Question 1

How do neurons communicate?
A) Terminal buttons plug into receptor sites on adjacent dendrites.
B) Neurotransmitters cross the synapse and bind with receptors on the postsynaptic dendrite.
C) Electric signals jump across the synapse to the adjacent neuron.
D) Chemicals released into the synapse are converted to neurotransmitters that bind with receptors.

Accepted Answer

Neurons communicate through a process called synaptic transmission in which neurotransmitters are released from the presynaptic neuron's terminal buttons, cross the synapse, and bind with receptors on the postsynaptic dendrite, transmitting the signal from one neuron to another. Choices A, C, and D are incorrect because they do not accurately describe the process of synaptic transmission.

Question 2

The effect of the botulism toxin on acetylcholine is to:
A) increase the amount of acetylcholine available
B) inhibit the release of acetylcholine from the terminal buttons
C) destroy acetylcholine within the synapse
D) prevent the production of acetylcholine in the vesicles

Accepted Answer

Botulism toxin inhibits the release of acetylcholine from the terminal buttons. This leads to muscle paralysis as acetylcholine is required for muscle contraction.

Question 3

A new focus of research on Parkinson's involves the transplanting of brain tissue from fetuses into the brains of adults. For this procedure, fetal cells are chosen that produce:
A) GABA
B) serotonin
C) acetycholine
D) dopamine

Accepted Answer

Parkinson's disease is characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the brain. Transplanting brain tissue from fetuses that produce dopamine can help replace the lost neurons and improve symptoms. Transplanting brain tissue that produces GABA, serotonin, or acetylcholine would not address the underlying dopamine deficiency in Parkinson's disease.

Question 4

GABA is to glutamate as ____________ is to ____________.
A) control; out of control
B) inhibit; excite
C) arouse; paralyze
D) awake; asleep

Accepted Answer

GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that helps to reduce activity in the brain, while glutamate is an excitatory neurotransmitter that helps to increase activity in the brain. Therefore, the relationship between GABA and glutamate is one of inhibition versus excitation.

Question 5

Imagine you are at the end part of the chain of activity on a production line. Your boss, who in his previous career was a neuroscientist, calls you an agonist. What would he be implying?
A) that you completely halt production
B) that you interfere with production
C) that you take stuff out of the process that is defective
D) that you facilitate production

Accepted Answer

An agonist is a chemical substance that activates a receptor and facilitates or enhances the activity of a nerve cell. In this context, if a person is being called an agonist, it means they are facilitating or enhancing the production line process. Option A and B would be the opposite of an agonist, while option C is not relevant to the term in this context.

Question 6

Drugs that treat ____________ make serotonin more available by blocking reuptake.
A) motor disturbances
B) memory disturbances and hallucinations
C) eating disorders and depression
D) pain management and hypersensitivity

Accepted Answer

Drugs that increase serotonin availability by blocking its reuptake are commonly used to treat eating disorders and depression. Examples include selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) like Prozac and Zoloft.

Question 7

The actor Michael J. Fox suffers from Parkinson's disease. Knowing this, what would you expect to have happened in his brain to the neurons involved with dopamine activity?
A) They are dying off.
B) They are overproducing dopamine.
C) They are blocked for reuptake.
D) They are rapidly multiplying.

Accepted Answer

Parkinson's disease is caused by the degeneration of dopamine-producing neurons in the brain. As Michael J. Fox suffers from Parkinson's disease, one would expect that the neurons involved with dopamine activity in his brain are dying off.

Question 8

Narcotics, such as heroin and morphine, are probably rapidly addictive because they:
A) block neural transmission
B) cause a placebo effect
C) activate the release of substance P
D) bind to endorphin receptors

Accepted Answer

Narcotics bind to endorphin receptors in the brain, which are responsible for reducing pain and producing feelings of pleasure and well-being. By binding to these receptors, narcotics produce a strong and immediate sense of euphoria, which can quickly lead to addiction.

