BASIC STRUCTURE AND PHYSIOLOGY

The following sections are included:

• STRUCTURE OF THE BRAIN

  • Gross Structure

  • Fine Structure

    • Neurones

    • Glia

      • Astrocytes

      • Oligodendroglia and the Schwann cells

      • Microglia

• NEURONE-NEURONE RELATIONSHIP — THE SYNAPSE

  • Chemical Synapses

  • Electrical Synapses

• NEURONE-GLIA RELATIONSHIP

  • Mechanical Support to Neurones

  • Nutritional Support to Neurones

  • Regulation of Neuronal Morphology

  • Immune Response in the Brain

  • Myelination

    • Peripheral nervous system

    • Central nervous system

• NERVE IMPULSE: THE BASIS OF NERVE ACTIVITY

  • Sodium Pump and the Resting Potential

  • Action Potential, the Nerve Impulse

  • Ionic Basis of the Action Potential: Changes in Ion Conductances

  • Neuronal Excitability at the Molecular Level: The Sodium Channel

  • The Threshold Na⁺ Channels

  • The ‘All or None’ Property of Action Potential

  • The Refractory Periods

• CONDUCTION OF NERVE IMPULSES

  • Conduction along Unmyelinated Fibres

  • Conduction along Myelinated Fibres

  • Velocity of Nerve Conduction

• NEUROTRANSMISSION

  • Neurotransmission at Chemical Synapses

  • What are Neurotransmitters?

  • Distribution of Neurotransmitters

  • Purinergic Neurotransmission

  • The Dale's Principle

  • Metabolism of Neurotransmitters

    • Acetylcholine

    • Catecholamines — dopamine and noradrenaline

    • Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine)

    • γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA)

  • Storage of Neurotransmitters

  • Release of Neurotransmitters into the Synaptic Cleft

    • Role of calcium: The Ca²⁺ channels

    • Molecular organization of the Ca²⁺ channel

    • Role of potassium: The K⁺ channels

    • The quanta1 release of neurotransmitters: The miniature end-plate potential

  • Interaction of Neurotransmitters with Postsynaptic Receptors

    • Excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials

    • Presynaptic inhibition

    • Postsynaptic receptors: Their agonists and antagonists

      • Cholinergic receptors

      • Dopaminergic receptors

      • Adrenergic receptors

      • Serotonergic receptors

      • GABAergic receptors

      • Amino acid transmitter receptors

      • Positron emission tomography (PET) of postsynaptic receptors

    • Stability of the A Ch receptors

    • Involvement of cyclic AMP in neurotransmission

• NEUROPEPTIDES, A NEW CLASS OF NEUROTRANSMITTERS

  • Distribution of Neuropeptides

  • Coexistence of Neuropeptides with Putative Neurotransmitters

  • Possible Functions of the Neuropeptides