Module 2.2 Quiz

What is the synaptic cleft?​

​the gap between the presynaptic neuron and the postsynaptic neuron

"Transporter" proteins transport neurotransmitters ____.

back into the presynaptic neuron

What makes nitric oxide unique among neurotransmitters?​

it is a gas

You are eating a food containing tryptophan. What can you consume with it to increase its entry to the brain?​

carbohydrates

Neuropeptides are synthesized in the ____.​

cell body

The amino acid tryptophan is the precursor to which neurotransmitter?​

serotonin

Although slower than an action potential, synaptic transmission is still relatively fast because ____.​

the synaptic cleft is very narrow

What do dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine share in common?​

they are all synthesized from the same amino acids

A metabotropic synapse, by way of its second messenger, ____.​

​can influence activity in much or all of the postsynaptic cell

Ionotropic effects ____.​

​may depolarize or hyperpolarize the postsynaptic membrane

A drug that inhibits the action of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase will have the effect of ____.​

​prolonging the action of acetylcholine at its synapses

Glutamate opens sodium gates, enabling sodium ions to enter the postsynaptic cell. What type of effect is this?​

ionotropic

In addition to influencing other neurons, ____ increases blood flow to a specific area of the brain.​

nitric oxide

Which neurotransmitter is released by stimulated neurons to dilate the blood vessels?​

nitric oxide

Activation of autoreceptors tends to ____.​

​decrease further neurotransmitter release

A receptor can directly open a channel and thereby exert a(n) ____ effect, or it can produce slower but longer ____ effects.​

​ionotropic; metabotropic

Autoreceptors monitor the ____.

amount of neurotransmitter released

"Second messengers" carry their messages to ____.​

areas within the postsynaptic cell

A neuron excretes neurotransmitters through its membrane by a process called ____.​

exocytosis

Releasing hormones are synthesized in the ____ and released in the ____.​

hypothalamus; anterior pituitary

Vesicles are located ____.​

in presynaptic terminals

Ionotropic effects are characterized by ____.​

rapid and short lived effects

Which event is most likely to be dependent on ionotropic effects?​

rapid muscle contraction

Hormones exert their effects ____.​

similarly to metabotropic neurotransmitters

The effect of a neurotransmitter on a postsynaptic neuron is determined by the ____.​

​receptors on the postsynaptic membrane