Q&A Hero

Q: Inhibitory synapses actively suppress excitatory responses.

Q: Spatial summation is the result of synaptic inputs from different locations arriving at the same time.

Q: Graded potentials can be depolarizations or hyperpolarizations.

Q: Most excitatory post-synaptic potentials result in an action potential.

Q: The amount of temporal summation depends on the rate of stimulation.

Q: Chemical communication between neurons is faster than electrical communication within neurons.

Q: Electrical communication between neurons is faster than chemical communication within neurons.

Q: At synapses, the cell that delivers the message is called the presynaptic neuron.

Q: At synapses, the cell that receives the message is called the presynaptic neuron.

Q: Reflexive flexion and extension of a dog's legs can still occur when the spinal cord is disconnected from the brain.

Q: Only sensory neurons are found in a reflex arc.

Q: A reflex arc consists only of sensory neurons.

Q: Transmission of information between neurons occurs in the same way as transmission along the axon.

Q: Briefly describe how drug abuse can "rewire" the brain.

Q: Describe the main properties of neuropeptides (neuromodulators).

Q: Describe the main chemical events at a synapse.

Q: Briefly describe why synapses are a "decision maker."

Q: Briefly describe spatial summation.

Q: Describe the differences between antagonists and agonists.

Q: Briefly describe autoreceptors.

Q: Briefly compare the differences between ionotropic and metabotropic receptors. Include their mechanisms of action and how this explains the difference in their effects on the postsynaptic cell.

Q: List the major types of neurotransmitters.

Q: Describe the sequence of events that occurs in synaptic transmission.

Q: A common drug to treat alcoholism that produces illness after consuming alcohol is:a. antabuseb. NMDAc. COMTd. anandamide

Q: LSD and other hallucinogenic drugs probably exert their effects most directly on what part of the neuron? a. the axon terminals b. the postsynaptic receptors c. the reuptake protein channels d. the sodium-potassium pump

Q: LSD and other hallucinogenic drugs resemble which neurotransmitter? a. norepinephrine b. dopamine c. serotonin d. acetylcholine

Q: Which drugs most closely resemble the neurotransmitter serotonin? a. hallucinogens b. cannabinoids c. opiates d. stimulants

Q: Drugs that grossly distort perception are known as: a. hallucinogens. b. depressants. c. opiates. d. stimulants.

Q: Which of the following is NOT a likely effect of using marijuana? a. memory loss b. decreased nausea c. reduced risk of Parkinson's disease d. suppressed appetite

Q: Cannabinoid chemicals affect synapses by: a. blocking the activity of second messengers. b. decreasing the release of both glutamate and GABA. c. stimulating endorphin receptors. d. decreasing the synthesis of dopamine and norepinephrine.

Q: The effect of cannabinoids to reduce nausea is most likely mediated by ____ receptors. a. dopamine b. serotonin c. opiate d. acetylcholine

Q: Endogenous cannabinoids act to: a. decrease neurotransmitter release from presynaptic neurons. b. block reuptake of neurotransmitter. c. stimulate release of dopamine. d. decrease synthesis of neurotransmitter.

Q: Uniquely, endogenous cannabinoid receptors are located: a. on the presynaptic neuron. b. on the cell body. c. on the dendrites of the postsynaptic neuron. d. inside the cell membrane.

Q: 2-AG is believed to be an endogenous chemical that: a. increases dopamine release. b. produces serotonin. c. binds to cannabinoid receptors. d. is responsible for producing nausea.

Q: Anandamide and 2-AG are believed to be the naturally occurring neurotransmitters that bind to the same receptors as which drug? a. heroin b. cocaine c. alcohol d. marijuana

Q: Cannabinoid receptors are located on the: a. the postsynaptic neuron b. the presynaptic neuron c. the cell body d. axon

Q: Why is marijuana unlikely to interfere with breathing or heart rate? a. Marijuana cannot cross the blood-brain barrier. b. It is so slow acting that the brain can compensate. c. Receptors for marijuana in those brain areas are absent. d. Marijuana dissolves quickly and leaves the body quickly.

Q: Why are the withdrawal effects of marijuana usually less intense than other drugs? a. Marijuana affects only the brain stem. b. Marijuana leaves the body slowly. c. Marijuana affects only presynaptic neurons. d. The body compensates by producing more dopamine.

