1. A person who has seizures might have a deficit of which of the following?

A) GABA
B) dopamine
C) glutamate
D) serotoninP
E) histamine

Answer: a Level: 2
GABA is inhibitory so if you inhibit and inhibitor you get excitatory  muscle
stimulation for seizures

2. Enkephalins produce presynaptic inhibition in neurons transmitting pain signals.

Increased levels of enkephalins will
A) increase awareness of pain.
B) decrease awareness of pain.
C) increase amount of pain.
D) decrease amount of pain.
E) have no effect on awareness or amount of pain.

Answer: b Level: 2

3. Neurotransmitters are released from the

A) epineurium.
B) synaptic cleft.
C) presynaptic terminal.
D) postsynaptic membrane.
E) calcium channels.

Answer: c Level: 1

4. Monamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO inhibitors)

A) prevent synaptic transmission.
B) enhance the breakdown of norepinephrine.
C) enhance the binding of norepinephrine to its receptors.
D) prevent the release of norepinephrine by the presynaptic terminal.
E) have no effect on the action of norepinephrine.

Answer: c Level: 2
What’s the difference between MAO inhibitors and COMT inhibitors?
MAO inhibitors = more NE released bc MAO breaks down NE in pre-synaptic terminal
COMT inhibitor = more NE in cleft bc COMT breaks down NE in cleft

Compare and contrast graded potential vs action potential

5. In an EPSP (excitatory postsynaptic potential), there is a
A) net movement of sodium ions out of the cells.
B) net movement of chloride ions into the cells.
C) decrease in action potential amplitude.
D) local hyperpolarization.
E) local depolarization.

Answer: e Level: 2

6. An inhibitory postsynaptic potential (IPSP) can result from the influx of

A) calcium ions.
B) sodium ions.
C) chloride
D) potassium ions.
E) C or D

Answer: e Level: 1

7. A local anesthetic such as Novocaine decreases membrane permeability to Na+ ions.

The use of this anesthetic will
A) block sensory input into the CNS.
B) enhance the development of EPSPs.
C) cause RMP to move closer to threshold.
D) cause Cl- ions to enter cells instead of Na+ ions.
E) depolarize the cell.

Answer: a Level: 3

Driving force = Vm – E

8. When two action potentials arrive simultaneously at two different presynaptic

terminals that synapse with the same postsynaptic neuron,
A) the direction of the action potential is reversed.
B) temporal summation occurs.
 C) spatial summation occurs.
D) hyperpolarization occurs.
E) threshold is never reached.

Answer: c Level: 1

9. If five action potentials arrive at the same synapse in very close succession, which of the
following would occur?
A) The direction of the action potential is reversed.
B) Temporal summation occurs.
C) Spatial summation occurs.
D) Hyperpolarization occurs.
E) Depolarization always occurs.

Answer: b Level: 1

10. Suppose both excitatory and inhibitory neurons synapse with a single postsynaptic
neuron. What determines if an action potential is initiated in the postsynaptic neuron?
A) the kind of neuron involved
B) the size of the neuron involved
C) whether the neuron is myelinated or non-myelinated
D) the number of EPSPs in relation to the number of IPSPs
E) This situation is not possible in humans.

Answer: d Level: 2

11. An IPSP is inhibitory because it

A) changes the threshold of the neuron.
B) hyperpolarizes the postsynaptic membrane.
C) prevents Ca++ entry into the presynaptic terminal.
D) reduces the amount of neurotransmitter released by the presynaptic terminal.
E) depolarizes the postsynaptic membrane.

Answer: b Level: 2

Know what happens to cell when Na+/K+/Cl- go in and out of cell!!!

