Deck 2: Structure and Function of the Nervous System

Question 1

Neurons responsible for converting environmental stimuli into neural signals are known as

A) sensory neurons.
B) interneurons.
C) motor neurons.
D) pyramidal cells.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Neurons can be categorized by all of the following except by

A) which neurotransmitters they release.
B) their function (e.g., sensory versus motor).
C) the size of the action potentials they generate.
D) their morphology.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Neurons rely on _______ for protection, metabolic support, and insulation.

A) mitochondria
B) glial cells
C) axoplasm
D) dendritic spines

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The _______ of the neuronal cell is/are found in the soma, while the _______ may be found throughout the cell.

A) mitochondria; dendrites
B) dendrites; axon
C) nucleus; mitochondria
D) nucleus; dendrites

Question 5

Neurons exchange information primarily via

A) somas.
B) dendrites.
C) axons.
D) axon collaterals.

Question 6

Dendritic spines serve to

A) increase the surface area of the dendrite.
B) insulate the axons.
C) insulate the dendrites.
D) protect the dendrites from degrading enzymes in the extracellular fluid.

Question 7

The function of the axon is to transmit the _______, generated at the _______, to the terminals.

A) axoplasm; soma
B) action potential; axon hillock
C) action potential; dendrites
D) synaptic vesicles; axon hillock

Question 8

In a myelinated axon, action potentials are regenerated

A) at the terminal buttons.
B) all along the axon.
C) at gaps in the myelin known as nodes of Ranvier.
D) at the axon hillock.

Question 9

Which statement about the myelin sheath is false?

A) It is produced by glial cells.
B) It increases the speed of signal conduction along the axon.
C) It saves energy.
D) It is found on all neurons.

Question 10

With regard to glial cells, _______ form the myelin sheath in the CNS, while _______ help maintain the ionic and chemical environment.

A) Schwann cells; astrocytes
B) oligodendroglia; astrocytes
C) oligodendroglia; microglia
D) Schwann cells; microglia

Question 11

Epigenetic changes affect gene expression by _______ and by _______.

A) blocking translation; DNA methylation
B) breaking down chromatin; blocking transcription
C) DNA methylation; chromatin remodeling
D) remodeling transcription factors; blocking translation

Question 12

Axonal transport of proteins occurs along a track formed by

A) microtubules.
B) neurofilaments.
C) anterograde cytoskeleton.
D) retrograde cytoskeleton.

Question 13

Neuronal cell membranes are associated with all of the following proteins except

A) transporters.
B) ion channels.
C) microtubules.
D) enzymes.

Question 14

Many ion channels are not normally open but must be gated or opened by some event. Which of the following is not a typical means by which ion channels open?

A) Binding of neurotransmitter to external binding site
B) Change in voltage across the membrane
C) Phosphorylation by an intracellular second messenger
D) Enzymatic reactions

Question 15

The primary immune response in the CNS comes from the action of

A) microglia.
B) astrocytes.
C) white blood cells.
D) oligodendroglia.

Question 16

Mitochondria are responsible for generating _______ for the cell in the form of _______.

A) energy; ATP
B) energy; glucose
C) cytoplasm; ATP
D) cytoplasm; glucose

Question 17

_______ are long strands of DNA divided into smaller portions called _______, which code for specific proteins.

A) Chromosomes; genes
B) Genes; chromosomes
C) Transcription factors; genes
D) Genes; ribosomes

Question 18

Which statement about the process of transcription is true?

A) It is driven by ribosomes.
B) It occurs in the cytoplasm.
C) The nucleotide sequence of DNA is replicated by mRNA.
D) It results in the production of proteins.

Question 19

Proteins, such as receptors and enzymes, are synthesized in the cytoplasm of the soma in a process called

A) translation.
B) regulation.
C) transcription.
D) transport.

Question 20

Which of the following most accurately describes the steps involved in protein synthesis?

