Deck 39: The Nervous System

Question 1

Which portion of the neuron typically receives information?

A) Cell body
B) Synaptic terminal
C) Dendrite
D) Axon
E) Glia

Answer 1

C

Question 2

During the repolarization phase of an action potential, the membrane potential falls from +60 to - 70 mV. This drop is due mostly to the movement of _ ions.

A) calcium
B) sodium
C) potassium
D) hydrogen
E) chloride

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Nicotine affects neurotransmission by causing more action potentials in the presynaptic neuron and by causing more neurotransmitter to be released per vesicle. This means your postsynaptic neurons

A) are unaffected by nicotine.
B) are more easily stimulated in the presence of nicotine.
C) are uncoordinated in the presence of nicotine.
D) are harder than normal to stimulate in the presence of nicotine.
E) cannot be stimulated at all in the presence of nicotine.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

At the synapse, some neurotransmitters open ion channels that make the interior of the postsynaptic neuron more negative. Thus, these neurotransmitters produce a(n) postsynaptic potential (IPSP).

A) inhibitory
B) rewarding
C) enhancing
D) excitatory
E) decreasing

Question 5

The brain and spinal cord interpret the frequency of action potentials they receive as

A) stimulus importance.
B) a reflex.
C) divergence.
D) convergence.
E) stimulus intensity.

Question 6

Axons

A) process information.
B) receive information from the external environment.
C) carry action potentials.
D) form the gray matter of the brain and spinal cord.
E) have receptors for neurotransmitters.

Question 7

The junction across which electrical signals are passed from a neuron to a muscle fiber, a gland, or another neuron is called the

A) axon.
B) soma.
C) glia.
D) dendrite.
E) synapse.

Question 8

Action potentials are generated when suddenly open.

A) resting K+ channels
B) resting Na+ channels
C) voltage- gated Na+ channels
D) sodium- potassium pumps
E) voltage- gated K+ channels

Question 9

In an unstimulated neuron, the _ _ concentration is higher inside the cell than outside.

A) Cl-
B) Ca2+
C) Li+
D) K+
E) Na+

Question 10

In an unstimulated neuron, the plasma membrane is most permeable to ions.

A) sugar
B) calcium (Ca2+)
C) chloride (Cl-)
D) potassium (K+)
E) sodium (Na+)

Question 11

Select the path an electrical signal would take within a single neuron.

A) Synaptic terminal -dendrite -axon -cell body
B) Synaptic terminal -cell body -axon -dendrite
C) Synaptic terminal -axon -cell body -dendrite
D) Cell body -dendrite -axon -synaptic terminal
E) Dendrite -cell body -axon -synaptic terminal

Question 12

If a bone fragment resulting from a broken nose pushed against the olfactory (smell) nerve, triggering an action potential, the person would

A) register the sensation as a smell.
B) lose her sense of smell.
C) register the sensation as a sound.
D) register the sensation as a visual stimulus.
E) not register the sensation at all.

Question 13

What happens when the resting potential reaches threshold voltage?

A) Voltage- gated sodium channels close.
B) Voltage- gated sodium channels open.
C) Voltage- gated potassium channels open.
D) The sodium- potassium pump is turned on.
E) Resting potassium channels close.

Question 14

Myelin speeds the conduction of action potentials along a neuron by

A) increasing the diameter of the axon.
B) inserting additional voltage- gated K+ channels into the membrane.
C) increasing the resting membrane potential.
D) allowing the action potential to "jump" over sections of the axon.
E) lowering the threshold at which action potentials are generated.

Question 15

Electrical signals are transmitted to the synaptic terminals along the

A) dendrite.
B) synapse.
C) glia.
D) axon.
E) cell body.

Question 16

Activity of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine is brief because it

A) is pumped out of the synaptic cleft by the sodium- potassium pump.
B) is transported back into the presynaptic neuron.
C) diffuses out of the synaptic cleft.
D) is rapidly broken down by enzymes in the synaptic cleft.
E) "self- destructs" shortly after leaving the presynaptic neuron.

