Neurotransmitters and hormones are responsible for communication that ensures the body is able to maintain homeostasis. This includes neurotransmitter involvement with perceiving and integrating sensory input for later retrieval (form memories) or involvement with motor responses to stimuli either through reflexive, reactionary or voluntary movements. While hormones will alter the metabolism at tissues to allow for an alteration of function that either eliminates the stress or ensures that the tissues are more resistant to the stress and thus will not have homeostasis disrupted again. The actions of these molecules is highly regulated and controlled by the cells that produce them, yet there are several means by which the functions of the neurotransmitters or hormones can get impacted. One such mechanism that might disrupt normal functions of these molecules are found in the things that we consume, such as pharmaceuticals (drugs), dietary supplements and foods(nutrients), that in turn impact the overall function of the systems and thus impact our ability to maintain or regain homeostatic balance, some even exhibit psychodynamic effects by impacting functions within specific regions of the cerebral cortex and possibly alter one’s cognitive abilities.
For this activity, select your favorite neurotransmitter or hormone and describe what that molecule should do for maintaining homeostasis and then select either a dietary supplement, or a nutrient that might impact the function of the neurotransmitter or hormone and explain how it would impact normal functions of the neurotransmitter or hormone.
Based on your choices, develop a well-formatted response (no more than 700 words) that indicates:
· Normal actions for the neurotransmitter or hormone
o Describe the type of molecule (use the tables provided to in the supplemental notes section of the study guide)
o Identify the tissues, cells, organs or regions of the cerebral cortex associated with releasing the neurotransmitter or hormone.
o Describe the effect on the post-synaptic membrane or target tissue
o Describe the stressors that typically trigger or inhibit the neurotransmitter or hormone and if hormone when is the pulse rates highest during the day.
· How the dietary supplement or nutrient impacts the action of the neurotransmitter or hormone.
o Describe where the drug impacts normal function (production, reception) and the mechanism by which responses are affected (receptor inhibition, receptor excitation, agonist or mimic behavior, antagonistic behavior, altered production, altered release)
· The effect of the dietary supplement or nutrient on function.
o Indicate how the drug impacts the normal functions and homeostasis for the person, or the means by which the drug acts within the normal feedback loop that regulates homeostasis related to the actions of the neurotransmitter or hormone.
· Does use of the dietary supplement or nutrient lead to reliance and dependency for normal functions
o Reliance is based on the need for physiological functions to be normal, dependency is based on psychological responses that lead to the drive to consume and utilize. Where each is based on positive or negative adaptations at the receptor making where either more or less of the drug is necessary to obtain the same response as the initial exposure.
o What happens if the drug it is used too often, supplement or nutrient is over consumed, and what might happen if the person stops using it too quickly (i.e. goes “cold turkey”)?
To get information on the dietary supplement or nutrient use the links:
PubChem: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pccompound/
NIH Drug Database: https://druginfo.nlm.nih.gov/drugportal/
NIH Dietary Supplement Database: https://ods.od.nih.gov/Research/Dietary_Supplement_Label_Database.aspx
MedPlus Drug Database: https://medlineplus.gov/druginformation.html
Remember that physiologists and medical scientists tend to talk through schematics and feedback loops. You may utilize this method of communication within your response to detail and describe the alteration of the homeostatic regulation so as to not exceed your word count.
There are a lot of purported benefits that are attributed to any given diet. But, how true are these benefits? Moreover, how would following the specific diet alter physiology and homeostasis to allow for the benefits to be achieved?
In this activity, pick a diet that you have used or that you would like to follow. Based on the scientific evidence available develop a presentation that would:
Describe the hypothesis that is used to say it works
What is the purported benefits?
What physiological evidence is there to support the statement?
Diagram a thought map or a feedback loop that explains how the diet would lead to changes in metabolism (or homeostasis)
If claim related to body composition, explain how or why it should (or would) work within your diagram
If claim related to improve health, explain how or why it should (or would) work within your diagram
What conclusion can you draw?
Is there a specific population that would benefit?
Are claims made by advocates accurate?