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Related Concept Videos

Drugs Acting on Autonomic Ganglia: Stimulants01:23

Drugs Acting on Autonomic Ganglia: Stimulants


Ganglionic stimulants activate NM nicotinic receptors in autonomic ganglia, falling into two categories: nicotine mimetics [e.g., lobeline, dimethylpiperazine, tetramethylammonium] and muscarinic receptor agonists [e.g., muscarine, methacholine]. The first category's action is rapid and blocked by nicotinic receptor antagonists, while the second category's action is delayed and blocked by atropine-like agents. Nicotine, an alkaloid, affects the heart rate by stimulating sympathetic or...
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...
Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Synthesis01:29

Drugs Affecting Neurotransmitter Synthesis

Drugs affecting neurotransmitter synthesis can impact the adrenergic neuron and the synthesis of neurotransmitters. For example, α-methyltyrosine and carbidopa target specific enzymes involved in catecholamine synthesis. α-methyltyrosine inhibits the enzyme tyrosine hydroxylase, which converts tyrosine into dopamine. By blocking this enzyme, α-methyltyrosine reduces dopamine production and other catecholamines. Carbidopa, on the other hand, inhibits the enzyme dopa decarboxylase, which converts...
Drug-Receptor Interaction: Agonist01:25

Drug-Receptor Interaction: Agonist

Agonists are drugs that interact with specific receptors in the body to produce a biological response. When an agonist binds to a receptor, it activates or enhances the receptor's function, leading to physiological effects. The interaction between agonist drugs and receptors is crucial for their therapeutic action in various medical treatments.
Agonists can bind to receptors in different ways. Some agonists bind directly to the receptor's active site, mimicking the endogenous ligand's action.
Cholinergic Receptors: Nicotinic01:15

Cholinergic Receptors: Nicotinic

Nicotinic receptors are ligand-gated ion channels that are activated by acetylcholine and nicotine. Upon activation, they cause a rapid increase in the permeability of cells to K+, Na+, and Ca2+, followed by depolarization and excitation. They are in the autonomic ganglia, skeletal neuromuscular junction, CNS, and adrenal medulla.
There are two types of nicotinic receptors: neuromuscular (NM/NM/N1) and neuronal (NN/NN/N2). The two families differ based on their location and selectivity to...
Adrenergic Agonists: Indirect-Acting Agents01:25

Adrenergic Agonists: Indirect-Acting Agents

Indirect-acting adrenergic agonists potentiate the effects of endogenous catecholamines through different mechanisms without directly binding to adrenoceptors.
One mechanism involves depleting stored catecholamines by displacing them from synaptic vesicles. These agents, known as "displacers," are transported into vesicles at the expense of noradrenaline. Examples include amphetamine and tyramine, which lack a catechol moiety, resulting in prolonged action, improved oral bioavailability, and...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 14, 2026

Creating Dynamic Images of Short-lived Dopamine Fluctuations with lp-ntPET: Dopamine Movies of Cigarette Smoking
14:21

Creating Dynamic Images of Short-lived Dopamine Fluctuations with lp-ntPET: Dopamine Movies of Cigarette Smoking

Published on: August 6, 2013

Dopamine transporter binding in smokers and nonsmokers.

Andrew Newberg1, Caryn Lerman, Nancy Wintering

  • 1Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, University of Pennsylvania Health System, Philadelphia, PA, USA. andrew.newberg@uphs.upenn.edu

Clinical Nuclear Medicine
|May 23, 2007
PubMed
Summary

Current smokers show reduced dopamine transporter (DAT) binding in specific brain regions compared to nonsmokers. This finding suggests smoking may impact neurochemistry relevant to neurological and psychiatric conditions.

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Published on: February 10, 2012

Area of Science:

  • Neuroimaging
  • Neuroscience
  • Radiochemistry

Background:

  • Dopamine transporters (DAT) are crucial for regulating dopamine signaling.
  • Smoking prevalence varies in neurologic and psychiatric conditions, potentially confounding DAT imaging studies.
  • Understanding smoking's effect on DAT binding is essential for accurate neurochemical assessments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate differences in dopamine transporter (DAT) binding between healthy current smokers and nonsmokers.
  • To determine if current smoking status confounds DAT binding measurements using Tc-99m TRODAT SPECT.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of Tc-99m TRODAT SPECT scans from 46 nonsmokers and 8 current smokers.
  • Scans acquired 3 hours post-injection of 740 MBq Tc-99m TRODAT.
  • Manual placement of regions of interest (ROIs) on basal ganglia subregions to compare distribution volume ratios (DVRs).

Main Results:

  • Significant reductions in DAT binding observed in current smokers compared to nonsmokers.
  • Decreased DAT binding was noted bilaterally in the caudate nuclei.
  • Specific reductions were found in the right anterior putamen and left posterior putamen.

Conclusions:

  • Current smoking is associated with reduced dopamine transporter (DAT) binding in key basal ganglia regions.
  • These findings have implications for interpreting DAT SPECT scans in populations with varying smoking habits.
  • Reduced DAT binding may influence the neurochemical substrates of movement and neuropsychiatric disorders.