Final answer:
The statement is true; voltage-gated sodium channels in neurons indeed have two gates, an activation gate that opens at a threshold voltage, and an inactivation gate that closes shortly after the peak of depolarization.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that 'the typical neuronal voltage-gated sodium channel has two gates: an activation gate and an inactivation gate' is True.
The voltage-gated Na+ channel plays a critical role in the depolarization phase of an action potential. The activation gate opens when the membrane potential reaches a certain threshold, typically around -55 mV, allowing Na+ to enter the neuron.
Subsequently, the inactivation gate closes shortly after the peak of depolarization, preventing further influx of Na+ and contributing to the repolarization of the neuron. These channels remain inactivated until the membrane potential returns to levels where the activation gate closes and the inactivation gate re-opens, readying the channel for another action potential.