| Term 
 
        | What is the main excitatory amino acid neurotransmitter? |  | Definition 
 
        | Glutamate - estimated that over half of brain synapses release glutamate
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        | Term 
 
        | Which amino acids act as neurotransmitters |  | Definition 
 
        | Excitatory: Glutamate
 Aspartate
 
 Inhibitory:
 GABA (g-amino butyric acid)
 Glycine
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        | Term 
 
        | What is the difference between Glutamate and Aspartate? |  | Definition 
 
        | Aspartate has one less methyl group |  | 
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        | Term 
 
        | Glutamate and aspartate are non-essential amino acids. What does that mean? |  | Definition 
 
        | non-essential = Synthesised in the body – not required in the diet |  | 
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        | Term 
 
        | WHat is the relative abundance of Glutamate in the brain? |  | Definition 
 | 
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        | Term 
 
        | What is the relative abundance of Aspartate in the Brain? |  | Definition 
 | 
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        | Term 
 
        | What is the first pathway synthesis of Glutamate? |  | Definition 
 
        | Glycolysis – oxidative metabolism of glucose Glucose --> pyruvate --> Acetyl CoA --> Krebs cycle --> α-ketoglutarate -->glutamate
 |  | 
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        | Term 
 
        | What is the second pathway synthesis of Glutamate? |  | Definition 
 | 
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        | Term 
 
        | Which enzyme catalyses this reaction : glutamine --> glutamate ?
 |  | Definition 
 | 
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        | Term 
 
        | Which pathway is prefered for release of glutamate? |  | Definition 
 
        | Pathway 2 using enzyme Glutaminase |  | 
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        | Term 
 
        | How does glutaminase prevent glutamate overproduction? |  | Definition 
 
        | This enzyme is subject to product inhibition |  | 
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        | Term 
 
        | Can glutamate cross the BBB? |  | Definition 
 
        | No, therefore it is synthesized using local precursors in the neurons |  | 
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        | Term 
 
        | The glutamine cycle in neurons |  | Definition 
 
        | Glutamine --> glutamate using enzyme = Glutaminase
 |  | 
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        | Term 
 
        | The glutamine cycle in astrocytes |  | Definition 
 
        | Glutamate ---> Glutamine using enzyme = Glutamine synthase
 |  | 
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        | Term 
 
        | Reversal of transaminase reaction |  | Definition 
 
        | glutamate --> α-ketoglutarate |  | 
        |  | 
        
        | Term 
 | Definition 
 
        | glutamate --> α-ketoglutarate |  | 
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        | Term 
 
        | How is glutamine taken up into presynaptic terminal ? |  | Definition 
 
        | Through System A transporter 2 (SAT2) |  | 
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        | Term 
 
        | Where is Glutamate synthesized? |  | Definition 
 | 
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        | Term 
 
        | Where is glutamate stored? |  | Definition 
 
        | In vesicles at the terminal |  | 
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        | Term 
 
        | How is glutamate packaged into vesicles? |  | Definition 
 
        | Through Vesicular Glutamate transporter (VGLUT) and use the proton antiporter system |  | 
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        | Term 
 
        | VGLUT are highly specific for ... but have low affinity of .... |  | Definition 
 | 
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        | Term 
 
        | There are 3 genes identified with three different types of VGLUT. What are the 3 types? |  | Definition 
 
        | neuronal, cerebellar, astrocytic |  | 
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        | Term 
 
        | Which disorder shows abnormality in Glutamate transporter ? |  | Definition 
 
        | amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) |  | 
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        | Term 
 
        | How many transmembrane proteins are there in Glutamate transporters? |  | Definition 
 
        | 6 - 10 transmembrane proteins |  | 
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        | Term 
 
        | Which transporter removes Glutamate from the synaptic cleft? |  | Definition 
 
        | Excitatory Amino Acid transporter (EAAT) family of 5 Na dependent glutamate co-transporters |  | 
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        | Term 
 
        | Distribution of subtypes of EAAT |  | Definition 
 
        | EAAT1 (GLAST) – neurons and astroglia, particularly Bergmann glia, cortex, hippocampus and cerebellum EAAT2 (GLT1) – astroglia
 EAAT3 (EAAC1) – neurons
 EAAT4 – cerebellar Purkinje cells in rat and human CNS
 EAAT5 – primarily expressed in the retina – only cloned from human
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        | Term 
 
        | What are the metabotropic receptors for Glutamate? |  | Definition 
 
        | mGluR1 – mGluR8 They have Slow, modulatory effects
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        | Term 
 
        | What are the ionotropic receptors for Glutamate? |  | Definition 
 
        | AMPA, kainate, NMDA Fast synaptic transmission
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