Question

Smokers' bodies become accustomed to high levels of nicotine, and they experience symptoms of withdrawal when they stop smoking because the postsynaptic neurons that possess __________ are no longer stimulated at their usual level. The drug Chantix, which is marketed as an aid to stop smoking, acts by binding to the most common version of this receptor. Once bound, the Chantix molecule partially stimulates the receptor while preventing binding of nicotine.

Answer 1

Smokers experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop smoking because the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors on their postsynaptic neurons are no longer stimulated at their usual level. Chantix, a drug used to aid in smoking cessation, binds to these receptors and partially stimulates them while preventing nicotine from binding.

Step-by-step explanation:

Smokers' bodies become accustomed to high levels of nicotine, and they experience symptoms of withdrawal when they stop smoking because the postsynaptic neurons that possess nicotinic acetylcholine receptors are no longer stimulated at their usual level. The drug Chantix, which is marketed as an aid to stop smoking, acts by binding to the most common version of this receptor. Once bound, the Chantix molecule partially stimulates the receptor while preventing binding of nicotine.