Please consider the following prompt and craft a response that sufficiently captures all aspects of it from your unique point of view and original research. Please cite and reference any source(s) you use to help write this response in APA format. Notice that in addition to your Main Entry post, you will need to offer two substantive classmate response posts to complete this exercise. See below instructions that will guide your peer engagement thinking/posting. See syllabus or course calendar for due dates for both main entry posts and peer engagement.

Main Entry: Parts 1 and 2

Part 1: Neurotransmission

The picture above illustrates the synaptic cleft and the potential targets of drug action. Choose a number and the process it labels in synaptic transmission that can be altered by drug administration (e.g., 3 – prevents storage of NT in vesicles, etc.) and answer the questions below:

1. How would altering this process impact synaptic transmission?
2. Identify a drug that works on this specific target within the central nervous system
3. Briefly explain how this drug’s effects on synaptic transmission are useful as a therapeutic effect or are involved in its abuse potential, i.e., how is this drug’s mechanism of action useful for treating a psychological disorder or how does it contribute to its likelihood of being abused? 

Part 2: The Autonomic Nervous System

Think about the functions of the autonomic nervous system. Given the stressors associated with modern life, do you think this system is well-adapted to our current lives? Why or why not? Provide a specific example from your own life or an example grounded in today’s world (a situation in our news or pop culture) that demonstrates your point.

Peer Engagement:

Remember to circle back and substantively respond to two classmates by the due date specified in the syllabus. Your peer engagement posts must go beyond summarizing and praising. To aid you in this endeavor, incorporate one or more of the following lines of thinking in your peer engagement posts, ensuring both a hearty, meaningful conversation and that your work meets criteria for substance and depth:

• Were you left with any questions or follow up thoughts/considerations after reading your classmate’s Part 1? Ask those questions or offer those thoughts and take a stab at offering an answer or posing your own hypotheses.
• Play Devil’s Advocate for your peer’s Part 2 – what are some reasons that our stress response is adaptable to today’s environment and give a current event-based example to support your position.
• Maybe you take the parasympathetic stance to contrast with your peer’s part 2. Open a discussion regarding how might we find more parasympathetic (calming) states of being in our modern world and offer some concrete examples of this.