology Glossary
25 essential terms — because precise language is the foundation of clear thinking in Neuropharmacology.
Showing 25 of 25 terms
A neurotransmitter that activates nicotinic and muscarinic receptors, mediating neuromuscular transmission, autonomic function, and central processes like memory and attention.
A chemical that binds to a receptor and activates it to produce a biological response, mimicking the action of the endogenous ligand.
The regulation of a protein's activity by binding of an effector molecule at a site other than the protein's active (orthosteric) site.
A substance that binds to a receptor without activating it, blocking the action of agonists and endogenous ligands.
A highly selective semipermeable barrier formed by tight junctions of brain capillary endothelial cells that prevents most circulating substances from entering the brain.
A class of monoamine neurotransmitters derived from the amino acid tyrosine, including dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine.
A second messenger molecule generated from ATP by the enzyme adenylyl cyclase upon GPCR activation. It activates protein kinase A (PKA) to phosphorylate target proteins.
A catecholamine neurotransmitter critically involved in reward, motivation, motor control, and cognition. Dysregulation is implicated in Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, and addiction.
A graphical representation of the relationship between drug dose (or concentration) and the magnitude of the pharmacological effect, typically sigmoidal in shape.
The effective concentration of a drug that produces 50% of the maximum possible response. A measure of drug potency.
Neuronal injury and death resulting from excessive activation of excitatory amino acid receptors, primarily by glutamate, leading to toxic intracellular calcium levels.
A large superfamily of transmembrane receptors that detect extracellular molecules and activate intracellular signal transduction pathways through heterotrimeric G-proteins.
Gamma-aminobutyric acid, the principal inhibitory neurotransmitter in the adult mammalian central nervous system. Synthesized from glutamate by the enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase.
The most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, acting on ionotropic (AMPA, NMDA, kainate) and metabotropic receptors.
The time required for the plasma concentration of a drug to decrease by 50%. It determines dosing frequency and the time to reach steady-state concentrations.
A transmembrane protein that forms a pore allowing specific ions to flow across the cell membrane. Ligand-gated ion channels open in response to neurotransmitter binding; voltage-gated channels respond to membrane potential changes.
Any molecule that binds to a specific receptor. Endogenous ligands are naturally produced in the body (e.g., neurotransmitters); exogenous ligands include drugs and toxins.
A persistent increase in synaptic strength following high-frequency stimulation, widely regarded as a cellular basis for learning and memory.
An enzyme that catalyzes the oxidative deamination of monoamine neurotransmitters, including serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine, within the presynaptic terminal.
A membrane protein that removes neurotransmitter from the synaptic cleft by transporting it back into the presynaptic neuron (reuptake). Examples include SERT, DAT, and NET.
An ionotropic glutamate receptor that requires both ligand binding (glutamate plus glycine) and membrane depolarization for activation. Permeable to calcium ions; critical for synaptic plasticity.
The process by which a receptor becomes less responsive to its agonist following prolonged or repeated stimulation, often involving phosphorylation, internalization, or downregulation.
A monoamine neurotransmitter derived from tryptophan that modulates mood, appetite, sleep, cognition, and pain. Serotonergic neurons originate primarily in the dorsal and median raphe nuclei.
The specialized junction between neurons where electrical or chemical signals are transmitted from the presynaptic cell to the postsynaptic cell.
The ratio of the dose of a drug that causes adverse effects (TD50) to the dose that produces the desired therapeutic effect (ED50). A higher ratio indicates a greater margin of safety.