Question 9

Which of the following neurotransmitters would be most involved in enabling nerves that connect with muscles as you raise your arms above your head?
A) acetylcholine
B) epinephrine
C) serotonin
D) norepinephrine

Accepted Answer

Acetylcholine is the primary neurotransmitter used at the neuromuscular junction, the synapse between motor neurons and skeletal muscle fibers. It is responsible for allowing muscles to contract, including when raising your arms above your head. Epinephrine, serotonin, and norepinephrine are involved in other physiological processes, but not directly related to muscle contraction.

Question 10

Roberto's grandmother is suffering from Alzheimer's disease. What might you expect is happening in her brain with regard to neurotransmitters?
A) There is an overproduction of acetylchoine.
B) There is too much curare in her system.
C) There is diminished acetylcholine.
D) There is an excess of receptors for the available neurotransmitter.

Accepted Answer

Alzheimer's disease is characterized by a progressive loss of neurons, including cholinergic neurons that typically release acetylcholine as their neurotransmitter. This results in a decreased amount of available acetylcholine in the brain. Therefore, option C is the correct answer. Options A and D are not correct, as they describe an excess of acetylcholine or receptors, which is not a characteristic of Alzheimer's disease. Option B is also incorrect, as curare is a muscle relaxant that blocks acetylcholine receptors and is not related to Alzheimer's disease.

Question 11

Drugs that enhance the effects of GABA:
A) are used to treat depression
B) affect the location of reception
C) are used to treat anxiety and insomnia
D) may cause seizures and hallucinations

Accepted Answer

Drugs that enhance the effects of GABA are commonly used to treat anxiety and insomnia, as GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter that can decrease neuronal activity and promote relaxation. They are not typically used to treat depression. While the location of reception (i.e. pre-synaptic versus post-synaptic) may affect the overall effects of GABA, drugs that enhance GABA primarily act by increasing the activity of GABA receptors. Finally, while excessive GABA activity may be associated with seizures and hallucinations, drugs that enhance GABA are not typically associated with these side effects.

Question 12

Alcohol is a depressant, and not a stimulant. Although alcohol may make people feel outgoing, it inhibits the nervous system by effectively increasing the binding of:
A) GABA
B) epinephrine
C) serotonin
D) glutamate

Accepted Answer

Alcohol increases the binding of GABA receptors in the brain, which leads to a decrease in brain activity and a sluggish, sedative effect on the body. This is why alcohol is classified as a depressant rather than a stimulant. The other options (B, C, and D) are neurotransmitters or hormones that play a role in mood and behavior, but they are not directly affected by the binding of alcohol to the brain receptors.

Question 13

Imagine you are at the end part of the chain of activity on a production line. Your boss, who in his previous career was a neuroscientist, calls you an antagonist. What would he be implying?
A) that you interfere with production
B) that you speed up production
C) that you take stuff out of the process that is defective
D) that you sleep on the job, doing nothing

Accepted Answer

In neuroscience, an antagonist is a substance that interferes with or inhibits the activity of another substance. Therefore, if the boss is using this term in reference to an employee, they are suggesting that the employee is causing interference and potentially slowing down production.

Question 14

Regarding the role they play in behaviour, neurotransmitters:
A) are very specific, with a separate neurotransmitter for each behaviour
B) may affect a variety of behaviours depending on the size of the action potential produced
C) influence behaviour because of action of a particular postsynaptic neuron's function
D) convert enzymes at particular synapses

Accepted Answer

Neurotransmitters influence behaviour by affecting the function of postsynaptic neurons, which can lead to various behavioural outcomes depending on the neural circuits involved.

Question 15

In which of the following ways do drugs NOT affect neural communication?
A) blocking reuptake
B) blocking receptors
C) destroying neurotransmitters
D) eliminating the need for action potentials

Accepted Answer

Drugs can affect neural communication by blocking reuptake, blocking receptors, or destroying neurotransmitters, but they cannot eliminate the need for action potentials, which are essential for neural communication.

