Dopamine is a neurotransmitter released in some synapses in the brain - AQA - A-Level Biology - Question 7 - 2018 - Paper 2
Question 7
Dopamine is a neurotransmitter released in some synapses in the brain. The transmission of dopamine is similar to that of acetylcholine.
Dopamine stimulates the pro... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:Dopamine is a neurotransmitter released in some synapses in the brain - AQA - A-Level Biology - Question 7 - 2018 - Paper 2
Step 1
Dopamine diffuses across the synapse
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Answer
Dopamine diffuses from the presynaptic neurone across the synaptic cleft and binds to receptors on the postsynaptic membrane.
Step 2
Binding to receptors
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Answer
Upon binding, dopamine activates specific receptors on the postsynaptic neurone, leading to the opening of ion channels.
Step 3
Entry of sodium ions and action potential
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Answer
As a result, sodium ions enter the postsynaptic neurone, causing depolarization and potentially generating an action potential if the threshold is reached.