A) Transcription factors activate promoter region → translation by ribosomes → transcription by mRNA
B) Transcription factors activate promoter region → transcription by mRNA → translation by ribosomes
C) Translation by ribosomes → transcription factors activate promoter region → transcription by mRNA
D) Transcription by mRNA → transcription factors activate promoter region → translation by ribosomes

Question 21

Within the exterior and interior of an individual neuron, there is a(n) _______ charge, called the _______ membrane potential.

A) chemical; action
B) electrical; action
C) electrical; resting
D) chemical; resting

Question 22

The _______ is best described as a result of the selective permeability of the neuronal membrane and the uneven distribution of ions inside and outside the cell.

A) action potential
B) threshold
C) local potential
D) resting membrane potential

Question 23

The Na⁺-K⁺ pump helps to maintain the _______ by pumping three Na⁺ ions in for every two K⁺ ions pumped out of the cell.

A) action potential
B) resting membrane potential
C) threshold
D) local potential

Question 24

At the equilibrium potential for potassium, the two forces acting on ions are in balance. These forces are the _______ and the _______.

A) Na⁺-K⁺ pump; threshold
B) Na⁺-K⁺ pump; electrostatic pressure
C) concentration gradient; action potential
D) concentration gradient; electrostatic pressure

Question 25

The term "hyperpolarization" refers to

A) an excitatory postsynaptic potential.
B) the opening of sodium channels.
C) movement of the resting membrane potential closer to threshold.
D) movement of the resting membrane potential farther from threshold.

Question 26

Excitatory postsynaptic potentials are caused by _______ channels opening, while inhibitory postsynaptic potentials are caused by _______ channels opening.

A) Na⁺; Cl^- or K⁺
B) K⁺; Cl^- or Na⁺
C) Ca²⁺; K⁺ or Cl^-
D) Cl^-; K⁺ or Ca²⁺

Question 27

Action potentials are first generated at the axon hillock because this is where _______ are located.

A) non-gated K⁺ channels
B) voltage-gated Na⁺ channels
C) transporters
D) Na⁺-K⁺ pumps

Question 28

Which statement about local potentials is false?

A) They are generated on the dendrites and cell body.
B) They occur only if threshold is reached.
C) They move passively along the membrane.
D) They are integrated at the axon hillock.

Question 29

Summation of local potentials can lead to a(n) _______ at the axon hillock if the _______ is reached.

A) equilibrium potential; threshold
B) local potential; equilibrium potential
C) action potential; equilibrium potential
D) action potential; threshold

Question 30

During the _______ period, no additional action potentials can be created.

A) absolute refractory
B) conduction
C) integration
D) relative refractory

Question 31

The absolute refractory period occurs because _______ channels cannot be opened, and the relative refractory period occurs because _______.

A) voltage-gated Na⁺; voltage-gated K⁺ channels cannot be opened
B) voltage-gated K⁺; voltage-gated Na⁺ channels remain open
C) voltage-gated Na⁺; voltage-gated K⁺ channels remain open
D) voltage-gated Na⁺; Na⁺-K⁺ pumps are activated

Question 32

Which statement about action potentials is false?

A) They are considered all-or-none.
B) Extreme excitation will result in a very large action potential.
C) They can move via saltatory conduction in myelinated axons.
D) They are generated at the axon hillock.

Question 33

Local anesthetics, such as lidocaine, have their effects by

A) blocking the Na⁺-K⁺ pump.
B) preventing the generation of EPSPs and IPSPs.
C) blocking voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channels.
D) blocking voltage-gated Na⁺ channels.

Question 34

A person eats a meal that includes mussels. Soon after eating the person experiences trouble breathing. This person most likely ingested saxitoxin, which has its effect by _______ channels.

A) blocking voltage-gated Na⁺
B) opening voltage-gated Na⁺
C) blocking voltage-gated Cl^-
D) blocking voltage-gated Cl^-

Question 35

The _______ and _______ nervous system are components of the peripheral nervous system and relay information about the internal and external environment, respectively.

