The synapse

Question 1

the perpetuation of the nerve impulse from one neuron to the next cell is called

Answer 1

synaptic transmission

Question 2

the junction between two neurons or a neuron and target cell

Answer 2

synapse

Question 3

In the synapse, the physical gap between two nerve cell

Answer 3

synaptic cleft

Question 4

the neuron bringing the nerve impulse to the synapse and releasing the chemical to stimulate the next cell

Answer 4

presynaptic neuron

Question 5

chemical released by the presynaptic neuron

Answer 5

neurotransmitter

Question 6

the neuron that contains the receptors that receive the neurotransmitter

Answer 6

postsynaptic neuron

Question 7

what do synaptic knobs contain

Answer 7

mitochondria (energy) and many vesicles that contain neurotransmitter

Question 8

when the axon’s wave of depolarization reaches the synaptic knob, what happens

Answer 8

calcium channels open in the cellular membrane, causing an influx of calcium into the synaptic knob

Question 9

The influx of calcium to the synaptic knob causes what?

Answer 9

vesicles containing neurotransmitters to fuse with the knob’s cellular membrane and dump their contents into the synaptic cleft

Question 10

neurotransmitters diffuse rapidly across the ______ toward the _________

Answer 10

synaptic cleft
postsynaptic membrane

Question 11

specialized proteins on the postsynaptic membrane

Answer 11

receptors

Question 12

the neurotransmitter molecules released by the synaptic knob bind to what and trigger a change in the postsynaptic cell

Answer 12

receptors

Question 13

neurotransmitters and receptors act as what

Answer 13

lock and key

Question 14

what are the two categories of neurotransmitters

Answer 14

excitatory and inhibitory

Question 15

usually cause an influx of sodium so that postsynaptic membrane moves toward the threshold, begin a new nerve impulse

Answer 15

excitatory neurotransmitters

Question 16

make the inside of the cell more negative instead of positive and moving the charge within the postsynaptic cell farther away from the threshold

Answer 16

inhibitory neurotransmitters

Question 17

neurotransmitter that can be either an excitatory or inhibitory neurotransmitter, depending on its location in the body

the most commonly studied neurotransmitter

Answer 17

acetylcholine

Question 18

what neurotransmitters make up the group called catecholamines

Answer 18

norepinephrine, dopamine, epinephrine

Question 19

neurotransmitter associated with arousal and fight or flight reactions of the sympathetic nervous system

Answer 19

norepinephrine

Question 20

released primarily from the adrenal medulla (center of the adrenal gland), plays a role in fight or flight reactions

Answer 20

epinephrine

Question 21

found in the brain where it is involved with autonomic functions and muscle control

Answer 21

dopamine

Question 22

two neurotransmitters that are inhibitory

Answer 22

GABA and glycine

Question 23

inhibitory neurotransmitter found in the brain

Answer 23

GABA

Question 24

inhibitory neurotransmitter found in the spinal cord

Answer 24

glycine

Question 25

what drug works as a tranquilizer due to increasing the GABA effect on the brain

Answer 25

diazepam (valium)