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Glossary
- Action Potential
- The electrical signal conducted along axons or fibres by which information
is conveyed from one location to another, which usually entails a depolarisation
of the cell membrane.
- Activation
- Time-dependent opening of ion channels in response to a stimulus, typically
the depolarisation of the membrane.
- Aetiology
- The cause of a disease or condition.
- Agonist
- A specific molecule that activates a specific receptor to positively produce
a response
- Analgesia
- The relief of pain through the administration of drugs or other methods
- Antagonist
- A specific molecule that either competitively or non-competitively blocks
the response of a receptor to its agonist.
- Axon
- The neuronal process that carries Action Potentials from the nerve cell
body to the target.
- cAMP -Cyclic AMP
- A cyclic nucleotide, which acts as an intracellular signalling messenger
molecule.
- CNS - Central Nervous System
- The brain and spinal cord in vertebrates.
- Chromosome
- A thread-like structure of nucleic acids and protein that carries encoded
genetic information in hte form of genes, usually located in cell nuclei.
- DAG - Diacylglycerol
- Acts as an intracellular signalling messenger molecule.
- Depolarisation
- Displacement of a cell’s membrane potential towards a less negative
value.
- Dura Matter
- Thick external covering of the brain and spinal cord comprising of meninges,
pia matter and arachnoid matter.
- Epithelium
- A continuous layer of cells that lines a surface or cavity.
- G-Protein coupled Receptor
- Family of neurotransmitter or hormone receptors with a 7 transmembrane
domain, agonist binding activates intracellular G-Proteins.
- Hyperalgesia
- Increased perception of pain.
- Ischaemia
- Insufficient blood supply.
- Neuropeptide
- A protein peptide that acts within the nervous system as either a neurotransmitter
or a neurohormone.
- Neurotransmitter
- Substances released by synaptic terminals in order to chemically pass
a signal from one neurone to the next.
- Nociception
- The response, via a sensory receptor, to painful stimuli.
- Nociceptors
- Specific receptors specializes for the detection of painful stimuli.
- Polymodal
- Responsive to more than one sensory modality.
- Resting
Membrane Potential
- The inside-negative electrical potential that is normally recorded across
all cell membranes.
- Sensitisation
- Heightened sensitivity to stimuli within a area surrounded by injury or
generalised aversive response to a usually non-painful stimuli.
- Spike Trains
- A series of short duration Action Potential Impulses, Neuronal AP traffic
in which information about a stimulus can be encoded.
- Threshold
- The level of membrane potential at which an action potential is generated.
- TTX - Tetradotoxin
- An alkaloid neurotoxin produced by some puffer fish, tropical frogs and
salamanders. Selectively blocks voltage sensitive sodium channels.
- Vasoconstriction
- A decrease in the lumen size of a blood vessel, caused by smooth muscle
contraction in the vessel wall.
- Vasodilation
- An increase in the lumen size of a blood vessel, caused by smooth muscle
relaxation in the vessel wall.