Question 17

The intensity of a stimulus is indicated by the of action potentials.

A) frequency
B) intensity
C) speed
D) loss
E) duration

Question 18

The resting potential of an unstimulated neuron is between _ millivolts (mV).

A) 4 and 9
B) -4 and -9
C) -400 and -900
D) 40 and 90
E) -40 and -90

Question 19

In an unstimulated neuron, the sodium- potassium pump maintains the concentration gradient of sodium and potassium ions by transporting

A) sodium and potassium into the cell.
B) sodium and potassium ions in both directions across the cell membrane.
C) potassium ions into and sodium ions out of the cell.
D) sodium and potassium out of the cell.
E) potassium ions out of and sodium ions into the cell.

Question 20

Which stimulus would the brain interpret as the strongest?

A) 5 action potentials per second
B) 100 action potentials per second
C) 10 action potentials per second
D) 20 action potentials per second
E) 50 action potentials per second

Question 21

Dolphins use echolocation to maneuver around objects quickly and precisely to capture prey. Thus, you would expect them to have a larger- than- normal

A) amygdala.
B) limbic system.
C) cerebellum.
D) cerebrum.
E) hypothalamus.

Question 22

Which region of the brain is responsible for the intricate coordination of finger movements involved in playing the piano?

A) Cerebrum
B) Midbrain
C) Pons
D) Cerebellum
E) Hypothalamus

Question 23

Motor neurons

A) carry impulses to the brain.
B) receive stimuli from inside or outside the body.
C) integrate information from many sources.
D) send signals to effector organs.
E) transmit impulses toward the spinal cord.

Question 24

Of the following structures, which can be found in the human peripheral nervous system?

A) Hypothalamus
B) Spinal cord
C) Cerebellum
D) Sensory neurons
E) Cerebrum

Question 25

Which region of the brain controls breathing and heart rate?

A) Thalamus
B) Cerebrum
C) Medulla
D) Hypothalamus
E) Cerebellum

Question 26

Which portion of the brain is responsible for primitive emotions such as fear, rage, and sexual desire?

A) Medulla
B) Reticular formation
C) Thalamus
D) Pons
E) Limbic system

Question 27

Taking a nap after meals is probably a good idea because it allows the body to digest the food as a result of the activities of the nervous system.

A) somatic
B) sympathetic
C) sensory
D) parasympathetic
E) central

Question 28

While walking barefoot along the beach, you step on a shard of glass and reflexively lift your injured foot. Which path did the reflex to lift your foot take?

A) Motor nerve -sensory nerve -spinal cord -brain
B) Sensory nerve -motor nerve -spinal cord -brain
C) Motor nerve -spinal cord -brain -spinal cord -sensory nerve -effector
D) Sensory nerve -spinal cord -motor nerve -effector
E) Sensory nerve -spinal cord -brain -spinal cord -motor nerve -effector

Question 29

Addictive drugs that make people feel good, such as cocaine and methamphetamine, block the uptake of which of the following neurotransmitters in the brain?

A) GABA
B) Nitric oxide
C) Dopamine
D) Acetylcholine
E) Serotonin

Question 30

All sensory information, with the exception of olfaction, must pass though the as it travels to the cerebral cortex.

A) amygdala
B) reticular formation
C) cerebellum
D) thalamus
E) hypothalamus

Question 31

Glutamate is the major excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain. Which drug produces a relaxing effect by blocking the receptors for glutamate?

A) Nicotine
B) Caffeine
C) Cocaine
D) Alcohol
E) Methamphetamine

Question 32

Which of the following does NOT describe the autonomic nervous system?

A) It forms synapses with smooth muscles in blood vessels.
B) It controls voluntary movements.
C) Neurons release norepinephrine or acetylcholine onto their target organ.
D) It is subdivided into sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions.
E) It regulates heart rate.

Question 33

A diffuse nerve net would be found in which of the following animals?

A) Insect
B) Flatworm
C) Jellyfish
D) Human
E) Octopus

Question 34

The coordinates muscle movements of the body.

