synaptic transmission

Question 1

15. Smelling and visualizing food may elicit a single response of hunger. What kind of neural circuit would this situation best apply to?
    a) Divergent pathway
    b) Convergent pathway
    c) Reverberating pathway
    d) Afferent pathway

Answer 1

b) Convergent pathway

Question 2

16. An EPSP is:
    a) A local hyperpolarization of the pre-synaptic membrane
    b) A local depolarization of the pre-synaptic membrane
    c) A local hyperpolarization of the post-synaptic membrane
    d) A local depolarization of the post-synaptic membrane

Answer 2

d) A local depolarization of the post-synaptic membrane

Question 3

17. Temporal summation is described as:
    a) 2 stimuli separated in time that cause EPSPs that do not sum together
    b) 2 simultaneous stimuli at different locations cause EPSPs that sum together
    c) 2 changes in membrane potential that cancel each out
    d) 2 excitatory stimuli close in time that cause EPSPs that can sum together

Answer 3

d) 2 excitatory stimuli close in time that cause EPSPs that can sum together

Question 4

18. IPSP’s and EPSP’s can sum together at which part of the neuron?
    a) Dendrites
    b) Axon hillock
    c) Cell body
    d) Axon terminal

Answer 4

b) Axon hillock

Question 5

19. Which one of the following ions is required for Ach to be released in vesicles at the axon terminal?
    a) Na+
    b) K+
    c) Ca2+
    d) Cl-

Answer 5

c) Ca2+

Question 6

20. What type of neural circuit is involved in breathing?
    a) Convergent
    b) Single
    c) Reverberating
    d) Divergent

Answer 6

c) Reverberating

Question 7

21. Which of the following does not apply to electrical synapses?
    a) Involves gap junctions
    b) Found mostly in the brain
    c) Can be easily modulate
    d) Very rapid signal transmission

Answer 7

c) Can be easily modulate

Question 8

22. In regards to the interaction of hormones with their targets, which of the following best describes the term ‘synergism’?
    a) One hormone opposes the action of another hormone
    b) Hormones with the same effect on target cells combine to have a greater effect
    c) One hormone cannot exert its effects without the other hormone being present
    d) None of the above

Answer 8

b) Hormones with the same effect on target cells combine to have a greater effect

Question 9

. The interaction between insulin and glucagon can be described as:

a) Permissive
b) Synergistic
c) Antagonistic
d) Agonistic

Answer 9

c) Antagonistic

Question 10

24. Noradrenaline and adrenaline binding to Beta 2 receptors results in which physiological response?
    a) Smooth muscle contraction
    b) An increase in heart rate
    c) A decrease in heart rate
    d) Smooth muscle dilation

Answer 10

d) Smooth muscle dilation

Question 11

25. What is the precursor molecule for steroid hormones?
    a) Glucose
    b) Peptides
    c) Cholesterol
    d) Ions such as Ca2+ and K+

Answer 11

c) Cholesterol

Question 12

26. Which of the following statements best describes a paracrine signal?
    a) Circulating hormone that binds to distant target cells
    b) Local acting hormone that binds to neighbouring target cells to the one that secretes it
    c) Hormone that is stored in vesicles until stimulated to be secreted
    d) Local acting hormone that binds only to the cell that secreted it

Answer 12

b) Local acting hormone that binds to neighbouring target cells to the one that secretes it

Question 13

27. Which of the following is not considered an endocrine gland?
    a) Pituitary gland
    b) Hypothalamus
    c) Salivary gland
    d) Pancreas

Answer 13

c) Salivary gland

Question 14

28. If cortisol acting alone can increase blood glucose to 30 mg/ml, and glucagon alone increased blood glucose to 50 mg/ml, but in combination these hormones increased blood sugar to 80 mg/ml, these two hormones are said to be:
    a) agonistic
    b) synergistic
    c) permissive
    d) antagonistic

Answer 14

b) synergistic

Question 15

1. Which of the following is the correct definition of a synapse?
   a) Functional junction between two neurons or between a neuron and an effector, such as
   a muscle or gland; may be electrical or chemical.
   b) Functional junction or point of close contact between two neurons or between a neuron
   and an effector cell.
   c) Region where a neuron meets its target cell
   d) All of the above definitions are correct

Answer 15

d) All of the above definitions are correct

Question 16

2. What cellular structure is present in electrical synapses?
   a) Cell wall
   b) Desmosomes
   c) Gap junctions
   d) Tight junction

Answer 16

c) Gap junctions

Question 17

3. Which of the following is the ion crucial to release of stored neurotransmitter at the axon
terminal?
a) calcium
b) potassium
c) sodium
d) chloride

Answer 17

a) calcium

Question 18

4. What type of gated channel binds to the neurotransmitter is on the post-synaptic
membrane?
a) Electrical
b) Electrochemical
c) Mechanical
d) Receptor-mediated