Q: Which is MORE characteristic of marijuana users than of cocaine users? a. sudden "crash" several hours after taking the drug b. impairments of attention and memory c. increased sensitivity to the drug's effects d. high risk of overdose on the drug

Q: A certain drug user experiences intensified sensations and the illusion that time is passing slowly. He also experiences problems with attention and memory. These symptoms are most characteristic of the use of which drug? a. LSD b. cocaine c. nicotine d. marijuana

Q: Cannabinoids are a class of chemicals that include: a. nicotine. b. cocaine. c. morphine. d. marijuana.

Q: When opiates block the activity of the locus coeruleus, this results in: a. hallucinations. b. sleep. c. increased arousal. d. decreased fear and memory.

Q: What effect do opiate drugs have on dopamine? a. They increase the synthesis of dopamine. b. They directly increase the release of dopamine. c. They indirectly increase the release of dopamine by blocking transmitters that normally block dopamine. d. They mimic dopamine.

Q: Opiate drugs bind to receptors in the brain for: a. endorphins. b. catecholamines. c. indolamines. d. monoamines.

Q: Pert and Snyder's discovery that opiates bind with certain receptors led to what other discovery? a. the functions of inhibitory synapses b. the endogenous chemicals that bind with those receptors c. other classes of receptors with which opiates will bind d. more effective ways of manufacturing the drugs

Q: A drug that relaxes a person and makes them less sensitive to pain is most likely a(n): a. opiate. b. hallucinogen. c. stimulant. d. cannabinoid.

Q: Cocaine is to ____ as nicotine is to ____. a. dopamine, acetylcholine b. acetylcholine, dopamine c. dopamine, serotonin d. norepinephrine, acetylcholine

Q: Nicotine directly stimulates receptors in the central nervous system and at nerve-muscle junctions. These nicotinic receptors are also receptors for which neurotransmitter? a. glutamate b. dopamine c. serotonin d. acetylcholine

Q: The stimulant effects of MDMA are likely due to actions at ____ synapses, while the hallucinogenic effects are likely due to actions at ____ synapses. a. dopamine, nitric oxide b. neuropeptide Y, serotonin c. dopamine, serotonin d. serotonin, dopamine

Q: Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) is also known as? a. ecstasy b. crack c. angel dust d. ganja

Q: At high doses, MDMA: a. destroys axons that release acetylcholine. b. destroys axons that release serotonin. c. stimulates axons that release acetylcholine. d. destroys axons in humans, but not in laboratory rats.

Q: The main difference between methylphenidate (Ritalin), when taken as a medication for attention deficit disorder, and cocaine, when taken as a drug of abuse, is that methylphenidate: a. inhibits receptors that cocaine excites. b. produces the same effects more slowly. c. attaches to a different set of receptors. d. increases metabolic rate whereas cocaine decreases it.

Q: The effect of Ritalin (methylphenidate) on the synapse is most similar to that of: a. cocaine. b. GABA. c. prozac. d. alcohol.

Q: Why do cocaine and amphetamine produce similar effects? a. Both increase the activity of the sodium-potassium pump. b. Both increase the presence of dopamine in the synapses. c. Both cause a weakening of the blood-brain barrier. d. The brain converts both of them into acetylcholine.

Q: At the synapse, cocaine: a. increases the synthesis of dopamine. b. blocks the breakdown of dopamine. c. accelerates the breakdown of dopamine. d. blocks the reuptake of dopamine.

Q: At the synapse, amphetamine:a. blocks the breakdown of dopamine.b. decreases the release of dopamine from the presynaptic terminal.c. inhibits the dopamine transporter.d. decreases the sensitivity of dopamine receptors.

Q: At the synapse, amphetamine: a. blocks the breakdown of dopamine. b. increases the release of dopamine from the presynaptic terminal. c. increases the sensitivity of dopamine receptors. d. decreases the sensitivity of dopamine receptors.

Q: The presynaptic terminal ordinarily reabsorbs released dopamine through a protein called a: a. dopamine reabsorber b. dopamine releaser c. dopamine transporter d. dopamine agonist

Q: A drug that produces excitement, alertness, elevated mood, and decreased fatigue is referred to as a: a. stimulant. b. depressant. c. hallucinogen. d. tranquilizer.