A) hypothalamus
B) medulla
C) cerebrum
D) cerebellum
E) parietal lobe

Question 35

The autonomic nervous system consists of two parts: the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions. The sympathetic division is responsible for which type of response?

A) Stimulation of digestion
B) Fight- or- flight responses
C) Slowing of the heart rate
D) Constriction of the air passages in the lungs
E) Rest- and- digest responses

Question 36

A functioning would enable you to read a novel while sitting in a noisy restaurant.

A) substantia nigra
B) thalamus
C) cerebrum
D) reticular formation
E) hypothalamus

Question 37

Which of these neurotransmitters, released by neurons of the sympathetic nervous system, helps prepare the body for energetic activity?

A) Norepinephrine
B) Acetylcholine
C) Dopamine
D) Serotonin
E) Endorphin

Question 38

Which of the following is part of the peripheral nervous system?

A) Thalamus
B) Medulla
C) Autonomic nervous system
D) Spinal cord
E) Brain

Question 39

The cell bodies of motor neurons are located

A) in the muscles.
B) in the gray matter of the spinal cord.
C) next to the sensory receptors.
D) outside the spinal cord.
E) in the forebrain.

Question 40

Most brain and spinal cord cells are

A) sensory neurons.
B) motor neurons.
C) interneurons.
D) saltatory neurons.
E) parasympathetic neurons.

Question 41

Sensations of fear, pleasure, and sexual arousal are produced by the

A) amygdala.
B) reticular formation.
C) cerebral cortex.
D) medulla.
E) hypothalamus.

Question 42

The right cerebral hemisphere

A) is logical.
B) is slightly larger than the left cerebral hemisphere.
C) controls movements of the right side of the body.
D) is smaller in women than men.
E) controls movements of the left side of the body.

Question 43

John was attending a party when he suddenly started eating food from some of the other guest's plates and using profane language. John's son promptly rushed his father to the hospital where it was discovered that he had suffered a stroke. Based on John's altered behaviors, which area of the brain was most likely damaged by the stroke?

A) cerebellum
B) Temporal lobe
C) Prefrontal cortex
D) Hypothalamus
E) Corpus callosum

Question 44

People with damage to the hippocampus seem to be unable to remember recent events even though their memory of events before the damage remains intact. This seems to indicate that the hippocampus is involved in

A) recognizing similar events.
B) producing hormones that control the memory neurons of the cerebrum.
C) generating new neurons in the cerebellum.
D) transferring information from short- term memory into long- term memory.
E) retrieving memories.

Question 45

The corpus callosum links the

A) cerebrum and thalamus.
B) forebrain and midbrain.
C) thalamus and hypothalamus.
D) right and left cerebral hemispheres.
E) peripheral and central nervous systems.

Question 46

The left and right hemispheres of the brain are connected through the _, a large band of axons.

A) reticular formation
B) pons
C) medulla
D) corpus callosum
E) hypothalamus

Question 47

You arrive ten minutes late for your final exam and immediately regret stopping for donuts, which feel like a dead weight in your stomach. Your heart is pounding and your palms are sweaty. What part of your nervous system is in control?

A) Sympathetic
B) Parasympathetic
C) Nerve net
D) Somatic
E) Voluntary

Question 48

To survive the winter, some birds, such as the black- capped chickadee, must locate caches of seeds it buries each fall. Which region of the brain allows the birds to remember the exact locations of these stashes?

A) Hypothalamus
B) Amygdala
C) Occipital lobe
D) Hippocampus
E) Frontal lobe

Question 49

Which region of the brain helps regulate body temperature, endocrine activity, and water balance?

A) Thalamus
B) Cerebrum
C) Hypothalamus
D) Cerebellum
E) Medulla

Question 50

Damage to the right frontal cortex may produce paralysis on the side of the body.

A) nondominant
B) dominant
C) right
D) left

Question 51

It is possible that brain damage from a stroke or other injury could leave a person with the ability to comprehend written language but not spoken language (assume the person's hearing is fine). Which statement best explains this?

