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Caffeine's Impact on Alertness: Tapping into Fight-or-Flight Mechanism
Chapter 11, Problem 11(choose chapter or problem)
Epinephrine initiates a signal transduction pathway that involves production of cyclic AMP (cAMP) and leads to the breakdown of glycogen to glucose, a major energy source for cells. But glycogen breakdown is actually only part of the fight-or- flight response that epinephrine brings about; the overall effect on the body includes increased heart rate and alertness, as well as a burst of energy. Given that caffeine blocks the activity of cAMP phosphodiesterase, propose a mechanism by which caffeine ingestion leads to heightened alertness and sleeplessness.
Questions & Answers
QUESTION:
Epinephrine initiates a signal transduction pathway that involves production of cyclic AMP (cAMP) and leads to the breakdown of glycogen to glucose, a major energy source for cells. But glycogen breakdown is actually only part of the fight-or- flight response that epinephrine brings about; the overall effect on the body includes increased heart rate and alertness, as well as a burst of energy. Given that caffeine blocks the activity of cAMP phosphodiesterase, propose a mechanism by which caffeine ingestion leads to heightened alertness and sleeplessness.
ANSWER:Step 1 of 3
Given:
Epinephrine initiates a signal transduction pathway that involves the production of cyclic AMP (cAMP) and leads to the breakdown of glycogen into glucose, a major energy source for cells. But glycogen breakdown is only part of the fight-or-flight response that epinephrine brings about; the overall effect on the body includes increased heart rate, alertness, and a burst of energy. Caffeine blocks the activity of cAMP phosphodiesterase.
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Caffeine's Impact on Alertness: Tapping into Fight-or-Flight Mechanism
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Explore the body's fight-or-flight response and its link to caffeine's effects. Learn how the interruption of cAMP phosphodiesterase leads to prolonged alertness and why caffeine can result in sleeplessness.