Question 16

One mechanism of drugs is to alter the availability of neurotransmitters, thus affecting the functioning of neurons. Antagonistic drugs ____________ the availability, whereas agonistic drugs ____________ the availability.
A) increase; decrease
B) decrease; increase
C) eliminate; block
D) block; eliminate

Accepted Answer

Antagonistic drugs decrease the availability of neurotransmitters by blocking the receptor sites, while agonistic drugs increase the availability by mimicking the effects of the neurotransmitter or increasing its release. Therefore, the correct choice is (B) decrease; increase.

Question 17

Neurotransmitters affect the behaviour of a cell because they:
A) are exclusively inhibitory or excitatory
B) mimic psychotropics
C) bind to the postsynaptic receptor and produce changes on the neuron cell wall, creating a cascade of further changes
D) increase the size of the action potential, creating a bigger response across the cell

Accepted Answer

Neurotransmitters bind to postsynaptic receptors and cause changes in the neuron cell wall, which then triggers a cascade of further changes within the cell. This can then lead to changes in behaviour or physiological responses.

Question 18

Since nicotine increases acetylcholine functioning we can assume it is:
A) an agonist
B) an antagonist
C) a substance that destroys neurons with acetylcholine receptors
D) a toxin released by neurons that binds to acetylcholine receptors

Accepted Answer

Nicotine increases acetylcholine functioning by binding to and activating nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, acting as an agonist.

Question 19

Monoamine oxidase is an enzyme responsible for:
A) stopping the activity of all monoamines
B) enhancing the activity of all monoamines
C) increasing the manufacturing of monoamines
D) helping the monoamines bind to receptors

Accepted Answer

Monoamine oxidase (MAO) breaks down monoamines such as dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine, thereby stopping their activity. This is an important process in regulating their levels and preventing excessive neurotransmitter activity.

Question 20

Another way to think of agonists and antagonists, with respect to their involvement in the actions of neurotransmitters, is that agonists ___________, whereas antagonists____________ the action of neurotransmitters.
A) help; hinder
B) hinder; help
C) alter; maintain
D) maintain; alter

Accepted Answer

Agonists help facilitate the action of neurotransmitters, while antagonists hinder or block the action of neurotransmitters.

Quiz 3: Biological Foundations

How do neurons communicate?

The effect of the botulism toxin on acetylcholine is to:

A new focus of research on Parkinson's involves the transplanting of brain tissue from fetuses into the brains of adults. For this procedure, fetal cells are chosen that produce:

GABA is to glutamate as is to .

Imagine you are at the end part of the chain of activity on a production line. Your boss, who in his previous career was a neuroscientist, calls you an agonist. What would he be implying?

Drugs that treat ____________ make serotonin more available by blocking reuptake.

The actor Michael J. Fox suffers from Parkinson's disease. Knowing this, what would you expect to have happened in his brain to the neurons involved with dopamine activity?

Narcotics, such as heroin and morphine, are probably rapidly addictive because they:

Which of the following neurotransmitters would be most involved in enabling nerves that connect with muscles as you raise your arms above your head?

Roberto's grandmother is suffering from Alzheimer's disease. What might you expect is happening in her brain with regard to neurotransmitters?

Drugs that enhance the effects of GABA:

Alcohol is a depressant, and not a stimulant. Although alcohol may make people feel outgoing, it inhibits the nervous system by effectively increasing the binding of:

Imagine you are at the end part of the chain of activity on a production line. Your boss, who in his previous career was a neuroscientist, calls you an antagonist. What would he be implying?

Regarding the role they play in behaviour, neurotransmitters:

In which of the following ways do drugs NOT affect neural communication?

One mechanism of drugs is to alter the availability of neurotransmitters, thus affecting the functioning of neurons. Antagonistic drugs the availability, whereas agonistic drugs the availability.

Neurotransmitters affect the behaviour of a cell because they:

Since nicotine increases acetylcholine functioning we can assume it is:

Monoamine oxidase is an enzyme responsible for:

Another way to think of agonists and antagonists, with respect to their involvement in the actions of neurotransmitters, is that agonists _, whereas antagonists__ the action of neurotransmitters.