A) The ability to understand written language is controlled by the left cerebral hemisphere, whereas the ability to understand spoken language is controlled by the right cerebral hemisphere.
B) Different parts of the brain are involved in different aspects of language comprehension.
C) Different cells of the frontal cortex control different aspects of language comprehension.
D) The same region of the brain controls all aspects of language comprehension.

Question 52

The is a cluster of neurons that plays a role in wake- sleep cycles, muscle tone, emotions, and some reflexes.

A) reticular formation
B) medulla
C) hypothalamus
D) pons
E) cerebral cortex

Question 53

Visual information is processed in the

A) temporal lobes.
B) parietal lobes.
C) frontal lobes.
D) occipital lobes.
E) hippocampus.

Question 54

Dendrites release neurotransmitters at synapses.

Question 55

If a patient has a particular memory problem in which he can recall old memories but cannot make new memories, what part of his brain is most likely damaged?

A) Temporal lobes
B) Prefrontal cortex
C) Hippocampus
D) Basal ganglia
E) Thalamus

Question 56

After an accident, a professional musician cannot associate any of the instruments he has played with the sounds they make. What part of his brain is most likely damaged?

A) Primary auditory areas
B) Primary sensory areas
C) Auditory association areas
D) Basal ganglia
E) Sensory association areas

Question 57

Alice's PET (positron emission tomography) scan shows a large red area in the occipital lobe when taken while Alice is looking at color images. Which of the following is TRUE about Alice's PET scan?

A) The occipital lobe was the only area of Alice's brain that was active.
B) The darkest areas of Alice's brain were the most active.
C) This scan proves the old saying that we use only 10% of our brains.
D) The occipital lobe had the highest level of activity.

Question 58

Nerves are groups of axons bundled together.

Question 59

When you hear a loud noise, you immediately turn your head and direct your eyes toward the sound. Which region of the brain directs this reflexive movement of your eyes?

A) Cerebrum
B) Pons
C) Midbrain
D) Hippocampus
E) Hindbrain

Question 60

Sensory information processing as well as the direction of voluntary movements are carried out by the

A) cerebellum.
B) hypothalamus.
C) medulla.
D) cerebrum.
E) amygdala.

Question 61

Smooth muscle responses are controlled by the somatic nervous system.

Question 62

Myelinated axons conduct action potentials more slowly than axons without a myelin covering.

Question 63

The concentrations of ions inside and outside of a neuron are maintained by sodium- chloride (Na+- Cl-) pumps.

Question 64

The peripheral nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord.

Question 65

The integration of excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) received by a postsynaptic neuron determines its activity.

Question 66

A neuron's resting potential is due in large part to the diffusion of K+ ions out of the cell, leaving the negatively charged DNA and proteins inside the cell.

Question 67

The more complex the organism, the more likely it is to have nerve net.

Question 68

Interneurons connect sensory and motor neurons.

Question 69

The more frequently an action potential is triggered by a stimulus, the greater the intensity of the sensation.

Question 70

An influx of calcium ions causes vesicles to fuse with the presynaptic membrane and release neurotransmitter into the synapse.

Question 71

The brain is able to take sensory inputs from many neurons, integrate them, and determine an appropriate response.

Question 72

A good meal and a pleasant evening relaxing in front of the fire trigger the parasympathetic nervous system.

Question 73

At a chemical synapse, the presynaptic and postsynaptic neurons touch and chemicals are exchanged through gap junctions.

Question 74

The stronger the stimulus, the more powerful the action potential.

Question 75

Emotions and the responses to emotions are controlled by the limbic system.

Question 76

The hippocampus is responsible for processing sensory stimuli.

Question 77

As the resting membrane potential of a neuron nears threshold, it becomes harder to stimulate.

Question 78

Sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system responses usually oppose each other.

Question 79

Effectors pick up sensory stimuli.

Question 80

The control centers for breathing, blood pressure, and heart rate are located in the medulla.