01
True or false
1 point
At most chemical synapses, information passes from the presynaptic terminal across the synaptic cleft to the postsynaptic cell.
Free Practice Quiz Question List
2 Synapses and Neural Circuits Online Quiz Questions
Use this free practice quiz with 20 questions to review 2 Synapses and Neural Circuits, test your knowledge, and prepare for your next test or exam.
20 questions
02
Choose one
1 point
An action potential has just reached a chemical synapse's presynaptic terminal. Which event directly triggers the next step in neurotransmitter release?
- A
Neurotransmitter immediately binds receptors on the postsynaptic membrane.
- B
Voltage-gated calcium channels open, allowing calcium to enter the terminal.
- C
The postsynaptic neuron releases synaptic vesicles into the cleft.
- D
Neurotransmitter is enzymatically broken down before it is released.
03
Fill in the blank
1 point
When a neurotransmitter is taken back up into cells after release, that clearance process is called .
04
Choose all
1 point
Which of the following are commonly inhibitory neurotransmitters? Select all correct answers.
- A
Glutamate
- B
GABA
- C
Glycine
- D
Dopamine
05
Written response
1 point
A lasting increase in the strength of a synapse is observed after a pattern of activity. What is the standard term for this form of synaptic strengthening?
06
Choose one
1 point
Which description best explains how an electrical synapse can help synchronize activity in neighboring cells?
- A
They release neurotransmitters that diffuse across a synaptic cleft.
- B
They use receptor-triggered signaling cascades that are always slower than chemical transmission.
- C
They use gap junctions that allow current to pass directly between neighboring cells.
- D
They prevent neighboring cells from influencing one another.
07
True or false
1 point
A neurotransmitter always produces the same effect in every receiving cell, regardless of which receptor it activates.
- A
True
- B
False
08
Fill in the blank
1 point
Inputs arriving close together in time can summate , while inputs from different synapses can summate .
09
Choose one
1 point
A neuron receives several excitatory and inhibitory inputs. Which condition, according to the material, determines whether it starts an action potential?
- A
Every excitatory postsynaptic potential immediately becomes a full action potential.
- B
The neuron fires whenever it receives any inhibitory input.
- C
Only the input arriving most recently determines whether the neuron fires.
- D
An action potential begins if the combined voltage change at the trigger region reaches threshold.
10
Choose all
1 point
Which changes can contribute to a lasting change in how effectively one cell influences another? Select all correct answers.
- A
A change in neurotransmitter release
- B
A change in the speed of action potentials along every axon in the circuit
- C
A change in receptor number or sensitivity
- D
A change in the structure of the synaptic connection
11
Written response
1 point
A graded postsynaptic voltage change makes a receiving neuron more likely to fire. What is the standard abbreviation for this type of change?
12
Choose one
1 point
A group of neurons is connected so that its members can influence one another repeatedly. Which circuit connection pattern does this describe?
- A
A feedforward pathway carrying activity onward from one stage
- B
A recurrent pathway in which neurons can influence one another repeatedly
- C
A feedback pathway sending activity back to an earlier part of a pathway
- D
A chemical synapse that releases transmitter into a cleft
13
Open ended
1 point
A touch activates a sensory neuron. Explain how activity in a neural circuit could transform this input into a response, rather than simply passing along one unchanged signal.
14
Choose one
1 point
A receptor response develops more slowly than a direct ion-channel response and lasts longer. Which mechanism best fits this effect?
- A
They always make the postsynaptic neuron fire an action potential immediately.
- B
They stop neurotransmitter from binding to the receptor.
- C
They start intracellular signaling cascades that can act more slowly and last longer.
- D
They directly connect the presynaptic and postsynaptic cells with gap junctions.
15
True or false
1 point
True or false: At an electrical synapse, gap junctions allow current to pass directly between neighboring cells, which can help synchronize their activity.
- A
True
- B
False
16
Choose one
1 point
After an action potential reaches a chemical synapse's presynaptic terminal, which sequence best describes how neurotransmitter release is triggered?
- A
Neurotransmitter diffuses across the cleft, then calcium enters the presynaptic terminal.
- B
Calcium enters the presynaptic terminal, triggering vesicles to release neurotransmitter.
- C
Receptors on the postsynaptic membrane release calcium, which opens presynaptic vesicles.
- D
Vesicles release neurotransmitter before an action potential reaches the presynaptic terminal.
17
Written response
1 point
A graded postsynaptic voltage change makes a receiving neuron more likely to fire, but is not itself a full action potential. What is the standard abbreviation for this type of potential?
18
Choose one
1 point
The same chemical messenger acts at two synapses but produces different responses in their receiving cells. Which explanation is consistent with how neurotransmitter effects are determined?
- A
A neurotransmitter always has the same effect because its chemical identity determines the response.
- B
A neurotransmitter's effect depends only on how quickly it diffuses across the synaptic cleft.
- C
The same neurotransmitter can have different effects depending on the receptors and receiving cells involved.
- D
A neurotransmitter's effect is determined solely by whether the synapse is in the brain or outside it.
19
Choose one
1 point
A neurotransmitter is removed from the synaptic cleft by being taken back up into cells. What is this clearance process called?
- A
Reuptake
- B
Spatial summation
- C
Long-term potentiation
- D
Opening of postsynaptic receptors
20
Written response
1 point
A connection between two cells undergoes a lasting change in how effectively one cell influences the other. What is the general term for this change?