Brain and Cognition 1 – Tutorial: Neurotransmitters
Answer Sheet
Tutorial aims:
- You know the signaling mechanisms of the main neurotransmitters.
- You understand the relevance of these mechanisms for behavior.
- You know the brain regions that produce the main neurotransmitters and the regions in which they
are released.
Preparation (before study group)
- Prepare all questions before the meeting.
- Please take with you to the study group meeting: the handbook, a printed version of the answer
sheets (available on blackboard) and headphones (to be able to listen to auditory information in the
movies).
Product
- Answers to questions that link neurotransmitter signaling to behavior.
- A table specifying, for each neurotransmitter: its functions, its distribution throughout the brain, its
receptors, and the drugs that affect it.
Page 1 of 6
, Question 1
Why is it strictly speaking incorrect when someone says that GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter?
GABA zijn receptoren.
Question 2
How does the ionotropic GABA-A receptor prevent action potentials?
Laat chloride binnen, dat negatief is, dit zorgt dat er minder snel een actie potentiaal komt
Question 3
Benzodiazepines are among the most used sedatives. Given that almost half of all synapses are
GABAergic, why don’t benzodiazepines shut down the entire brain?
Now, as a result of the benzodiazepine, when also GABA binds to the ion channel, it opens at a higher
frequency than usual (i.e., without the benzodiazepine), and more chloride can enter the cell. Activating
one GABA-A receptor in the presence of benzodiazepine is like activating two GABA-A receptors in the
absence of benzodiazepine. Thus, benzodiazepines do not cause any change in the membrane potential.
Alleen plekken waar al gaba zit, kan vermindert worden door benzodiazepine, want ze gaan niet random
binden, alleen op receptoren waar gaba zit. Benzodiazepines potentieren gaba, bevorderen. Gaat vaker
open en dan meer chloride daar binnen.
Question 4
a. How does nicotine affect the neurons onto whose receptors it binds? Use the following sentence
structure to formulate your answer: ... increases the ... of neurons containing ... receptors, resulting in
an increased release of ...
nicotine increases the action potential of neurons containing nicotine receptors, resulting in an
increased release of dopamine
Page 2 of 6
Answer Sheet
Tutorial aims:
- You know the signaling mechanisms of the main neurotransmitters.
- You understand the relevance of these mechanisms for behavior.
- You know the brain regions that produce the main neurotransmitters and the regions in which they
are released.
Preparation (before study group)
- Prepare all questions before the meeting.
- Please take with you to the study group meeting: the handbook, a printed version of the answer
sheets (available on blackboard) and headphones (to be able to listen to auditory information in the
movies).
Product
- Answers to questions that link neurotransmitter signaling to behavior.
- A table specifying, for each neurotransmitter: its functions, its distribution throughout the brain, its
receptors, and the drugs that affect it.
Page 1 of 6
, Question 1
Why is it strictly speaking incorrect when someone says that GABA is an inhibitory neurotransmitter?
GABA zijn receptoren.
Question 2
How does the ionotropic GABA-A receptor prevent action potentials?
Laat chloride binnen, dat negatief is, dit zorgt dat er minder snel een actie potentiaal komt
Question 3
Benzodiazepines are among the most used sedatives. Given that almost half of all synapses are
GABAergic, why don’t benzodiazepines shut down the entire brain?
Now, as a result of the benzodiazepine, when also GABA binds to the ion channel, it opens at a higher
frequency than usual (i.e., without the benzodiazepine), and more chloride can enter the cell. Activating
one GABA-A receptor in the presence of benzodiazepine is like activating two GABA-A receptors in the
absence of benzodiazepine. Thus, benzodiazepines do not cause any change in the membrane potential.
Alleen plekken waar al gaba zit, kan vermindert worden door benzodiazepine, want ze gaan niet random
binden, alleen op receptoren waar gaba zit. Benzodiazepines potentieren gaba, bevorderen. Gaat vaker
open en dan meer chloride daar binnen.
Question 4
a. How does nicotine affect the neurons onto whose receptors it binds? Use the following sentence
structure to formulate your answer: ... increases the ... of neurons containing ... receptors, resulting in
an increased release of ...
nicotine increases the action potential of neurons containing nicotine receptors, resulting in an
increased release of dopamine
Page 2 of 6
