Chapter 2.2: Chemica Events at the Synapse Flashcards
Loewi’s evidence for chemical transmission at a synapse used observations of what?
Heart rate in frogs
Which of the following is NOT one of the brain’s neurotransmitters?
Glucose
Which of these is NOT a catecholamine?
Norepinephrine
What does MAO (monoamine oxidase) do in the brain?
It converts catecholamine transmitters into inactive chemicals
Suppose you want to cause the presynaptic terminal of an axon to release its transmitter. How could you do so WITHOUT an action potential?
Inject calcium into the presynaptic terminal.
Which type of synapse is better suited for vision and hearing, and why?
Ionotropic synapses because they produce quick, brief effects
What is the most abundant excitatory ionotropic neurotransmitter?
Glutamate
What is a second messenger?
A chemical released inside a cell after stimulation at a metabotropic synapse
Which of the following is true of neuropeptides?
They produce effects that last for minutes.
How does LSD exert its effects on the nervous system?
It attaches to serotonin receptors.
The serotonin transporter is responsible for which of these processes?
Reuptake
Except for the magnitude and speed of effects, methylphenidate (Ritalin) affects synapses the same way as which other drug?
Cocaine
In what way do cannbinoids differ from other drugs that affect the nervous system?
Cannabinoids act on the on the presynaptic neuron.
Electrical synapses are important when the nervous system needs to accomplish which of the following?
Synchrony between neurons
Which of these is composed of neural tissue, as opposed to glandular tissue?
The posterior pituitary