A) cranial nerves; somatic
B) autonomic nervous system; sympathetic
C) sympathetic nervous system; parasympathetic
D) autonomic nervous system; somatic

Question 36

Which of the following is not part of the peripheral nervous system?

A) Sympathetic nervous system
B) Parasympathetic nervous system
C) Spinal cord
D) Cranial nerves

Question 37

What kind of information is carried by the ventral horn of the spinal cord?

A) Sensory information from muscles and skin
B) Proprioceptive information from joints and muscles
C) Motor information for voluntary movements
D) Motor and sensory information

Question 38

The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for _______ functions and uses _______ as its neurotransmitter(s).

A) energy conservation; acetylcholine only
B) energy conservation; acetylcholine and norepinephrine
C) fight-or-flight; acetylcholine only
D) fight-or-flight; acetylcholine and norepinephrine

Question 39

The tissue layers that lie just below the bones of the spinal cord and brain and that aid in protecting them are called the

A) pons.
B) substantia nigra.
C) cerebellar peduncles.
D) meninges.

Question 40

The _______ of the spinal cord is made up of myelinated axons that carry signals in the ascending direction, to the brain, and the descending direction, for cortical control of muscle contraction.

A) dura mater
B) white matter
C) gray matter
D) arachnoid

Question 41

The neural network that regulates motivation and emotion is the

A) limbic system.
B) medulla.
C) thalamus.
D) hypothalamus.

Question 42

Nuclei located in the _______ are responsible for the contraction and dilation of the pupil of the eye.

A) metencephalon
B) telencephalon
C) mesencephalon
D) diencephalon

Question 43

You are about to cross a busy city street in with lots of traffic and other distractions. Which brain areas help you to focus on important stimuli (oncoming traffic) and disregard unimportant stimuli (e.g., sounds of construction in the distance)?

A) The dorsal and median raphe nuclei
B) The limbic system and cingulate
C) The white matter, with inputs from myelinated axons
D) The thalamus, with inputs to the cortex

Question 44

Clusters of cell bodies in the CNS are called _______, and their associated bundles of axons are called _______.

A) nuclei; tracts
B) ganglia; tracts
C) nuclei; nerves
D) ganglia; nerves

Question 45

Which brain structure regulates the body's respiration and heart rate?

A) Thalamus
B) Medulla
C) Corpus callosum
D) Cerebellum

Question 46

Which statement about the visual field is true?

A) The left half of the visual field of each eye goes to the right occipital lobe and the right half of the visual field of each eye goes to the left occipital lobe.
B) The right half of the visual field of each eye goes to the right occipital lobe and the left half of the visual field of each eye goes to the left occipital lobe.
C) The left half of the visual field of each eye goes to both occipital lobes and the right half of the visual field of each eye goes to only the right occipital lobe.
D) The left half of the visual field of each eye goes to the right occipital lobe and the right half of the visual field of each eye goes to both occipital lobes.

Question 47

A _______ section of the brain is cut parallel to the face.

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

Question 48

A toxic plant that is frequently used as a recreational drug by teenagers is _______, which produces a(n) _______ effect on the parasympathetic nervous system.

A) elderberry; anticholinergic
B) elderberry; cholinergic
C) jimsonweed; anticholinergic
D) jimsonweed; cholinergic

Question 49

Name four types of glial cells and provide at least one function of each type.

Question 50

Write a coherent and informative paragraph using the following terms: transcription factor, promoter region, transcription, translation.

Question 51

Briefly describe the role of chromatin remodeling in the epigenetic modification of gene expression.

Question 52

How are local potentials and action potentials similar, and how are they different?

Question 53

Give a detailed, step-by-step description of the stages of an action potential, including a description of and explanation for the refractory periods.

Question 54

Compare and contrast the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system.

Question 55

Discuss the anatomical differences between the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions of the autonomic nervous system, including their points of origin in the central nervous system.

Question 56

Describe the HPA axis and the neuroendocrine stress response, including the idea of negative feedback.

Question 57

Name and briefly describe the functions of the four lobes of the cerebral cortex.