Deck 2: Cells and Structures: the Anatomy of the Nervous System

Question 1

Which pathway represents the most common sequence of information flow through a neuron?

A) Cell body → axon → dendrite → axon terminal
B) Dendrite → cell body → axon → axon hillock
C) Dendrite → cell body → axon → axon terminal
D) Dendrite → axon terminal → cell body → axon

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Which statement about neurons is true?

A) All neurons have the same four functional zones.
B) Multipolar neurons can have many dendrites and many axons.
C) Some interneurons lack a nucleus.
D) Unipolar neurons are especially common in the visual system.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

Preventing the formation of _______ on dendrites would decrease the space available for synapses.

A) synaptic vesicles
B) dendritic spines
C) the myelin sheath
D) the axon hillock

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Neurons receive information from other neurons at the _______ zone through cellular extensions called _______.

A) integration; hillock
B) input; dendrites
C) conduction; axon
D) output; terminal

Question 5

Axon terminals typically form synapses on the cell body or dendrites of a(n)

A) postsynaptic neuron.
B) presynaptic neuron.
C) oligodendrocyte.
D) Schwann cell.

Question 6

Axon terminals

A) are found within synaptic vesicles.
B) are protrusions occurring along the length of dendrites.
C) form synapses onto other cells.
D) are specialized synapses occurring on muscles.

Question 7

When you reach out for your pen and feel its shape in your hand, which type of neurons are conveying the sensation in your fingers to your spinal cord?

A) Multipolar
B) Bipolar
C) Unipolar
D) Depolarized

Question 8

Bipolar neurons have _______ at one of the cell and _______ at the other end.

A) many dendrites; a single axon
B) a single dendrite; a single axon
C) many dendrites; branching axons
D) a single dendrite; axon terminals

Question 9

Large nerve cell bodies are about _______ in diameter.

A) 10 $\mu$ m
B) 10 mm
C) 100 $\mu$ m
D) 1 cm

Question 10

The Spanish anatomist Santiago Ramón y Cajal showed that

A) neurons are continuous with one another and are functionally dependent.
B) neurons are continuous with one another but are functionally independent.
C) although neurons come very close together, they are not continuous with one another, but they are functionally dependent on one another.
D) although neurons come very close together, they are not continuous with one another and are functionally independent.

Question 11

Axonal transport is

A) bidirectional, moving materials from the neuronal cell body toward the axon terminals, and from axon terminals out to other, distant cell bodies.
B) bidirectional, moving materials from the neuronal cell body toward the axon terminals, and from axon terminals back to the cell body.
C) unidirectional, moving materials from the neuronal cell body toward the axon terminals only.
D) unidirectional, moving materials from axon terminals to the cell body only.

Question 12

Which of the following is in the correct order of size, from largest to smallest?

A) A synaptic cleft → an axon terminal → the diameter of an ion channel → the thickness of the neuronal membrane
B) The thickness of the neuronal membrane → a synaptic cleft → an axon terminal → the diameter of an ion channel
C) The diameter of an ion channel → the thickness of the neuronal membrane → an axon terminal → a synaptic cleft
D) An axon terminal → a synaptic cleft → the thickness of the neuronal membrane → the diameter of an ion channel

Question 13

Synaptic vesicles

A) are found in the postsynaptic membrane.
B) capture and react to neurotransmitters such as dopamine and glutamate.
C) are released by dendrites in response to a neural impulse.
D) eventually fuse with the neural membrane.

Question 14

Substances are conveyed from the cell body of the neuron to the distant reaches of the axon through the process of

A) retrograde transport.
B) neuroplasticity.
C) anterograde transport.
D) myelination.

Question 15

Which glial cells interact with blood vessels?

A) Oligodendrocytes
B) Astrocytes
C) Microglial cells
D) Stellate cells

Question 16

The somatic nervous system includes the

A) autonomic nervous system and the spinal nerves.
B) peripheral nervous system.
C) sensory pathways.
D) cranial nerves and the spinal nerves.

