plumiBrain chemicals, ill health and new drugs: Edexcel International A Level Biology questions
Edexcel International A Level Biology past-paper questions on 8.5.3 Brain chemicals, ill health and new drugs, 2019–2025, with mark schemes and examiner’s reports where available.
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Q4(a)
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All 16 questions on Brain chemicals, ill health and new drugs, as a list
- June 2025, Unit 5, Q4(a) (4 marks): Parkinson’s disease arises from decreased dopamine production in the brain. Explain why L-Dopa, given orally in tablet form, reduces the symptoms of Parkinson’s
- October 2024, Unit 5, Q4(a) (4 marks): In people without Parkinson’s disease, the number of dopamine‑producing cells rarely falls below 350 000. Explain why the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease increa
- October 2024, Unit 5, Q4(c) (4 marks): In an investigation, different concentrations of dopamine were given to Drosophila (fruit flies). The mean heart rates of groups of 10 Drosophila were recorded
- October 2024, Unit 5, Q8(j) (1 mark): Successfully clearing amyloid from the brain had only a small effect. Suggest one reason why researchers are suggesting the need to start using the drugs even ‘
- June 2024, Unit 5, Q2(b)(i) (1 mark): Which of the following statements about dopamine is correct? (1) A dopamine can pass from the bloodstream into neurones in the brain B dopamine is a neurotransm
- June 2024, Unit 5, Q2(b)(ii) (3 marks): Drugs called selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) affect the reabsorption of serotonin at synapses in the brain. This may help to reduce depression.
- June 2024, Unit 5, Q5(b)(i) (4 marks): Explain the results of this investigation. Use information from the question to support your answer. (4)
- June 2023, Unit 5, Q7(a) (1 mark): How many of the following statements about serotonin are correct? (1) • L-dopa can be converted into serotonin in the brain • Serotonin is a neurotransmitter •
- June 2023, Unit 5, Q8(e) (3 marks): Suggest how changes in diet could affect the composition of the gut flora causing imbalances in the naturally occurring chemicals in the brain (paragraph 10). (
- January 2023, Unit 5, Q7(a)(i) (4 marks): Comment on the results shown in the bar chart and how they support this conclusion. (4)
- June 2022, Unit 5, Q4(a) (3 marks): Explain why using Co‑beneldopa will be more effective than using L‑dopa alone to treat Parkinson’s disease. (3)
- January 2022, Unit 5, Q8(a) (3 marks): Explain how toxicants in food could cause Parkinson’s disease (paragraph 3). (3)
- January 2021, Unit 5, Q7(a)(ii) (3 marks): One treatment for Parkinson’s disease is a drug called L-DOPA. Describe how L-DOPA reduces some of the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. (3)
- January 2021, Unit 5, Q7(b)(ii) (3 marks): Some people with Parkinson’s disease have a DNA mutation called LRRK2. Scientists studied the effect of this mutation on the dendrites of dopamine neurones prod
- October 2020, Unit 5, Q7(a)(i) (1 mark): One drug used to treat Parkinson’s disease is L-DOPA. Which of the following statements explains why L-DOPA can be used to treat Parkinson’s disease? (1) A L-DO
- October 2020, Unit 5, Q7(a)(ii) (3 marks): Explain why the release of reduced quantities of dopamine by presynaptic neurones could result in motor symptoms. (3)
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