Reuptake:

[lazaward]

I’m a bit confused on the best answer to this question and I’d like a justification on why the wrong answers are incorrect.

Re-uptake of neurotransmitters occurs when:
a) there is an abundance of neurotransmitters
b) the ‘key’ does not fit the ‘lock’
c) the neurotransmitter has had an inhibitory effect

Thanks for the help!

[rani_b]

I’m a bit confused on the best answer to this question and I’d like a justification on why the wrong answers are incorrect.

Re-uptake of neurotransmitters occurs when:
a) there is an abundance of neurotransmitters
b) the ‘key’ does not fit the ‘lock’
c) the neurotransmitter has had an inhibitory effect

Thanks for the help!

I think the best answer is A) (but I might be wrong!) The reason for this is because generally there are more neurotransmitters released then needed to ensure the message is carried across, and so any excess is absorbed back into the pre-synaptic neurons terminal button. I wouldn't put C) because that has no relevance - even if a neurotransmitter has an inhibitory effect it can bind to a receptor site if that is what it precisely matches. As for B), I guess if the neurotransmitter didn't fit the receptor site it would be reabsorbed, but then why would it be released in the first place? I'm not sure :/ A) seems like the best and most clear answer to me. Hope this helps!! Also, you can probably add this into the psychology 3/4 question thread.

[lazaward]

I think the best answer is A) (but I might be wrong!) The reason for this is because generally there are more neurotransmitters released then needed to ensure the message is carried across, and so any excess is absorbed back into the pre-synaptic neurons terminal button. I wouldn't put C) because that has no relevance - even if a neurotransmitter has an inhibitory effect it can bind to a receptor site if that is what it precisely matches. As for B), I guess if the neurotransmitter didn't fit the receptor site it would be reabsorbed, but then why would it be released in the first place? I'm not sure :/ A) seems like the best and most clear answer to me. Hope this helps!! Also, you can probably add this into the psychology 3/4 question thread.

I thought reuptake happened after a neurotransmitter has binded? Maybe I’m overthinking the question 🤯, thanks for the help!

[sdfg]

I thought reuptake happened after a neurotransmitter has binded? Maybe I’m overthinking the question 🤯, thanks for the help!

It does. Reuptake is the mechanism in which neurons essentially recycle neurotransmitters that have already been used (i.e those that have already binded to neurons and produced an action potential). But from the textbooks I've seen, most seem to suggest that reuptake is when neurons reasorb neurotransmitters that haven't been used, which is the exact opposite of what the term actually means. I'll go with whatever's in the textbooks though because VCAA goes with the assumption that everything in them is correct.

[lazaward]

It does. Reuptake is the mechanism in which neurons essentially recycle neurotransmitters that have already been used (i.e those that have already binded to neurons and produced an action potential). But from the textbooks I've seen, most seem to suggest that reuptake is when neurons reasorb neurotransmitters that haven't been used, which is the exact opposite of what the term actually means. I'll go with whatever's in the textbooks though because VCAA goes with the assumption that everything in them is correct.

Ohhh okay that’s a bit confusing hahaha. Thanks for that! So A would be the most correct for vce psych but technically speaking c would be the most correct answer?

[sdfg]

Ohhh okay that’s a bit confusing hahaha. Thanks for that! So A would be the most correct for vce psych but technically speaking c would be the most correct answer?

Yup!