Neuroscience Review

Question 1

What makes a neuron a neuron?

Answer 1

Ability to connect in a millisecond via chemical and/or electrical synapse

Question 2

How do molecules pass through the membrane?

Answer 2

Passive and Active Transport

Question 3

Provide the 3 examples of passive transport

Answer 3

Simple diffusion, ion channel, and facilitated diffusion

Question 4

What is the difference between passive and active transport?

Answer 4

Passive transport does not require energy because it goes from high to low concentration (energetically favorable)

Question 5

What change occurs when an action potential is fired?

Answer 5

passive –> active transport

Question 6

How is the resting membrane potential established?

Answer 6

Via Na+/K+ pump (3 Na+ out and 2 K+ in)

Question 7

True or False: Na+/K+ pump requires energy

Answer 7

TRUE: Ions move against electro-chemical gradient (low to high)

Question 8

True or False: There is more K+ ions inside the cell

Answer 8

TRUE

Question 9

What is the equilibrium potential?

Answer 9

the membrane voltage at which there is no net flow of ions across the cell membrane

Question 10

True or False: There are more K+ leak channels than Na+ or Cl- leak channels

Answer 10

TRUE: This causes the resting membrane potential to be closer to the K+ equilibrium potential

Question 11

What are the four mechanisms which channels open?

Answer 11

Leak channels, ligand gated channels, voltage gated channels, and mechanically gated channels

Question 12

Is glutamate an excitatory or inhibitory neurotransmitter?

Answer 12

Excitatory

Question 13

Is GABA an excitatory or inhibitory neurotransmitter?

Answer 13

Inhibitory

Question 14

What does GAD do?

Answer 14

Marks neurons to make GABAergic neurons (glutamate –> gaba)

Question 15

What is the difference between ionotropic and metabotropic mechanisms?

Answer 15

Ionotropic is faster and metabotropic usually requires second messenger and is slower

Question 16

What effect does excitatory (glutamate) have on firing action potential?

Answer 16

Increases likelihood of firing action potential

Question 17

What effect does inhibitory (GABA) have on firing action potential?

Answer 17

Decreases likelihood of firing action potential

Question 18

What does an ionotropic mechanism require?

Answer 18

Binding of neurotransmitter to channel

Question 19

What does a metabotropic mechanism require?

Answer 19

G-coupled protein

Question 20

True or False: Same ligand can have different effects depending on receptors expressed on the postsynaptic membrane

Answer 20

TRUE

Question 21

What else can GPCRs affect?

Answer 21

Protein phosphorylation and gene expression

Question 22

What makes a catecholamines?

Answer 22

Hydroxyl group

Question 23

What are monoamines and catecholamines made of?

Answer 23

Amino acids

Question 24

What is a characteristic of monoamines and catecholamines?

Answer 24

Found in one region but send wide projections

Question 25

True or False: Neuropeptides are smaller than neurotransmitters

Answer 25

FALSE: Neuropeptides are larger than small neurotransmitters

Question 26

Where are neuropeptides stored?

Answer 26

Dense core vesicles

Question 27

Where are small neurotransmitters stored?

Answer 27

small clear vesicles near presynaptic membrane

Question 28

What is required for the release of neuropeptides of dense-core vesicles?

Answer 28

Repeated stimulation

Question 29

What causes a voltage gated channel to open?

Answer 29

Voltage, the more depolarized, the more it will open

Question 30

What increases with voltage besides voltage-gated channel opening?

Answer 30

Conductance

Question 31

True or False: Na+ channels open slowly during the rising phase

Answer 31

FALSE: Na+ channels open fast

Question 32

True or False: K+ channels open slowly during the falling phase

Answer 32

TRUE

Question 33

True or False: Voltage gated Na+ channels close quickly and deactive after opening

Answer 33

TRUE

Question 34

True or False: K+ channels deactivate

Answer 34

FALSE: K+ conductance decreases as resting membrane potential is approached

Question 35

What mechanism do Na+ voltage gated channels use to close and deactivate?

Answer 35

Ball and chain mechanism

Question 36

True or False: Action potentials flow down the axon

Answer 36

TRUE

Question 37

What causes for the action potential to occur more rapidly?

Answer 37

Myelin sheath

Question 38

What are the four glia cell types?

Answer 38

Astrocyte, oligodendrocyte, microglia, and ependymal cell

Question 39

What is the function of the astrocyte?

Answer 39

Support staff (homeostasis)

Question 40

What is the function of the oligodendrocyte?

Answer 40

Creates myelin

Question 41

What is the function of the microglia?

Answer 41

Immune system of the neuron

Question 42

What is the function of the ependymal cell?

Answer 42

Creates cerebrospinal fluid

Question 43

What is an electrical synapse (gap junction)?

Answer 43

Two neurons communicate via pores through which ions can pass

Question 44

True or False: Electrical synapse is faster than chemical synapse

Answer 44

TRUE