Question 1

Which of the following structures is not part of the diencephalon?

Accepted Answer

The arbor vitae is part of the cerebellum, not the diencephalon. The thalamus and pineal gland are both structures within the diencephalon.

Question 2

What part of the brain can produce a hormone?

Accepted Answer

The pineal gland produces melatonin, which helps regulate sleep patterns, and the hypothalamus produces several releasing and inhibiting hormones that regulate the pituitary gland.

Question 3

What structure drains cerebrospinal fluid into the third ventricle?

Accepted Answer

The interventricular foramen (of Monro) connects the lateral ventricles to the third ventricle and allows for the drainage of cerebrospinal fluid from the lateral ventricles. The cerebral aqueduct (of Sylvius) connects the third and fourth ventricles, while the lateral foramina (of Luschka) allow cerebrospinal fluid to exit the fourth ventricle and enter the subarachnoid space. The cisterna magna is a subarachnoid space in the posterior fossa.

Question 4

What structure is the deepest groove in the cerebrum?

Accepted Answer

The deepest groove in the cerebrum is the longitudinal fissure, which separates the two cerebral hemispheres.

Question 5

During your lifetime you are capable of remembering such things as telephone numbers, social security numbers, and song lyrics from many years ago. Your ability to perform these long-term memory tasks is possible because:

Accepted Answer

The ability to perform long-term memory tasks is possible because of repeated impulse conduction over a given neuronal circuit, which produces synaptic changes that facilitate impulse transmission at the synapse. This process is known as long-term potentiation and is the basis of the formation of long-term memories. The other options are not relevant to long-term memory tasks.

Question 6

Which statement explains how the lack of dopamine physiologically affects those individuals suffering from Parkinson disease?

Accepted Answer

In Parkinson's disease, the lack of dopamine leads to an imbalance in the neurotransmitter system of the brain. Dopamine normally acts to inhibit the excitatory effects of acetylcholine. Without sufficient dopamine, acetylcholine's excitatory effects are unchecked, leading to overstimulation of postural muscles, which contributes to the symptoms of Parkinson's disease.

Question 7

The distinction between the reticulospinal and rubrospinal tracts of the spinal cord is that the rubrospinal tract coordinates:

Accepted Answer

The rubrospinal tract coordinates body movement and posture, while the reticulospinal tract mainly maintains posture during movement.

Question 8

The dentate nuclei are an important pair of nuclei in which part of the central nervous system?

Accepted Answer

The dentate nuclei are an important pair of nuclei located in the cerebellum.

Question 9

Since her fall several weeks ago, Juanita has drifted into and out of consciousness. Her arousal and/or alerting mechanisms apparently are not functioning properly. What specific area of the brain is most likely responsible for these factors?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Since her fall several weeks ago, Juanita...

Question 10

The olive is found in what part of the brain?

Accepted Answer

The answer of The olive is found in what part...

Question 11

Secondary sensory neurons conduct impulses from the spinal cord or brainstem to the:

Accepted Answer

Secondary sensory neurons conduct impulses from the spinal cord or brainstem to the thalamus. The thalamus is a relay station in the brain that processes and relays sensory information to various parts of the brain, including the parietal lobe of the cerebrum where it is further processed and interpreted. The hypothalamus and cerebellum are not directly involved in processing sensory information from secondary sensory neurons.

Question 12

Which of the following is an incorrect statement about the midbrain?

Accepted Answer

All of the statements about the midbrain are correct. The midbrain is divided into two main regions: the tectum and the tegmentum. The tectum contains the superior and inferior colliculi, which are involved in visual and auditory processing, respectively. The tegmentum contains the red nucleus and substantia nigra, which are involved in motor control, and also contains other important structures such as the periaqueductal gray and the reticular formation.

Question 13

What structure drains cerebrospinal fluid into the fourth ventricle?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What structure drains cerebrospinal fluid into the...

Question 14

William was recently involved in a serious automobile accident. As a result, he has had difficulty controlling his skeletal muscles and maintaining his balance. What part of the nervous system was most likely damaged?

Accepted Answer

The cerebellum is responsible for coordinating movements, maintaining balance, and motor learning. Damage to this region of the brain can lead to difficulties in controlling skeletal muscles and balance, as described in William's situation. The cerebral cortex is important for many higher cognitive processes, but is not directly involved in movement control or balance. Damage to the myelin sheath of peripheral neurons would affect the transmission of nerve impulses, but would not specifically affect the cerebellum or movement control. The pineal gland is involved in the regulation of circadian rhythms and melatonin secretion, but is not relevant to movement control or balance.

Question 15

Which of the following is not a true statement about the cerebellum?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which of the following is not a...

Question 16

The corpora quadrigemina is a landmark of which part of the central nervous system?

Accepted Answer

The corpora quadrigemina, also known as the tectum, is a landmark of the midbrain. It consists of four small structures involved in visual and auditory reflexes.

Question 17

What lobe of the cerebrum cannot be seen in an exterior view?

Accepted Answer

The insula lobe is located deep within the lateral sulcus and cannot be seen in an exterior view of the brain.

Question 18

When someone close to you dies, you feel a sense of sorrow among other emotions. Your ability to experience emotions is the result of the:

Accepted Answer

The limbic system plays a crucial role in processing emotions, including sadness and grief. It includes the amygdala, hippocampus, and other structures that are responsible for regulating emotions and memories. The other brain regions listed (caudate nucleus, pineal gland, and reticular activating system) are not directly involved in emotion processing.

Question 19

The spinal cord ends at vertebra L1 in a narrowed area called the:

Accepted Answer

The conus medullaris is the tapered end of the spinal cord, located at the level of L1, where the spinal nerves continue downward as the cauda equina. The filum terminale and funiculi terminale are both components of the cauda equina.

Question 20

Which groove is between the frontal and parietal lobes?

Accepted Answer

The central sulcus is a prominent groove that separates the frontal and parietal lobes of the brain. The lateral fissure (also known as the Sylvian fissure) is a major groove that separates the temporal lobe from the frontal and parietal lobes. The longitudinal fissure is a deep groove that separates the left and right hemispheres of the brain.

Quiz 20: Central Nervous System