Pearson Edexcel A Level · Biology A (Salters-Nuffield) (9BN0)

Neurones and the action potential: Practice Questions

5 multiple-choice questions marked as you go, and 5 written questions with worked solutions. All on Neurones and the action potential.

10 questions24 marksFree, no account

Question 1

1 mark

Which region of the human brain is primarily responsible for the control of autonomic functions such as heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure?

Question 2

1 mark

In the mammalian retina, rod cells are adapted to detect low light intensities. When light strikes a rod cell, which of the following events leads to the hyperpolarisation of the cell membrane?

Question 3

1 mark

Hubel and Wiesel investigated the critical period of visual development using kittens as animal models. If one eye was sutured shut for a period during this time and then reopened, what was the primary neurological finding regarding the visual cortex?

Question 4

1 mark

During the repolarisation phase of an action potential in a myelinated neurone, what is the status of the voltage-gated ion channels?

Question 5

1 mark

MDMA (Ecstasy) is known to alter the concentration of serotonin in the synaptic cleft. What is the primary mechanism by which MDMA achieves this increase in serotonin levels?

Question 6

2 marks

State the specific region of the human brain that is responsible for maintaining homeostasis by acting as the control centre for thermoregulation.

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Question 7

3 marks

Explain how the presence of Schwann cells affects the speed of an action potential as it travels along a sensory neurone.

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Question 8

6 marks

Explain why L-Dopa is used in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease instead of direct dopamine injections, with reference to the blood-brain barrier.

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Question 9

3 marks

The human brain is a complex organ divided into several specialized regions that coordinate body functions.
(a) State the name of the brain region that contains the thermoregulatory centre and is involved in monitoring blood temperature.
(b) Describe two primary functions of the medulla oblongata in the human body.

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Question 10

5 marks

Myelination is a key feature of many vertebrate neurones, significantly affecting the speed of nerve impulse conduction.
(a) Identify the specific cells responsible for producing the myelin sheath in the peripheral nervous system.
(b) Explain how the presence of a myelin sheath and the nodes of Ranvier result in a faster rate of impulse conduction in a motor neurone compared to an unmyelinated neurone. Use the term saltatory conduction in your explanation.

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