The drug neostigmine blocks the activity of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase in the synaptic cleft. Predict the effects of this drug.

Video transcript

Hey, everyone. Let's take a look at this question together. What happens when acetylcholine accumulates in the synaptic cleft. Is it answer choice. A the muscle fiber would experience prolonged excitation. Answer choice B the ability to generate force during contraction is reduced. Answer choice C the muscle tone will be significantly reduced or answer choice. D it will create brief and involuntary muscle contractions or jerks. Let's work this problem out together to try to figure out which of the following answer choices best explains what would happen when acetylcholine accumulates in the synaptic cleft. So in order to solve this question, we have to recall what role acetylcholine plays in the synaptic cleft. And what an accumulation of acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft would result in. And we know that the accumulation of acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft would result in a prolonged effect of acetylcholine s role. Since there is that accumulation of acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft and acetycholine role is that it binds to and activates the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors on the muscle fiber. Therefore, that accumulation of acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft results in the constant binding and activation of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors on the muscle fiber where that constant binding results in a prolonged excitation of the muscle fiber. So answer choice. A, the muscle fiber would experience prolonged excitation is the correct answer. And all other answer choices are incorrect. Since that acute of acetylcholine would not result in a reduction of the ability to generate force during contraction or the reduction of muscle tone and will not create brief and involuntary muscle contractions or jerks since there is that prolonged excitation, which is that constant excitation of the muscle fiber. So answer choice A is the only correct answer choice. I hope you found this video to be helpful. Thank you and goodbye.