All mind maps topics

Drugs and synaptic transmissionEdexcel International A Level Biology: Mind map

What this mind map covers

  • Nicotine
  • Alpha toxin
  • Lidocaine
  • L-DOPA
  • MDMA

Exam questions on Drugs and synaptic transmission

  1. A dentist injects lidocaine into a patient's gum before removing a tooth. The patient feels pressure but no pain, and the numbness fades after about an hour.
    Explain, in terms of membrane potential, why the sensory neurones near the injection fail to transmit impulses.2 marks
  2. A hiker is bitten by a cobra. Within an hour she has muscle weakness that progresses to paralysis, and she has difficulty breathing. The venom contains alpha toxin, which acts at neuromuscular junctions.
    Explain why the hiker has difficulty breathing.2 marks
  3. A 68-year-old man with Parkinson's disease has a tremor, stiff muscles and slow movement. His neurologist prescribes L-DOPA for him rather than dopamine.
    Explain why L-DOPA is prescribed rather than dopamine.3 marks
See the full worksheet

Written by the Exaim team, led by Shaun Daswani (Head of Upper Secondary, Improve ME Institute; MSc Financial Mathematics, Imperial College London; BSc, UCL) and Jason Daswani (operational lead, Improve ME Institute; LSE).