Synaptic Pharmacology and Function

Overview

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This course explores how the nervous system communicates, with a special focus on pharmacological principles, synapses, and the neural control of movement. Learners will explore the fundamental principles of synaptic transmission, including how neurons communicate with each other and with muscles, and how drugs and other chemicals, such as poisons, can modify these processes. The course emphasizes the neuromuscular junction as a model system for understanding how synapses translate electrical signals into movement. Topics include neurotransmitters and receptors, and the mechanisms by which drugs alter signaling in the neuronal interface with muscles. Real-world examples from medicine, pharmacology, and everyday substances are used to illustrate how changes at the synapse influence behavior and motor function. To be successful in this course, learners should have a background in biology. This course provides a strong foundation for those interested in neuroscience, pharmacology, medicine, or related health and biological sciences.

Syllabus

Introduction to Pharmacological Principles

This module introduces the principles of receptor pharmacology, including the concepts of potency, efficacy, and the actions of drugs as agonists, antagonists, and allosteric modulators. We will also explore how different routes of drug administration influence absorption and effect, as well as how therapeutic windows determine safe and effective drug use.

Synapses: The Basic Blocks of Communication

This module introduces synapses as specialized sites of communication between neurons. We will learn about the historical discoveries that led to our understanding of synaptic transmission and how modern imaging reveals the dynamics of synaptic signaling. The role of synapses in coordinating spatial and temporal patterns of neuronal communication will also be explored.

Disruption of Synaptic Signaling: Mechanisms and Consequences

This module explores the molecular events that control neurotransmitter release from neurons, using the neuromuscular junction as a model system. We will examine how toxins disrupt synaptic vesicle fusion and neurotransmitter breakdown, leading to impaired communication between nerves and muscles.