- acetylcholine (ACh)
- major neurotransmitter of the cholinergic system
- adrenergic receptors
- mediate responses to epinephrine and norepinephrine; include alpha and beta receptors
- affinity
- strength of the attraction between a drug and its receptor
- Alzheimer’s disease (AD)
- most common neurodegenerative condition of the brain; characterized by significant changes in brain tissue
- apoptosis
- programmed cell death prompted by a signal and designed to replace old cells with new ones
- autoantibodies
- produced by the immune system and are directed against one or more of the individual’s own cells, tissues, and proteins instead of foreign invaders
- cholinergic receptors
- mediate responses to acetylcholine; include muscarinic and nicotinic receptors
- chronotropic
- the increase or decrease of the heart rate
- delusions
- false, fixed beliefs not shared by others
- diplopia
- double vision—seeing two images of a single object
- dysarthria
- difficulty speaking because of muscle weakness
- dysphagia
- difficulty swallowing
- hallucinations
- perceiving something to be real in the absence of actual stimuli (visual, auditory, olfactory, gustatory, or tactile)
- intrinsic activity
- ability of a drug to activate a receptor upon binding
- microtubules
- components of a cell skeleton that provide structure and shape to cells, facilitate cell movement and cell division, and transport nutrients/substances within cells
- myasthenia gravis (MG)
- a progressive autoimmune neuromuscular disorder characterized by fluctuating muscle weakness and the onset of rapid fatigue
- neurotoxic
- drugs that alter the proper functioning of the nervous system
- norepinephrine
- neurotransmitter released by almost all of the postganglionic neurons of the SNS
- parasympathetic nervous system (PSNS)
- a division of the autonomic nervous system that carries the predominant tone in most organs with the exception of the blood vessels; responsible for the rest and digest functions
- parasympatholytic
- drugs that oppose the effects of the parasympathetic nervous system (also known as anticholinergic action)
- parasympathomimetic
- medications that activate the parasympathetic nervous system by mimicking the effects of acetylcholine
- postganglionic neuron
- neuron that goes from the ganglia to effector organs
- preganglionic neuron
- neuron that goes from the spinal cord to the ganglia and releases neurotransmitters
- ptosis
- drooping of the upper eyelid
- remission
- disappearance of the signs and symptoms of a disease
- steady state
- amount of drug eliminated equals the amount of drug within the circulation
- Stevens-Johnson syndrome
- hypersensitivity response to certain drugs characterized by lesions of the skin and mucous membranes, fever, malaise, and toxemia
- sympathetic nervous system (SNS)
- a division of the autonomic nervous system that is responsible for the fight-or-flight response