Deck 2: Neuroscience

Question 1

The information-carrying cells of the nervous system are called ____.

A) Neurons
B) glia cells
C) Hormones
D) Glands

Answer 1

Neurons

Question 2

Which of the following statements is TRUE regarding neurons and glia cells in the adult human brain?

A) Neurons are far more numerous than glia cells.
B) Neurons are more concentrated in the brainstem than glia cells.
C) Neurons and glia cells are similar in number.
D) Neurons are far less numerous than glia cells.

Answer 2

Neurons and glia cells are similar in number.

Question 3

The action of tying your shoes is most likely to involve the ____ system.

A) endocrine
B) exocrine
C) nervous
D) parasympathetic

Answer 3

nervous

Question 4

The part of the neuron that receives incoming signals from other neurons is called the ____.

A) axon
B) dendrite
C) cell body
D) synaptic cleft

Question 5

Without glia cells, your brain would ____.

A) experience no change in function
B) be forced to communicate more often through the endocrine system
C) repair itself more rapidly than normal in the case of an injury
D) send information more slowly

Question 6

Axons on neurons in the brain are typically ____.

A) longer than those in the peripheral nervous system
B) shorter than those in the peripheral nervous system
C) about the same size as those in the peripheral nervous system
D) extremely variable in length, with some being very long and others very short

Question 7

Axons are necessary for neurons to be able to ____.

A) receive neural impulses from other neurons
B) duplicate themselves
C) direct the development of the neuron
D) send neural impulses to other neurons

Question 8

Reflexive activity, such as jerking your hand away from a hot stove, is governed by the ____.

A) rescue system
B) endocrine system
C) nervous system
D) parasympathetic system

Question 9

Francisco has a disease that is destroying the myelin on his neurons. What effect will this disease most likely have on Francisco?

A) His brain and spinal cord will completely cease to function.
B) He will be paralyzed on one side of his body but not the other.
C) His neural signals will slow down.
D) His neural signals will speed up.

Question 10

A neuron's DNA exists within its ____.

A) cell body
B) dendrites
C) axon
D) axon bulb

Question 11

The junction between the adjoining neurons where the axon bulb of one neuron comes in proximity with specialized receptor sites on another neuron is called the ____.

A) synapse
B) myelin sheath
C) dendrite space
D) cellular gap

Question 12

Myelin ____.

A) is a type of neurotransmitter
B) disrupts neurological activity
C) is produced by the action potential
D) speeds up neural signals

Question 13

A neuron's axon ____.

A) is nearly always less than two millimeters in length
B) is usually completely covered in myelin from end-to-end
C) can either by myelinated or unmyelinated
D) usually ends in one "bulb," which physically connects to the next neuron

Question 14

What brain structure is involved in the formation of myelin?

A) Neurons
B) Glia cells
C) Dendrites
D) Synapses

Question 15

The vesicles at the end of an axon bulb contain ____.

A) sodium (Na+) ions
B) neurotransmitters
C) myelin
D) DNA

Question 16

Glia cells are responsible for ____.

A) forming myelin
B) directing the activity of hormones
C) providing very little benefit to the brain
D) occasionally functioning as neurotransmitters

Question 17

Symptoms of multiple sclerosis include ____.

A) difficulty with movement
B) digestive ailments
C) high fever
D) skin rash

Question 18

Dr. Adelman is biological psychologist who is most interested in studying the part of the neuron that receives input from other neurons. He is most likely to focus on which of the following?

A) Myelin
B) Axon bulbs
C) Dendrites
D) Glia

Question 19

Which disease is associated with myelin loss, causing neural impulses to travel around the brain without reaching its destination?

A) Depression
B) Multiple sclerosis
C) Parkinson's disease
D) Alzheimer's disease

Question 20

Within a single neuron, dendrites are ____ and axon bulbs ____.

A) active in communication; active in cell metabolism
B) myelinated; unmyelinated
C) on the head; at the tail
D) much smaller; much larger

Question 21

If Clark had no ions in his nervous system, ____.

A) his action potentials would be faster
B) his action potentials would be slower
C) he would not be able to generate any action potentials
D) he would be able to move, but he would not be able to think

Question 22

If Mary's neurons were never able to achieve a potential more positive than -70 millivolts, ____.

A) her action potentials would be very slow
B) she would not be able to generate any action potentials
C) her action potentials would be very inconsistent
D) she would be able to move, but she would not be able to think

Question 23

Which of the following is TRUE regarding the resting potential of a neuron?

A) In mammals it is about -20 millivolts.
B) During its resting state, all ionized particles can move freely into and out of the neuron.
C) The potential is maintained by high concentrations of magnesium outside the neuron.
D) The predominant charge inside a neuron at rest is negative.