Question 17

The long nerve that is the major route for information travelling between the brain and many visceral organs is the _______ nerve.

A) vagus
B) trigeminal
C) trochlear
D) hypoglossal

Question 18

Which cranial nerve is not involved in the control of eye movements?

A) Oculomotor
B) Trigeminal
C) Trochlear
D) Abducens

Question 19

What would be the consequence for a patient with damage to the eighth cranial nerve?

A) Blindness
B) An inability to speak
C) Impaired balance
D) In inability to chew

Question 20

Axons of the sympathetic nervous system exit the central nervous system from the

A) thoracic and lumbar regions spinal cord.
B) sympathetic chain.
C) cervical and sacral regions of the spinal cord.
D) cranial nerves.

Question 21

The efferent nerves of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) go to

A) the cortex.
B) the cerebellum.
C) voluntary muscles.
D) various organs of the body.

Question 22

Damage to efferent cranial nerves would result in _______ impairments; damage to afferent cranial nerves would result in _______ impairments.

A) sensory; motor
B) motor; sensory
C) sympathetic; parasympathetic
D) parasympathetic; sympathetic

Question 23

The major divisions of the spinal cord are cervical, thoracic, _______, and sacral.

A) cranial
B) ventral
C) trigeminal
D) lumbar

Question 24

The reason that sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems have different effects on the organs is because

A) they are controlled by different brain regions.
B) they innervate different organ systems.
C) the sympathetic nerves travel a longer distance to reach their ganglia compared to parasympathetic nerves.
D) they release different neurotransmitters.

Question 25

Which of the following is not a consequence of parasympathetic activation?

A) Increased salivation
B) Increased heart rate
C) Dilation of blood vessels in the skin
D) Increased digestion

Question 26

An individual finds themselves in a situation that requires a fight-or-flight response, leading to an accelerated heartrate. Which neurotransmitter is directly responsible for the increased cardiac muscle activity?

A) Norepinephrine
B) Acetylcholine
C) Dopamine
D) Glutamate

Question 27

The human brain is essentially folded into the skull; about two-thirds of the of it is hidden within the folds (sulci), thereby allowing

A) greater protection of the surface of the brain.
B) increased thermoregulation of the brain.
C) a larger surface area to fit into the cranial space.
D) faster neural transmission.

Question 28

The _______ is the main source of communication between the left and the right hemispheres.

A) cortex
B) basal ganglia
C) cerebellum
D) corpus callosum

Question 29

Which statement about white and gray matter is true?

A) White matter is analogous to insulation.
B) Gray matter is analogous to air conditioning.
C) White matter is white due its density of neuronal cell bodies.
D) Gray matter is gray because it is older tissue than white matter.

Question 30

Which statement regarding the spinal cord is true?

A) The spinal cord does not have meningeal support.
B) Gray matter is in the center of the spinal cord, and white matter surrounds it.
C) Dorsal roots convey motor information, and ventral roots convey sensory information.
D) Sacral cross sections are larger than thoracic cross sections.

Question 31

A cut in the _______ plane would sever all the tracts that connect the left and right cerebral hemispheres.

A) horizontal
B) axial
C) midsagittal
D) coronal

Question 32

In terms of its position on your body, your nose is _______ and _______.

A) superior; dorsal
B) caudal; anterior
C) medial; anterior
D) ventral; dorsal

Question 33

In terms of its position on his body, the top of a dog's head is

A) proximal.
B) posterior.
C) caudal.
D) dorsal.

Question 34

A group of axons traveling together within the brain is called a

A) tract.
B) nerve.
C) nucleus.
D) ganglion.

Question 35

In humans, the plane that passes through the ears and divides the top of the brain from the rest of the brain is called the _______ plane.

A) sagittal
B) coronal
C) horizontal
D) caudal

Question 36

In the developing fetus, the telencephalon becomes the

A) cortex.
B) midbrain.
C) hypothalamus.
D) spinal cord.

