Neuronal re-uptake

The effect of released norepinephrine wanes quickly, because approx. 90% is actively transported back into the axoplasm, then into storage vesicles (neuronal re-uptake). Small portions of norepinephrine are inactivated by the enzyme catechol-0-methyltransferase (COMT, present in the cytoplasm of postjunctional cells, to yield normeta-nephrine), and monoamine oxidase (MAO, present in mitochondria of nerve cells and postjunctional cells, to yield 3,4-dihydroxymandelic acid). 

Fig. 2. Schematic drawing of the adrenergic neurotransmission. Dependent on the target organ, the postsynaptic, G-protein-coupled receptors are of the a -, 2- or /Sj-adrenoceptor subtype. A presynaptic 2-adrenoceptor acts as an inhibitory autoreceptor. The predominant elimination pathway of the transmitter noradrenaline (NA) is the neuronal re-uptake...

The intracellular signaltransduction of ofi-adrenoceptors is effectuated by a G-protein-dependent activation of the phospholipase C. This enzyme cleaves phosphatidylinositol, a phospholipid present in cell membranes, into inositol-1,4-5-triphosphate (IP3) and diacylglycerol (DAG). IP3 is a strong inductor of intracellular calcium release which leads to an increase of smooth muscle tone or the liberation of hormones stored in vesicles. Noradrenaline which is released by exocytosis, spreads by diffusion only. Only a small fraction of the total amount of the transmitter released will actually reach the postsynaptic membrane and bind to its specific receptors. Another fraction escapes the synapic cleft by diffusion and is finally enzymatically degraded in the interstitial fluid. Another fraction is taken up postsynaptically and metabolized enzymatically by the target cells (uptake 2). By far most of the transmitter (90%) is actively taken up by the releasing neuron itself (uptake 1 or neuronal re-uptake). In the... 

Neuronal excitotoxicity AEA levels are elevated in the hippocampus of mice treated with kainic acid. 2-AG levels are elevated in rats treated with pilocarpine These are two animal models of epileptic seizures, where the endocannabinoids play an anti-convulsant and protective function Inhibitors of cellular re-uptake... 

In contrast, much is known about the catabolism of catecholamines. Adrenaline (epinephrine) released into the plasma to act as a classical hormone and noradrenaline (norepinephrine) from the parasympathetic nerves are substrates for two important enzymes monoamine oxidase (MAO) found in the mitochondria of sympathetic neurones and the more widely distributed catechol-O-methyl transferase (COMT). Noradrenaline (norepinephrine) undergoes re-uptake from the synaptic cleft by high-affrnity transporters and once within the neurone may be stored within vesicles for reuse or subjected to oxidative decarboxylation by MAO. Dopamine and serotonin are also substrates for MAO and are therefore catabolized in a similar fashion to adrenaline (epinephrine) and noradrenaline (norepinephrine), the final products being homo-vanillic acid (HVA) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5HIAA) respectively. 

Serotonin mediates many central and peripheral physiological functions, including contraction of smooth muscle, vasoconstriction, food intake, sleep, pain perception, and memory, a consequence of it acting on several distinct receptor types. Although 5-HT may be metabolized by monoamine oxidase, platelets and neurons possess a high-affinity mechanism for reuptake of 5-HT. This mechanism may be inhibited by the widely prescribed antidepressant drugs termed selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRl), e.g. fluoxetine (Prozac ), thereby increasing levels of 5-HT in the central nervous system. 

Agents from this class of antidepressants are selective blockers of the re-uptake of serotonin at presynaptic neurones and have little if any effects on muscarinic, histaminergic, adrenergic or serotonergic receptors. They are as effective as the tricyclic antidepressants in the management of depressive disorders, but have less cardiovascular effects. They have less anticholinergic activity and because of their lower risk of cardiotoxicity in overdose they... 

As mentioned above, the existence of H3 receptors located presynaptically as heteroreceptors on other aminergic neurons, such as serotonergic, noradrenergic and dopaminergic neurons has been suggested [10-13], However, in a series of experiments we found that neither RmHA nor THIOP affected the ACTH response to serotonergic activation induced by administration of the 5-HT precursor 5-hydroxytryptophan in combination with the 5-HT re-uptake inhibitor fluoxetine [27],... 

Wieczorek WJ, Kruk ZL (1994) A quantitative comparison on the effects of benztropine, cocaine and nomifensine on electrically evoked dopamine overflow and rate of re-uptake in the caudate putamen and nucleus accumbens in the rat brain slice. Brain Res 657 42-50 Willems JL, Buylaert WA, Lefebvre RA, Bogaert MG (1985) Neuronal dopamine receptors on autonomic ganglia and sympathetic nerves and dopamine receptors in the gastrointestinal system. Pharmacol Rev 37 165-216... 

Fig. 3. Schematic representation of the neurochemical events associated with neurotransmitter synthesis, release, re-uptake and metabolism in axons of diencephalic DA neurons terminating in classical synapses (Top Panel), and TIDA neurosecretory neurons terminating in close proximity to the hypophysial portal system (Botton Panel). Arrows with dashed lines represent end-product inhibition of TH activiy by DA (Top + Bottom Panels) or DA presynaptic autoreceptor-mediated inhibition of DA synthesis and release (Top Panel). Abbreviations COMT, Catechol-O-methyltransferase D, dopamine DDC, DOPA decarboxylase DOPA, 3,4-dihydrophenylalanine DOPAC, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid HVA, homovanillic acid MAO, monoamine oxidase 3MT, 3-methoxytyramine TH, tyrosine hydroxylase.

Re-uptake of neurotransmitters into neurons and synaptic vesicles... 

Tricyclic antidepressants act on both presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons, as well as on alpha- and beta-adrenoceptors. Because their principal action is to block the re-uptake of noradrenaline at the presynaptic neuron, they potentiate the hypertensive effects of both directly acting and indirectly acting amines (158,159). The hypertensive effects of phenylephrine are increased by a factor of 2-3, and of noradrenaline by a factor of 4-8. Even the administration of local anesthetics containing noradrenaline as a vasoconstrictor has proven fatal. The types of... 

Citalopram is a racemic bicyclic phthalane derivative and is a highly selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitor with minimal effects on noradrenaline and dopamine neuronal reuptake. Inhibition of 5-HT re-uptake by citalopram is primarily due to escitalopram, the active S-enantiomer of citalopram (1). One would expect escitalopram to be twice as potent as citalopram but otherwise not to differ significantly from the racemic mixture. However, escitalopram is marketed as being more efficacious than citalopram because, it is argued, the inactive R-isomer present in the racemate actually inhibits binding of the S-enantiomer to its site of action, the serotonin transporter. In some, but not all, clinical trials escitalopram has been statistically superior to citalopram in terms of speed of onset of therapeutic action and improvement on depression rating scales. The clinical significance of these differences is debatable (2). 

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