Q: Most habit-forming drugs activate which type of synapse? a. acetylcholine b. opiate c. GABA d. dopamine

Q: Which neurotransmitter has been repeatedly connected with addictive drugs? a. epinephrine b. acetylcholine c. serotonin d. dopamine

Q: Which of the following activities does NOT stimulate dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens? a. gambling b. sexual excitement c. video games d. running

Q: The brain area most often linked to drug addiction is the: a. nucleus accumbens. b. whole limbic system. c. frontal lobes. d. brain stem.

Q: Affinity refers to a drug's ____, while efficacy refers to a drug's ____. a. concentration; effectiveness b. function; structure c. strength of binding to the receptor; tendency to activate the receptor d. tendency to activate the receptor; strength of binding to the receptor

Q: Why do the effects of certain transmitters, such as serotonin, vary from one synapse to another? a. The brain releases different forms of serotonin at different synapses. b. It depends whether it is an original serotonin molecule or one that has been recycled. c. The width of the synaptic cleft varies from one synapse to another. d. There are several kinds of postsynaptic receptors for serotonin.

Q: The effectiveness and side-effects of a drug vary from one person to the next. One reason for this is that: a. most drugs are chemically unstable, resulting in unpredictable effects. b. most drugs interact with the diet to produce variable effects. c. each drug tends to affect more than one kind of synapse. d. drugs will break down neurotransmitters into different component parts in different people.

Q: If a drug has high affinity and high efficacy, what effect does it have on the postsynaptic neuron? a. antagonistic b. agonistic c. proactive d. destructive

Q: If a drug has high affinity and low efficacy, what effect does it have on the postsynaptic neuron? a. antagonistic b. agonistic c. proactive d. destructive

Q: What is one factor in determining whether a drug that readily attaches to a receptor will have agonistic or antagonistic effects? a. its affinity for the receptor b. its efficacy c. the neurotransmitter than normally attaches to that receptor d. its electrical charge

Q: With respect to drug effects, "efficacy" means the tendency of a drug to: a. have inhibitory effects. b. have excitatory effects. c. attach to a receptor. d. activate a receptor.

Q: If a drug binds to a particular receptor, it is said to: a. increase the synthesis of the neurotransmitter used at that receptor. b. decrease the synthesis of the neurotransmitter used at that receptor. c. stimulate breakdown at that receptor. d. have an affinity for that type of receptor.

Q: The key into a lock analogy best describes: a. a drug's efficacy b. a drug's affinity for a receptor c. breakdown at a receptor site d. a drug's reuptake

Q: To say that a drug has an affinity for a particular type of receptor is to imply that the drug: a. breaks down neurotransmitter chemicals at that receptor site. b. will always excite the postsynaptic receptor. c. will always inhibit the postsynaptic receptor. d. binds to that receptor.

Q: Which effect would be considered to be agonistic? a. blocking the synthesis of neurotransmitters b. stimulating the release of neurotransmitters c. blocking the postsynaptic receptors d. mimicking enzymes that breakdown neurotransmitters

Q: Which effect would be considered to be antagonistic? a. blocking the synthesis of neurotransmitters b. stimulating the release of neurotransmitters c. blocking the reuptake of neurotransmitters d. interfering with the breakdown of neurotransmitters

Q: A drug that blocks the effects of a neurotransmitter is a(n) ____; a drug that mimics or increases the effects is a(n) ____. a. neuromodulator; synergist b. agonist; antagonist c. depressant; stimulant d. antagonist; agonist

Q: A drug that blocks the effects of a neurotransmitter is called a(n): a. agonist. b. antagonist. c. depressant. d. protagonist.

Q: A drug that mimics or increases the effects of a neurotransmitter is called a(n): a. agonist. b. antagonist. c. stimulant. d. protagonist.

Q: Our brains respond to plant chemicals because: a. plants use chemicals similar to neurotransmitters. b. animals evolved from plants. c. plants have evolved neuron-like cells. d. those are the only chemicals that are stable at common environmental temperatures.

Q: The chemicals used as neurotransmitters in humans are found in: a. no other species. b. other mammals also, but not in non-mammals. c. other vertebrates, but not in invertebrates. d. apparently all or nearly all other species.