Lesson 4.2.2.2

4.2.2.2 Synaptic transmission Quiz: AQA Psychology, Unit 2

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

In partnership with Revision Ninja

Lesson 4.2.2.2, Synaptic transmission: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA Psychology (7182), Unit 2: Psychology in context, written with Revision Ninja.

Host it live on the board and students join with a game code on their own devices, or revise alone with Free Play. The answers are revealed in the game.

Host this setFree Play

The 20 questions

  1. What is the name of the small gap between presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons?

    • Myelin sheath
    • Ranvier node
    • Synaptic cleft
    • Dendritic spine

  2. Where are neurotransmitters stored before being released in the presynaptic neuron?

    • Synaptic vesicles
    • Myelin segments
    • Axon nodes
    • Dendritic receptors

  3. Which neurotransmitter is typically inhibitory in the brain?

    • Adrenaline
    • Dopamine
    • GABA
    • Acetylcholine

  4. What is the primary effect of an excitatory neurotransmitter on the postsynaptic neuron?

    • Constant hyperpolarisation
    • Increased firing likelihood
    • Decreased firing likelihood
    • Immediate cell death

  5. Which electrical change is produced by an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the postsynaptic membrane?

    • Hyperpolarisation
    • Neutralisation
    • Repolarisation
    • Depolarisation

  6. What happens during neurotransmitter reuptake?

    • Destroyed by enzymes
    • Absorbed by postsynaptic dendrites
    • Recycled in presynaptic neuron
    • Stored in vesicles

  7. At which specific junction is acetylcholine used as the primary neurotransmitter?

    • Visual relay station
    • Sensory cortex synapse
    • Neuromuscular junction
    • Hypothalamic nexus

  8. What happens when the reuptake of serotonin is blocked at a synapse?

    • Immediate transmitter breakdown
    • Decreased serotonin release
    • Blocked postsynaptic receptors
    • Increased serotonin activity

  9. A drug mimics a neurotransmitter and binds to the same receptors. What is this drug called?

    • An agonist
    • An enzyme
    • A reuptake inhibitor
    • An antagonist

  10. What process combines excitatory and inhibitory signals to decide if a neuron fires?

    • Action potential
    • Summation
    • Reuptake
    • Exocytosis

  11. A deficiency of dopamine in the brain is most closely linked to which condition?

    • Anorexia nervosa
    • Alzheimer's disease
    • Schizophrenia
    • Parkinson's disease

  12. How do selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) increase serotonin levels in the synapse?

    • Stimulating production
    • Inhibiting enzymes
    • Blocking reuptake
    • Blocking receptors

  13. What effect does blocking acetylcholinesterase have on acetylcholine activity in the synapse?

    • Speeds up reuptake
    • Prolongs its action
    • Prevents receptor binding
    • Stops its release

  14. What prevents an electrical action potential from crossing directly between neurons?

    • Postsynaptic receptors
    • The myelin sheath
    • Presynaptic vesicles
    • The synaptic cleft

  15. What determines whether a neurotransmitter has an excitatory or inhibitory effect?

    • Axon length
    • Synaptic cleft width
    • Presynaptic vesicle size
    • Postsynaptic receptor type

  16. Which factor allows the same neurotransmitter to cause different effects in different brain regions?

    • Receptor diversity
    • Vesicle shape
    • Action potential speed
    • Neuron length

  17. Which ion influx triggers neurotransmitter vesicle fusion at the presynaptic terminal?

    • Chloride
    • Calcium
    • Potassium
    • Sodium

  18. What electrical change occurs in a postsynaptic neuron when chloride channels open?

    • Action potential
    • Repolarisation
    • Hyperpolarisation
    • Depolarisation

  19. Which process is blocked if noradrenaline accumulates inside the synaptic cleft?

    • Summation
    • Diffusion
    • Reuptake
    • Exocytosis

  20. Why does diffusion of neurotransmitters across the synaptic cleft occur so rapidly?

    • Extremely narrow gap
    • Large vesicle size
    • High electrical voltage
    • Active transport pumps

All AQA Psychology quizzes