12. Acetylcholine binds to a receptor and causes an influx of calcium, this is an example of
_________________. *******THEY ASKED A QUESTION JUST LIKE THIS!!
A) Voltage-gated ionotropic
B) Voltage-gated metabotropic
C) Ligand-gated ionotropic
D) Ligand-gated metabotropic
E) None of the above

Answer: c bc ACh is a ligand causing an influx of an ion

13. What is the main cause of post-tetanic potentiation?
A) Increase of Na+ influx pre-synaptically
B) Decrease of K+ efflux post-synaptically
C) Accumulation of acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft
D) Accumulation of post-synaptic calcium ions
E) Accumulation of pre-synaptic calcium ions

Answer: E

14. Norepinephrine is released from an adrenergic neuron and binds to the pre-synaptic
terminal of a cholinergic neuron, which in turn releases more acetylcholine. This is an
example of ___________.
A) Auto-inhibition
B) Auto-facilitation
C) Cross-talk
D) IPSP
E) EPSP

15. When a neurotransmitter binds to its receptor and increases the permeability of the
postsynaptic membrane to sodium ions,
A) the membrane will be hyperpolarized.
B) more chloride ions will also diffuse into the cell.
C) an excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) will result.
D) the membrane will become impermeable to potassium ions.
E) the sodium ions diffuse out of the cell.

Answer: c Level: 1

16. Arrange the events of synaptic transmission in correct sequence.

1. sodium ions diffuse into the cell and cause a local potential
2. neurotransmitter binds with receptor on postsynaptic cell
3. neurotransmitter diffuses across the synaptic cleft
4. membrane permeability to sodium ions on postsynaptic cell increases
5. action potential causes release of neurotransmitter

A) 5, 2, 3, 4, 1
B) 5, 2, 3, 1, 4
C) 5, 3, 4, 1, 2
D) 5, 4, 3, 2, 1
E) 5, 3, 2, 4, 1

Answer: e Level: 2

17. Local hyperpolarization in a synapse is called a(an)

A) excitatory postsynaptic potential.
 B) resting membrane potential.
C) inhibitory postsynaptic potential.
D) gap junction potential.
E) action potential.

Answer: c Level: 1

18. EPSPs and IPSP occur on the pre-synaptic membrane. Facilitation and inhibition occurs
on the post-synaptic membrane.
A) Both of these statements are true
B) First statement true. Second statement false.
C) First statement false. Second statement true.
D) Both statements false

Answer: d VERY IMPORTANT CONCEPT!

19. True/False: Homeostasis is the maintenance of equilibrium in the body by coordinated

physiologic mechanisms.

Answer: false 100% test question

What’s the difference between equilibrium and steady state? Equilibrium is opposing
forces in both compartments are balanced. Steady state is a condition that doesn’t
change with time and can apply to 1 or more compartments.

Match each of these examples to their type of regulation

a) End product inhibition
b) Negative feedback control
c) Feed-forward control
d) Positive feedback

20. The hypothalamus of a human responds to temperature fluctuations and responds

accordingly. If the temperature drops, the body shivers to bring up the temperature and
if it is too warm, the body will sweat to cool down due to evaporation.

Answer: b remember this is NON-enzymatic!!

21. When ATP levels are low, phosphofructokinase is activated and glucose is broken down
to make more ATP

Answer: a remember this is for enzymes!!

22. Increase in heart rate prior to actual physical exertion.

Answer: c
23. The arrival of platelets at a site releases clotting factors which causes more platelets to
arrive at the injury site

Answer: d

24. Fill in the blank

Answer
25. Which of these regulators would be able to bind a nuclear receptor?
A) Acetycholine
B) Na+
C) GABA
D) Estrogen
E) None of the above

Answer: D

26. With LOW concentrations of a ligand binding a certain receptor, does a cell up-regulate
or down-regulate that receptor?

Answer: up-regulate

27. Which type of regulation promotes stability?

A) Negative feedback
B) Positive feedback
C) Feedback inhibition
D) Feedforward mechanism

Answer: C

28. What enzyme synthesizes cAMP?

Adenylyl cyclase

29. What enzyme breaks down cAMP?

Phosphodiesterase

30. Draw out phospholipase C pathway

31.