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Related Concept Videos

Adrenergic Neurons: Neurotransmission01:27

Adrenergic Neurons: Neurotransmission

Postganglionic sympathetic fibers (except those supplying the sweat glands) releasing noradrenaline or norepinephrine are called noradrenergic or adrenergic neurons. Noradrenaline, dopamine, adrenaline, or epinephrine are collectively called "catecholamines" as they contain a catechol moiety and an amine side chain. The five stages of neurotransmitter release involve their synthesis, storage, release, reuptake and metabolism.
Synthesis: Catecholamine synthesis requires tyrosine, which is taken...
Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Release or Uptake01:21

Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Release or Uptake

Certain drugs can affect how neurotransmitters called catecholamines, are released or taken back up in the adrenergic neuron. They can have different effects on the body's sympathetic transmission. Reserpine, a natural compound found in the Rauwolfia shrub, blocks a transporter called vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT), which leads to a buildup of catecholamines in the cell and reduces sympathetic transmission. Another drug called guanethidine works in multiple ways, including blocking...
Sympathetic Activation01:16

Sympathetic Activation

The sympathetic division can influence tissues and organs by releasing norepinephrine at peripheral synapses and distributing epinephrine and norepinephrine through the bloodstream. In times of crisis or stress, sympathetic activation occurs, which is regulated by sympathetic centers in the hypothalamus. As a result, sympathetic activation prepares the body for physical exertion, rapid ATP production, and heightened alertness, allowing individuals to respond effectively to challenging or...
Action Potential: Phases of Stimulation01:28

Action Potential: Phases of Stimulation

The action potential is a complex electrical event that occurs in excitable cells, such as neurons and muscle cells. It consists of several distinct phases, each with specific characteristics.
Resting Phase:
In this phase, the cell's membrane is at its resting potential, typically around -70 millivolts (mV) for neurons. Inside the cell, there is a higher concentration of potassium ions (K+) and a lower concentration of sodium ions (Na+). Voltage-gated sodium channels are closed, and...
Sympathetic Signaling01:31

Sympathetic Signaling

Sympathetic signaling, a vital part of the autonomic nervous system, plays a crucial role in mobilizing the body's resources in response to stress or emergencies. It involves the transmission of nerve impulses from sympathetic preganglionic fibers to postganglionic fibers. This results in the release of specific neurotransmitters and activation of adrenergic receptors.
Sympathetic preganglionic fibers release the neurotransmitter acetylcholine (ACh) onto the ganglionic neurons in the...
Action Potential01:14

Action Potential

Neurons communicate by firing action potentials—the electrochemical signal that is propagated along the axon. The signal results in the release of neurotransmitters at axon terminals, thereby transmitting information to the nervous system. An action potential is a specific "all-or-none" change in membrane potential that results in a rapid spike in voltage.
Membrane potential in neurons
Neurons typically have a resting membrane potential of about -70 millivolts (mV). When they receive...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Automated Multimodal Stimulation and Simultaneous Neuronal Recording from Multiple Small Organisms
08:28

Automated Multimodal Stimulation and Simultaneous Neuronal Recording from Multiple Small Organisms

Published on: March 3, 2023

Phasic norepinephrine: a neural interrupt signal for unexpected events.

Peter Dayan1, Angela J Yu

  • 1Gatsby Computational Neuroscience Unit, University College London, London, UK. gatsby@ucl.ac.uk

Network (Bristol, England)
|December 13, 2006
PubMed
Summary

Unexpected changes trigger norepinephrine release, enhancing attention and learning. This study models how the brain’s noradrenergic system responds to surprising events during tasks.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Cognitive Science
  • Computational Neuroscience

Background:

  • Norepinephrine (NE) is a neuromodulator crucial for vigilance, attention, and learning.
  • NE release from the locus coeruleus is influenced by task engagement, sensory input, and decision-making.
  • A key function of NE is proposed to be a neural interrupt or reset signal.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose and quantify the hypothesis that unexpected environmental changes activate the noradrenergic interrupt signal.
  • To model the role of norepinephrine in cognitive tasks.

Main Methods:

  • Developed a Bayesian model of a visual discrimination task.
  • Quantified noradrenergic responses using computational modeling.
  • Analyzed responses at sub-second temporal resolution.

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A Procedure for Implanting Organized Arrays of Microwires for Single-unit Recordings in Awake, Behaving Animals
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A Procedure for Implanting Organized Arrays of Microwires for Single-unit Recordings in Awake, Behaving Animals

Published on: February 14, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jul 18, 2026

Automated Multimodal Stimulation and Simultaneous Neuronal Recording from Multiple Small Organisms
08:28

Automated Multimodal Stimulation and Simultaneous Neuronal Recording from Multiple Small Organisms

Published on: March 3, 2023

A Procedure for Implanting Organized Arrays of Microwires for Single-unit Recordings in Awake, Behaving Animals
10:58

A Procedure for Implanting Organized Arrays of Microwires for Single-unit Recordings in Awake, Behaving Animals

Published on: February 14, 2014

Main Results:

  • The Bayesian model successfully captured a wide range of noradrenergic responses.
  • The model demonstrated that unexpected changes are key drivers of the noradrenergic signal.
  • Noradrenergic activity was shown to be modulated by task-relevant, surprising events.

Conclusions:

  • Unexpected environmental changes within a task context are proposed as the primary activators of the noradrenergic interrupt signal.
  • Computational modeling provides a framework for understanding the temporal dynamics of norepinephrine release.
  • This work offers insights into the neural mechanisms underlying attention and learning.