Question 24

If you wanted to trace the typical flow of information through a single neuron, you would have to start at the____, go through the ____, and end at the ____.

A) dendrites; medulla; dendrites
B) axon hillock; axon bulb; dendrites
C) dendrites; axon; axon bulb
D) axon bulb; brain stem; dendrites

Question 25

Which of the following neuron resting potentials is typical in mammals?

A) -70 millivolts
B) -45 millivolts
C) 0 millivolts
D) 5 millivolts

Question 26

When the inside of the axon has a greater negative charge than the outside, it is safe to conclude that ____.

A) an action potential is not being generated in that part of the axon
B) the axon is depolarized
C) there is an especially large concentration of Na+ ions inside the axon
D) an action potential is being generated in that part of the axon

Question 27

The brain uses electrochemical energy that is produced by ____.

A) ions
B) alternating current
C) direct current
D) electrons

Question 28

A synapse is essentially a (n) ____.

A) gap
B) wire
C) chemical
D) electrical charge

Question 29

There are many more neural connections in the brain than the number of neurons because ____.

A) each neuron can synapse with many other neurons
B) neural connections also occur between glia cells
C) all that is needed for a neural connection is two different types of brain material
D) any two neurons can communicate in both directions across the same synapse

Question 30

The branch-like structures on the heads of neurons that receive signals from other neurons are called ____.

A) dendrites
B) myelin sheaths
C) axon hillocks
D) synapses

Question 31

When neurotransmitters bind with receptor sites, what is the essential event that eventually causes the postsynaptic neuron to generate an action potential?

A) the creation of myelin sheathing
B) the flooding of sodium (Na+) into the cell
C) the removal of anions from the cell
D) the generation of electrical current in the dendrites

Question 32

You are a neurosurgeon performing surgery on a 50-year-old man. When you insert an electrode into the axon of one of his neurons while it is not receiving or sending information, what voltage should you record with your instruments?

A) 55 mv
B) -55 mv
C) 70 mv
D) -70mv

Question 33

Receptor sites for communication among neurons exist on ____.

A) sodium ions
B) neurotransmitters
C) dendrites
D) myelin

Question 34

Each neuron in the brain can potentially form a synapse with up to ____ other neuron(s).

A) 1
B) 10
C) 1000
D) 10000

Question 35

A specific receptor site and its specific neurotransmitter are analogous to ____.

A) two managers discussing a decision
B) a lock and the correct key
C) a receptionist talking on the phone
D) a cue stick and a billiard ball

Question 36

If your neurosurgeon were able to take a neuron out of your brain and examine it, she would most likely find that ____.

A) its axon would be very short
B) it would have two cell bodies
C) it would have more than one axon
D) its cell body would not have any dendrites attached to it

Question 37

Which statement is most correct about the complexity of neurological processes in the brain?

A) Neurological processes are actually very simple, with just a few activities happening one right after another repeatedly.
B) Neurological processes are not understood at all, given our current knowledge base.
C) Neurological processes are totally understood now that we have the technology to observe them.
D) Neurological processes are very complex, with many activities happening at the same time.

Question 38

If you needed to explain to your friend what a synapse is, what would you say?

A) A synapse is the part of the neuron that receives incoming signals and initiates the action potential.
B) A synapse is the tiny gap between the axon bulb of one neuron and the dendrites of another.
C) A synapse is the insulation on the outside of the neuron.
D) A synapse is the structure on axons that stores and releases neurotransmitters.

Question 39

When your teacher is attempting to describe a postsynaptic neuron, she is essentially talking about a neuron that ____.

A) is myelinated
B) is unmyelinated
C) receives input from another neuron
D) sends messages to another neuron

Question 40

The action potential is directly created when ____.

A) vesicles in the axon release neurotransmitters
B) myelin is produced by the cell body
C) sodium (Na+) ions flood into the axon
D) DNA is released into the synapse

Question 41

Once an action potential reaches the end of the axon, how does the information usually get to the next neuron?

A) The action potential jumps across the synaptic cleft to the next neuron in the form of an electrical impulse.
B) Myelin acts as a bridge to transport it across the synaptic cleft.
C) Potassium ions (K+) move back and forth between neurons to carry the information across.
D) Vesicles at the end of the axon release neurotransmitters which float across the synaptic cleft to the next neuron.

Question 42

Why is it important for potassium ions (K+) to move out of the axon once an action potential has been fired?