Question 37

The five main divisions of the human brain are visible about _______ days after conception.

A) 5
B) 20
C) 35
D) 50

Question 38

How many distinct layers are observed in the human cortex?

A) 1
B) 3
C) 6
D) 12

Question 39

Which statement about cortical columns is true?

A) They are found only in the basal ganglia.
B) They extend through the entire thickness of the cortex.
C) They are made up primarily of gray matter.
D) Within each column, most of the synaptic interconnections of neurons are horizontal.

Question 40

The most prominent type of neuron in the cerebral cortex, the _______ cell, is found mostly in layer III or layer _______.

A) pyramidal; I
B) glial; II
C) interneuron; IV
D) pyramidal; V

Question 41

Damage to the cingulate gyrus would most likely impair

A) attention.
B) pain perception.
C) motor control.
D) vision.

Question 42

Within the midbrain, auditory information is received by the _______ and visual information is received by the _______.

A) inferior colliculi; superior colliculi
B) caudate nucleus; putamen
C) tectum; tegmentum
D) periaqueductal gray; reticular formation

Question 43

Which statement best describes the blood-brain barrier?

A) It is a part of the immune system that facilitates the release of antibodies to protect the brain from infectious agents.
B) It is a property of the walls of brain capillaries that prevents large molecules from entering the brain.
C) It is a property of the blood vessels of the brain that promotes the diffusion of nutrients into the tissue of the brain.
D) It is a property of neurons that prevents them from accidentally releasing their neurotransmitters into the blood circulation.

Question 44

The drainage of wastes from the brain and distribution of nutrients, immune system components, and signaling substances are carried out by the brain's _______ system.

A) arachnoid
B) vagus
C) periaqueductal
D) glymphatic

Question 45

In its common usage, the term "stroke" refers to

A) brain damage caused by a reduction or blockage of blood flow to the brain.
B) brain damage caused by external toxic agents such as drugs.
C) brain damage due to head trauma.
D) any process that causes a sudden intellectual deterioration.

Question 46

In the noninvasive technique called _______, researchers direct focused magnetic fields onto specific cortical areas of alert, awake subjects, while tracking any resultant change in behavior.

A) cognitive behavioral therapy
B) transcranial magnetic stimulation
C) positron emission tomography
D) diffusor tensor imaging

Question 47

Subtractive analysis is useful for

A) detecting brain tumors.
B) highly accurate images of brain structure.
C) single trial experiments that connect behaviors to brain activity.
D) studies that average brain activity over multiple subjects to gather information about the neural basis of behavior.

Question 48

Which type of stain is used to reveal the entire neuron with all its processes?

A) Nissl
B) Golgi
C) In situ hybridization
D) Anterograde labeling

Question 49

Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) is a molecule that can be taken up by axon terminals and then carried back to the cell body for visualization of the neuron. Dysfunction in which cellular process would prevent cell labeling by HRP?

A) Anterograde transport
B) Retrograde transport
C) Dendritic transport
D) In situ hybridization

Question 50

The physiological activity of the brain can be visualized using

A) positron emission tomography (PET).
B) computerized axial tomography (CT).
C) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
D) electron microscopy.

Question 51

A brain tumor is best imaged by a(n) _______ scan.

A) fMRI
B) PET
C) CT scan
D) TMS

Question 52

MRI makes use of _______ waves and _______ fields to form images of the structure of the living brain.

A) sound; magnetic
B) light; electric
C) radio; magnetic
D) gamma; electric

Question 53

If researcher wanted to know which brain region(s) is/are active when a person is listening to music, the imaging technique that would be most appropriate is

A) DTI.
B) CT.
C) fMRI.
D) PET.

Question 54

An experiment in which specific areas of the brain are destroyed in a group of animals to observe the change in their sleep patterns from a pre-surgery baseline value is an example of a(n)

A) within-participants experiment.
B) between- participants experiment.
C) behavioral intervention experiment.
D) experiment with no control group.