Answer 18

d) Receptor-mediated

Question 19

5. The release of neurotransmitter is an example of which transport mechanism?
   a) Endocytosis
   b) Exocytosis
   c) Phagocytosis
   d) Pinocytosis

Answer 19

b) Exocytosis

Question 20

6. What determines how much neurotransmitter is released at the axon terminal?
   a) The amplitude of the action potential
   b) The amplitude of the graded potentials
   c) The frequency of the action potentials
   d) The frequency of the graded potentials

Answer 20

c) The frequency of the action potentials

Question 21

7. Where are inhibitory normally located on a neuron?
   a) Axon
   b) Axon terminal
   c) Cell body
   d) Dendrites

Answer 21

c) Cell body

Question 22

8. What sort of neural circuit would be involved in breathing?
   a) Converging
   b) Diverging
   c) Reverberating
   d) Single

Answer 22

c) Reverberating

Question 23

9. Where are the ACh receptors located in the neuromuscular junction?
   a) Axon terminal
   b) Sarcolemma
   c) SR tubules
   d) T tubules

Answer 23

b) Sarcolemma

Question 24

The patellar reflex is an automatic response that produces the same effect every time when hitting
the ____.
a) the patella ligament leading to a stretch reflex in the hamstrings
b) the patellar ligament leading to a stretch reflex in the quadriceps
c) the quadriceps tendon leading to a stretch reflex in the hamstrings
d) the quadriceps tendon leading to a stretch reflex in the quadriceps

Answer 24

b) the patellar ligament leading to a stretch reflex in the quadriceps

Question 25

1. Which of the following is not considered an endocrine gland?
   a) Adrenal gland
   b) Hypothalamus

d) Thyroid gland

Answer 25

c) Salivary gland

Question 26

2. An agent that is introduced to bind to cell receptors and elicit a response (i.e. to activate
   receptors) is a/an ______________.
   a) agonist
   b) antagonist
   c) blocker
   d) ligand

Answer 26

a) agonist

Question 27

3. An external agent that is introduced into the body and binds to a cell receptor to prevent it
from responding is a/an
a) agonist
b) antagonist
c) ligand
d) neurotransmitter

Answer 27

b) antagonist

Question 28

4. Which hormone would bind to receptors in the cell or in the nuclei of a cell to affect DNA
expression?
a) all hormones bind this way
b) any steroid
c) any water soluble hormone
d) only prostaglandins bind this way

Answer 28

b) any steroid

Question 29

5. If glucagon acting alone can maximally increases blood sugar to 100 mg/ml, and adrenaline
   alone increased blood sugar to 50 mg/ml, but in combination these hormones increased
   blood sugar to 180 mg/ml, these two hormone are said to be …..
   a) agonistic
   b) antagonistic
   c) permissive
   d) synergistic

Answer 29

d) synergistic

Question 30

6. Only one of these endocrine organs is derived from neural tissue and releases
catecholamines upon SNS stimulation.
a) adrenal medulla
b) anterior pituitary
c) ovaries
d) thyroid

Answer 30

a) adrenal medulla

Question 31

7. Antidiuretic hormone is otherwise known as
   a) cortisol
   b) noradrenaline
   c) thyroxin
   d) vasopressin

Answer 31

d) vasopressin

Question 32

8. Airways usually have a preponderance of β 2 receptors, and the heart β 1 receptors, and
   many blood vessels have α – receptors. These all bind to noradrenalin. During an acute
   asthma attack, the sufferer is likely to benefit most from a _________.
   a) β 1 agonist
   b) β 1 antagonist
   c) β 2 agonist
   d) β 2 antagonist

Answer 32

c) β 2 agonist

Question 33

9. These compounds are not proteins but derived from fatty acids, are involved in the
   inflammatory response, and their action is inhibited by aspirin; they also contribute to
   generation of a fever. What are they?
   a) cytokines
   b) fat soluble hormones
   c) locally acting hormones
   d) prostaglandins

Answer 33

d) prostaglandins

Question 34

10. What does the term ‘catecholamines’ include?
    a) adrenaline
    b) nor adrenaline
    c) both a) and b)
    d) cytokines

Answer 34

c) both a) and b)

Question 35

11. Which is the best description for the function of a paracrine?
    a) Circulating hormone that binds to distant target cells
    b) Hormone that is stored in vesicles until stimulated to be secreted
    c) Local acting hormone that binds only to the cell that secreted it
    d) Local acting hormone that binds to neighbouring target cells to the one that secrets it

Answer 35

d) Local acting hormone that binds to neighbouring target cells to the one that secrets it

Question 36

12. Any molecule that binds to a cell receptor is known as a _____________.
    a) Agent
    b) Agonist
    c) Antagonist
    d) Ligand

Answer 36

d) Ligand