A) Because their continued presence would be damaging to the tissues of the axon
B) So that the neuron will have the ability to generate another action potential
C) Because of the required binding with potassium (K+) to activate the refractory period
D) In order to create a more negative charge outside rather than inside the neuron

Question 43

An axon that has a -55 mv electric potential across its membrane ____.

A) probably does not have any myelin sheathing
B) is going to fire an action potential
C) has a very large concentration of Na+ ions inside the axon
D) has just released several neurotransmitters

Question 44

The refractory period is the ____.

A) time it takes to fire an action potential
B) period of time that neurotransmitters are active within the synapse
C) time during which a neuron is restoring its resting potential after an action potential has been fired
D) the total period of time it takes for a neuron to receive information from one neuron and transmit it to another one

Question 45

As one of Wilbur's neurons fires an action potential, the charge inside the neuron becomes ____.

A) negative
B) positive
C) stable
D) unpredictable

Question 46

Neurotransmitters being released by a presynaptic neuron into the synapse are due to,____.

A) the neuron being in a refractory period
B) a large concentration of Na+ ions outside of the presynaptic axon
C) a high concentration of negative ions inside the neuron
D) action potentials that have occurred in the presynaptic neuron

Question 47

Which phrase best describes how the action potential occurs?

A) "all or none"
B) "slow but sure"
C) "speed equals intensity"
D) "all for one, and one for all"

Question 48

An action potential is a ____.

A) chemical imbalance
B) possible activity
C) reflex movement
D) neural impulse

Question 49

If after firing once, Michal's neurons did not return to their resting potential, her neurons would be ____.

A) unable to fire again
B) able to fire more rapidly than normal
C) seriously damaged from lack of rest
D) totally normal

Question 50

Suppose you have a neurological problem that could be fixed by increasing the likelihood that your neurons will fire action potentials. Your doctor may prescribe a drug that has what type of effect?

A) Impulsive
B) Binding
C) Excitatory
D) Inhibitory

Question 51

In mammals, the threshold of excitation is about ____.

A) 55mv
B) -70mv
C) -55mv
D) 70mv

Question 52

A neuron firing an action potential is most like a person ____.

A) driving a car
B) playing basketball
C) turning on a light
D) running down the road

Question 53

?70 millivolts is to ____ as ?55 millivolts is to ____.

A) resting potential; threshold of excitation
B) threshold of excitation; resting potential
C) home electrical capacity; the body's electrical capacity
D) the body's electrical capacity; home electrical capacity

Question 54

Potassium ions (K+) will continue to leave the neuron until the neuron's ____.

A) resting potential is depleted
B) threshold of excitation is stimulated again
C) resting potential is restored
D) resting potential is positive

Question 55

Suppose you take a drug that indirectly causes potassium (K+) to leave your postsynaptic neurons. What effect would the drug have?

A) Excitatory
B) Inhibitory
C) Hallucinogenic
D) Sedative

Question 56

The refractory period occurs ____.

A) during the night when our neurons are at rest
B) only when inhibitory neurotransmitters are released
C) between action potentials
D) as the cell begins to depolarize

Question 57

Excitation causes a postsynaptic cell to ____.

A) become more negative in its resting potential
B) become more positive in its resting potential
C) move further away from the threshold of an action potential
D) become more neutral in its resting potential

Question 58

How do neurotransmitters "communicate" with postsynaptic neurons?

A) Like a "key fitting into a lock," they bind with corresponding receptor sites on dendrites of the neuron.
B) Like "water over a dam," they build up until they flood into the next neuron through sheer force.
C) Like a "hot knife through butter," they easily penetrate right into the cell body through the dendrites.
D) Like "throwing darts," they are propelled across the synapse and communicate with the neuron wherever they land.

Question 59

If you were to inject sodium (Na+) into a neuron in a rat's brain, what effect would it have on the neuron?

A) It would make the neuron more likely to fire an action potential.
B) It would make the neuron less likely to fire an action potential.
C) It would prevent the neuron from firing action potentials.
D) It would make the neuron fire action potentials that travel more slowly than normal.

Question 60

Rick is given a medication that makes his neurons more positive in their resting potential. What effect will this most likely have on Rick's nervous system?

A) He will have more excitation in his nervous system.
B) He will have more inhibition in his nervous system.
C) He will have less excitation in his nervous system.
D) This drug will not affect the functioning of Rick's nervous system.

Question 61

Moving your arm requires ____.

A) inhibition only
B) excitation only
C) neither inhibition, nor excitation
D) both inhibition and excitation

Question 62

If your teacher required you to learn the names and functions of all the neurotransmitters that researchers have identified, you would have to learn about ____ neurotransmitters.

A) fewer than 50
B) 50 to 75
C) 76 to 100
D) more than 100

Question 63

The first neurotransmitter discovered was ____.