Question 55

Which type of study best describes the experiment in which a subject's performance on a cognitive task while in a brain scanner is compared with the age of the subject?

A) Somatic intervention
B) Behavioral intervention
C) Correlational
D) Epigenetic intervention

Question 56

Which protocol is an example of a somatic intervention study?

A) Measuring the extent of brain abnormalities in patients with schizophrenia
B) Observing patterns of brain activity in animals trained in a maze
C) Measuring hormones in male rats exposed to female rats
D) Giving a group of rats a drug and then observing the effect of the drug on the rats' behavior.

Question 57

The relationship between brain size and learning scores is

A) causal.
B) variable.
C) not equal.
D) correlational.

Question 58

In an experimental manipulation, before a group of rats were timed running in a maze, half the rats in a study were given caffeine and half were not. In this study, the caffeine is the _______ variable and the running in the maze is the _______ variable.

A) within-subjects; between-subjects
B) dependent; independent
C) between-subject; within-subjects
D) independent; dependent

Question 59

In a(n) _______-subjects experiment, the control group is the same as the experimental group and the individuals are tested at two different time points.

A) between
B) including
C) within
D) excluding

Question 60

While _______ studies can tell us which behavioral and bodily variables may be linked, they cannot reveal _______.

A) molecular level; biological processes
B) correlational; causality
C) comparative; independent variables
D) somatic; correlation

Question 61

There are ethicists who argue that animal research is justified only when it

A) is used for cancer research.
B) produces immediate and measurable benefits.
C) has demonstrated long-lasting benefits.
D) has demonstrated benefits for at least one-third of the human population.

Question 62

The idea that we can understand complex systems by looking at their simpler constituent parts is known as

A) correlation.
B) causality.
C) fractionation.
D) reductionism.

Question 63

A basic spinal reflex involves input from a sensory neuron (e.g., pain from stepping on a tack) to a motor neuron in the spinal cord (which would lift the leg). The level of analysis of this reflex is the _______ level.

A) neural systems
B) synaptic
C) circuit
D) molecular

Question 64

The level of analysis of the study of membrane permeability of neurotransmitter receptors is the _______ level.

A) neural systems
B) synaptic
C) circuit
D) molecular

Question 65

The level of analysis of the study of neurotransmitter release is the _______ level.

A) neural systems
B) synaptic
C) circuit
D) molecular

Question 66

The level of analysis of the study of specific interactions of the different lobes of the brain is the _______ level.

A) neural systems
B) synaptic
C) circuit
D) molecular

Question 67

The most common type of neuron in vertebrates are _______ neurons.

Question 68

Presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons are separated by a gap called the _______.

Question 69

In the anterior part of the developing fetal forebrain lies the _______, which will develop into the cerebral hemispheres.

Question 70

The _______ controls the pituitary gland is the brain's primary interface with the body's hormonal systems.'

Question 71

The portion of the brainstem that connects the brainstem to the medulla is the _______.

Question 72

In the space between the dura mater and _______ is a matrix called arachnoid (or subarachnoid) space , which is filled with cerebrospinal fluid.

Question 73

_______ are used to make CT scan images.

Question 74

In a _______ study, a researcher measures how closely changes in one variable are associated with changes in another variable.

Question 75

Electrical messages used by nerve cells are essentially the same in a jellyfish or a cockroach. This observation suggests that this mechanism is a _______ characteristic.

Question 76

Focus on a single neuron within a brain involves the _______ level of analysis.

Question 77

Outline the pathway of the neural signal beginning at the dendrites and ending at the synaptic cleft.

Question 78

Draw and describe a myelinated axon of the peripheral nervous system. What purpose does myelin serve and what medical problem results when it is compromised?

Question 79

Name the four cranial nerves that have both afferent and efferent pathways. Then name two cranial nerves that just have afferent pathways, and two that just have efferent pathways.

Question 80

What is the function of the basal ganglia, and what structures comprise this system?