Lesson 3.2.3.2.1

3.2.3.2.1 Sensory, relay and motor neurons; synaptic transmission Quiz: AQA Psychology, Unit 7

20 questions

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Lesson 3.2.3.2.1, Sensory, relay and motor neurons; synaptic transmission: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA GCSE Psychology (8182), Unit 7: Brain and neuropsychology, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. Which neuron carries messages from receptors towards the central nervous system?

    • Motor neurons, which carry messages from the central nervous system outwards to muscles
    • Relay neurons, which carry messages only between two neurons inside the same muscle fibre
    • Sensory neurons, which carry information from receptors such as the eyes and skin inwards
    • Glial cells, which carry electrical messages from the eyes to the brain along the optic nerve

  2. What is the role of relay neurons?

    • They connect sensory and motor neurons within the central nervous system, passing messages between them
    • They carry messages from the central nervous system to the glands in the skin and digestive system
    • They carry messages from receptors in the eyes and ears to the spinal cord
    • They carry messages from muscles to the skin, so that touch can be felt

  3. What is the role of motor neurons?

    • They carry messages only between relay neurons inside the brain, never reaching the body
    • They carry messages from the central nervous system to muscles and glands, causing them to respond
    • They store information in the brain so that memories can be recalled later in life
    • They carry messages from receptors in the skin to the spinal cord, so touch is felt

  4. What happens at a synapse?

    • A hormone is released into the blood and carried to every cell in the nervous system
    • A protein is destroyed inside the nucleus so the message cannot be passed on
    • A neurotransmitter is released into the gap and binds to receptors on the next neuron
    • An electrical current jumps directly into the next cell without any chemical release in daily life

  5. What is reuptake?

    • The release of a neurotransmitter from a sensory neuron into the spinal cord at the start of a message
    • The reabsorption of neurotransmitter back into the neuron that released it, after it has acted
    • The production of new neurons in the brain after a head injury, over several weeks
    • The movement of ions across the membrane of a motor neuron during a rest period

  6. Which drug would most likely increase the amount of neurotransmitter in a synapse?

    • A drug that blocks reuptake, so the neurotransmitter stays in the synapse for longer
    • A drug that destroys all receptors on the next neuron, so there is no binding site
    • A drug that increases reuptake, so neurotransmitter is cleared from the synapse more quickly
    • A drug that stops the neuron firing, so no neurotransmitter is released at all

  7. Which term describes a signal that makes a neuron more likely to fire?

    • Excitation, which increases the likelihood that the next neuron generates a message
    • Inhibition, which decreases the likelihood that the next neuron generates a message
    • Myelination, which insulates the axon so messages travel faster along its length
    • Reuptake, which removes neurotransmitter so the next neuron is less likely to fire

  8. Which term describes a signal that makes a neuron less likely to fire?

    • Summation, which adds signals from many neurons into one large electrical response
    • Excitation, which increases the likelihood that the next neuron generates its own message
    • Inhibition, which reduces the likelihood that the next neuron generates its own message
    • A reflex, a fast automatic response that bypasses the brain between receptor and muscle

  9. Why does the nervous system need both excitation and inhibition?

    • Inhibition alone would be enough, since excitation only causes messages to be lost in that setting
    • Excitation alone would be enough, and inhibition is needed only in people with spinal damage
    • Balancing the two lets the system produce precise responses rather than firing everywhere at once
    • Neither is needed, since every neuron fires at the same rate whatever it receives

  10. Which part of a neuron receives messages from other neurons?

    • The myelin sheath, which insulates the axon so messages travel more quickly along it
    • The nucleus, which stores the genetic code and controls protein production for the cell
    • The axon terminals, which release neurotransmitter into the synapse to signal the next neuron
    • The dendrites, which branch from the cell body and collect signals from other neurons

  11. Which sequence correctly shows the path of a message in a reflex arc?

    • Effector, motor neuron, relay neuron, sensory neuron, receptor
    • Receptor, sensory neuron, relay neuron, motor neuron, effector
    • Receptor, motor neuron, relay neuron, sensory neuron, effector
    • Relay neuron, receptor, sensory neuron, effector, motor neuron

  12. Which is the most accurate description of a neurotransmitter?

    • A type of muscle cell that contracts when a motor neuron releases an electrical message
    • A structure in the cell body that stores genetic information used to produce new neurons
    • An electrical signal that travels along a single neuron without leaving the cell at any point
    • A chemical messenger released from one neuron that acts on receptors on the next neuron across a synapse

  13. A person's muscle does not contract after a motor neuron fires. Which step is most likely disrupted?

    • The myelin sheath of the sensory neuron, which only affects the speed of messages on the skin
    • The sensory neuron's dendrites, which cannot receive signals from the skin or eyes
    • Neurotransmitter release or its binding to receptors at the junction with the muscle
    • The cerebellum, which is the only part of the brain that can cause a muscle to contract

  14. What is the function of the myelin sheath?

    • It releases neurotransmitter into the synapse so the message can cross the gap
    • It insulates the axon, helping electrical messages travel faster along the neuron
    • It receives messages from other neurons and passes them through the cell body in daily life
    • It stores genetic information that controls how the neuron grows

  15. Why is the all-or-none nature of neuron firing useful for the nervous system?

    • A neuron can fire at any strength from zero to maximum, so messages vary greatly
    • A neuron fires only when the body is asleep, so messages are sent during rest and not activity
    • A neuron either fires fully or not at all, so messages have consistent strength when they arrive
    • A neuron fires continuously, so messages never stop and the body is always active

  16. Which statement best describes how a synapse allows one-way transmission?

    • Receptors are on both neurons, so the message is returned to the first cell after each transmission
    • Electrical current flows equally both ways across the gap, so messages travel back and forth
    • Neurotransmitter is released from both neurons, so messages can travel in either direction
    • Neurotransmitter is released only from the presynaptic neuron, and receptors are only on the postsynaptic neuron

  17. What is a receptor on a neuron in a synapse?

    • A nucleus within a neuron that stores the message until a muscle needs it
    • A region of the spinal cord that receives all messages from the skin before the brain
    • A protein on the next neuron's membrane that binds a neurotransmitter and triggers a response
    • A gap that carries electrical current from the axon of one neuron to the dendrite of the next

  18. A drug blocks inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors. What would be the most likely effect?

    • Inhibition would be reduced, so the next neuron would be more likely to fire
    • Reuptake would increase, so neurotransmitter would be cleared from the synapse faster
    • Excitation would be reduced, so the next neuron would be much less likely to fire
    • Myelin would be destroyed, so messages would slow down along every axon in the body

  19. Which type of neuron is most common in the brain and spinal cord?

    • Mirror neurons, which copy movements seen in others and form the largest group in the spinal cord
    • Sensory neurons, which carry messages from receptors and are most common in the central system
    • Motor neurons, which carry messages to muscles and glands and are most common inside the brain
    • Relay neurons, which connect other neurons within the central nervous system

  20. Which statement about summation is correct?

    • Each small signal must fire separately, and signals are never combined at the neuron in daily life
    • Summation removes signals from the neuron, so each message is cancelled before the next
    • Summation occurs only in sensory neurons, which can add signals from the skin but not the brain
    • Multiple small signals can add together at a neuron, so the total is enough to trigger a message

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