Overview of Neuropharmacology

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Overview of Neuropharmacology

• Timothy E Welty PharmD FCCP BCPS
• Associate Professor
• McWhorter School of Pharmacy
• Samford University
• And
• Adjunct Associate Research Professor
• Department of Neurology
• University of Alabama Birmingham

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Divisions of the Nervous System

• Central Nervous System
• Brain
• Spinal Cord

• Peripheral Nervous System
• Somatic Nervous System
• Motor neurons
• Sensory neurons
• Autonomic Nervous System
• Sympathetic neurons
• Parasympathetic neurons

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Blood-Brain Barrier

• Tight junctions between capillary endothelial
  cells
• Transporter systems pump substance into and out
  of CNS
• Selectively filters substances from the CNS
• Generally non-polar, lipid-soluble substances
  cross into CNS

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Comparison of the Peripheral Nervous System
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Autonomic Nervous System
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Autonomic Nervous System
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Neurotransmitters in the Central Nervous System
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Other CNS Neurotransmitters
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Physiology of the Synapse
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Potential Mechanisms for Drug Effects in the
Nervous System

• Alter or inhibit production of neurotransmitter
• Prevent release of neurotransmitter from
  presynaptic neuron
• Alter breakdown or metabolism of neurotransmitter
  in presynaptic neuron or synaptic cleft
• Mimic or block neurotransmitter at postsynaptic
  receptors

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Drugs and the Autonomic Nervous System
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Conclusion

• An understanding of neurophysiology is essential
  to understanding the effects of medications
• Drugs that work in the nervous system primarily
  alter neurotransmitters in some way
• Adverse effects of drugs that work in the nervous
  system usually result from an imbalance in
  activity of divisions of the nervous system