A) acetylcholine
B) dopamine
C) serotonin
D) epinephrine

Question 64

One of the reasons that your grandfather with Alzheimer's disease has memory problems might be a (n) ____.

A) increased supply of serotonin in his brain
B) decreased supply of Na+ around his neurons
C) decreased supply of acetylcholine in his brain
D) increased supply of myelin around his axons

Question 65

Dr. Bush specializes in the study of hormones and neurotransmitters. His research would show that ____.

A) some hormones behave like neurotransmitters
B) hormones never behave like neurotransmitters
C) hormones and neurotransmitters are actually the same thing
D) hormones do not affect neurological activity

Question 66

Reuptake describes the ____.

A) recycling and returning of neurotransmitters to the presynaptic neuron
B) movement of ions back outside the axon after the action potential has been fired
C) process of neurons stretching and then retracting as they communicate with neighboring neurons
D) shrinking of myelin on the axons of neurons

Question 67

Suppose you take a drug that causes neurons in your brain to stop firing. What effects will the drug have?

A) Excitatory
B) Stimulating
C) Inhibitory
D) Stabilizing

Question 68

Marta is injected with a drug that prevents sodium (Na+) from entering into neurons in the part of the brain that controls the movement of the arms. What effect will this drug most likely have on Marta?

A) She will more her arms spasmodically.
B) She will not be able to move her arms.
C) Her arms will be numb, but she will be able to move them.
D) She will likely go into a coma.

Question 69

Elena is given a drug that moves the resting potential of her neurons to ?90 mv. What effect will this likely have on Elena?

A) It will take less stimulation to get her neurons to fire action potentials.
B) It will take more stimulation to get her neurons to fire action potentials.
C) It will be impossible to get her neurons to fire action potentials.
D) Her neurons will begin to fire action potentials at random.

Question 70

Inhibition occurs when ____.

A) sodium ions (Na+) flood into the axon of a neuron
B) the resting potential of a postsynaptic neuron is moved closer to -55 millivolts
C) a neurotransmitter makes a postsynaptic neuron less likely to fire an action potential
D) a neurotransmitter makes a presynaptic neuron more likely to fire

Question 71

Hedda takes a drug that increases the amount of acetylcholine in her brain. Hedda is most likely taking this drug for which condition?

A) multiple sclerosis
B) Alzheimer's disease
C) Parkinson's disease
D) Schizophrenia

Question 72

Alzheimer's patients are often prescribed medications that are designed to improve awareness and memory. The neurotransmitter most likely to be affected by these drugs is ____.

A) testosterone
B) GABA
C) acetylcholine
D) adrenaline

Question 73

Reuptake is essential to normal neurological function because it ensures that the ____.

A) electrical current stays within the synapse
B) right amount of excitation and inhibition occurs
C) speed of action potentials is always at the highest level
D) neuron never enters a resting phase

Question 74

Most psychoactive drugs taken by humans primarily affect the ____.

A) movement of ions across the membrane of the axon
B) activity of neurotransmitters in the synapse
C) development of myelin around the axon
D) creation or death of neurons in the brain

Question 75

Melanie is given an injection of a drug that increases inhibition in her brain. The net effect of this drug will most likely be ____.

A) neuronal death
B) more action potentials in her brain
C) fewer action potentials in her brain
D) more rapid firing of action potentials

Question 76

Prozac inhibits the reuptake of the neurotransmitter serotonin. When you take Prozac, the effect of this drug will ____.

A) reduce the action of serotonin in the brain
B) increase the time serotonin spends in the synapses of the brain
C) prevent the release of serotonin in the synapses of the brain
D) prevent the absorption of serotonin in the postsynaptic neuron

Question 77

Alzheimer's disease has been associated with loss of neurons that produce ____.

A) dopamine
B) endorphins
C) acetylcholine
D) GABA

Question 78

Which statement is TRUE regarding the processes of excitation and inhibition?

A) In order for the body to work normally, neurotransmitters should usually be excitatory.
B) In order for the body to work normally, neurotransmitters should usually be inhibitory.
C) Both inhibitory and excitatory processes are necessary for normal neurological activity.
D) Neither excitatory nor inhibitory processes are good for normal neurological activity.

Question 79

If you were to remove potassium ions (K+) from inside of a neuron, the net effect on the neuron results in ____.

A) excitation
B) inhibition
C) the firing of an action potential
D) rapid neuronal death

Question 80

If you are currently taking a drug that affects your behavior, most likely, it is affecting the ____.

A) speed or your action potentials
B) strength of your action potentials
C) number of new neurons your brain produces
D) activity occurring within your synapses