Local anesthetics block voltage-gated Na⁺ channels. General anesthetics are thought to activate chemically gated Cl⁻ channels, thereby rendering the nervous system quiescent while surgery is performed. What specific process do anesthetics impair, and how does this interfere with nerve impulse transmission?

Mark the following statements as true or false. If a statement is false, correct it to make a true statement.

d. A depolarization is a change in membrane potential that makes the potential less negative.

Mark the following statements as true or false. If a statement is false, correct it to make a true statement.

e. A local potential is a change in membrane potential that conducts the long-distance signals of the nervous system.

A drug that blocks Na+ channels in neurons does so not only in the axon but also in the dendrites and cell body. What overall effect would this have on action potential generation?