You are testing the effects of drugs on a somatic neuron. Adding epinephrine to

Question

You are testing the effects of drugs on a somatic neuron. Adding epinephrine to the dendrites generates an EPSP (via influx of calcium ions), leading to action potential, and ACh release at the axon terminal. Describe the effect in each of the following cases on the neurons (i.e.- EPSP, AP, NT release, contraction)? (a) What is the effect of adding a drug that blocks voltage gated Ca^2+-channels upon stimulation with epinephrine? (b) What kind of drug would give you EPSP, No AP, and No ACh release when stimulating with epinephrine? In other words, what could the drug block?

Explanation / Answer

(a) no EPSP(excitatory postsynaptic potential), no AP (action potential), no NT ( neurotransmitter release), no contraction

This would happen because the drug will block the calcium channels and hence will no longer be responsive to epinephrine.

(b) a drug that blocks Na2+ channels so that even though an EPSP is generated by the calcium channels upon epinephrine stimulation no action potential is generated and so no further processes like Ach(NT) release occurs. An action potential requires depolarisation of the neuronal membrane which is caused by influx of sodium via the Na2+ channels.

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