Jon22: The Website of Jonathan Dobres

The Question:

“Describe the origin and primary destination of these four neurotransmitter pathways:  noradrenergic, serotonergic, dopaminergic, and cholinergic.”

My Thoughts:

“The noradrenergic pathway starts in the locus coeruleus of the brainstem.  Coeruleus, like cerulean, a shade of blue.  Think blue.  Think smurf. The noradrenergic pathway just produces adrenaline.  Think beefed up, angry smurf.  The noradrenergic pathway ends—primarily, anyway—in the motor and sensory cortices, which will enable said smurf to punch and kick that damned cat.

The serotonergic pathway starts in the raphe nuclei of the brainstem.  Raphael was a famous Renaissance artist (also, the teenage mutant ninja turtle with the red mask).  Probably painted angels a lot.  Think Serra Angel, from Magic: the Gathering.  Remember that game?  The path terminates in the primary visual area (V1) and the visual areas of the temporal lobe.  Artists all the way.

The dopaminergic pathway starts in the substantia nigra and the ventral tegmental area.  Substantia nigra means “substantial blackness,” so named because early chemical stains always turned it deep black.  You always thought that was sort of a nifty fact, scientists naming things after colors.  You’ve also read Awakenings.  For fun.  There’s know way you wouldn’t know that that dopamine primarily innervates the limbic system, motor areas, and inferior parietal lobule, given the patients’ symptoms.  I mean, who could forget that?

The cholinergic pathway starts in the nucleus basalis, and is wired up prominently to the limbic system.  Think of basil.  I add basil to a lot of the things I cook, which will eventually end up in my colon.  Basil’s green.

Blue, black, red, green, and we’re out.”