Deck 15: Sensory Pathways and the Somatic Nervous System

Question 1

Peripheral adaptation ________ the number of action potentials that reach the CNS.

A) decreases
B) increases
C) stabilizes
D) neutralizes
E) amplifies

Answer 1

A

Question 2

General sense receptors are typically the

A) dendrites of motor neurons.
B) dendrites of sensory neurons.
C) axons of motor neurons.
D) axons of sensory neurons.
E) cell bodies of sensory neurons.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Action potentials from receptors involved in general sensations are interpreted in the

A) premotor cortex.
B) primary sensory cortex.
C) general interpretive area.
D) mesencephalon.
E) reticular activating system.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Which of the following statements is true about general senses?

A) They are distributed all over the body.
B) They are all mechanoreceptors.
C) All receptors involved in general sensation consist of free nerve endings.
D) They are located in sense organs.
E) The reception of the stimulus occurs slowly with these receptors.

Question 5

The general senses

A) involve receptors that are relatively simple in structure.
B) are located in specialized structures called sense organs.
C) are localized to specific areas of the body.
D) cannot generate action potentials.
E) include taste and smell.

Question 6

The ________ nervous system carries impulses to skeletal muscles.

A) somatic
B) sympathetic
C) parasympathetic
D) afferent
E) autonomic

Question 7

The sensory receptors, neurons and pathways make up the ________ division of the nervous system.

A) voluntary
B) efferent
C) afferent
D) involuntary
E) somatic

Question 8

The heart muscle is a ________ effector.

A) somatic
B) sympathetic
C) visceral
D) afferent
E) higher-order

Question 9

Which is an example of a slow-adapting receptor?

A) phasic
B) touch
C) smell
D) temperature
E) pain

Question 10

Gustatory receptors are sensitive to dissolved chemicals but insensitive to light. This is due to

A) receptor specificity.
B) accessory cells.
C) the fact that they are interoceptors.
D) receptor potentials.
E) receptor speciation.

Question 11

All of the following can contribute to receptor specificity except

A) the structure of the receptor cell.
B) characteristics of the receptor cell membrane.
C) accessory cells that function with the receptor.
D) accessory structures and tissues that shield the receptors from other stimuli.
E) the metabolism of the receptor cell.

Question 12

Sensory encoding of the perceived location of a stimulus depends on

A) the frequency of action potentials.
B) which labeled line is active.
C) the specific location of the cortical neuron that is stimulated.
D) the specific sensitivity of the peripheral receptor.
E) the number of receptors stimulated.

Question 13

A receptor potential may cause all of the following responses except

A) increase neurotransmitter release.
B) decrease neurotransmitter release.
C) cause hyperpolarization.
D) cause depolarization.
E) turning off the original stimulus.

Question 14

The conversion of the stimulus into an action potential to be interpreted by the brain is called

A) transformation.
B) transduction.
C) translation.
D) transcription.
E) transpotential.

Question 15

Your brain is not constantly bombarded with signals telling it that you are wearing socks. This is becausethe touch receptors around your ankle are

A) tonic receptors.
B) tonic receptors and slow-adapting.
C) phasic receptors and slow-adapting.
D) phasic receptors and fast-adapting.
E) nociceptors.

Question 16

Central adaptation refers to

A) the decline in activity of peripheral receptors when stimulated.
B) a characteristic of phasic receptors.
C) inhibition of nuclei located along a sensory pathway.
D) increases in conscious perception of a sensory stimulus.
E) a change in motor receptivity of a neuron.

Question 17

Sensory information from all parts of the body is routed to

A) the prefrontal cortex.
B) the cerebellum.
C) the primary motor cortex.
D) the somatosensory cortex.
E) Broca's area.

Question 18

The term general senses refers to sensitivity to all of the following, except

A) temperature.
B) taste.
C) touch.
D) vibration.
E) pain.

Question 19

Using the two-point discrimination test you can fairly accurately determine whether you have been touchedwith one point or two because of the density of the

A) effectors.
B) perception.
C) labeled line.
D) receptor fields.
E) action potential.

Question 20

In order for a sensation to become a perception,

A) it must be received by the somatosensory cortex.
B) the individual must vocalize about it.
C) it must arrive over fast-conducting nerve fibers.
D) the other senses must be silent.
E) it must be received by the pulvinar nucleus of the thalamus.

Question 21

Which of the following is/are sometimes called "prickling pain"?

A) mechanical damage
B) proprioception
C) extremes of temperature
D) fast pain
E) fast and slow pain

Question 22

Endorphins can reduce perception of sensations initiated by

A) nociceptors.
B) mechanoreceptors.
C) thermoreceptors.
D) chemoreceptors.
E) proprioceptors.

Question 23

The link between peripheral receptor and cortical neuron is called a(n)

A) efferent pathway.
B) spinocortical line.
C) sympathetic chain.
D) adaptation pathway.
E) labeled line.

Question 24

Mechanoreceptors that respond to changes in blood pressure are called

A) nociceptors.
B) baroreceptors.
C) chemoreceptors.
D) proprioceptors.
E) thermoreceptors.

Question 25

A reduction in sensitivity in the presence of a constant stimulus is referred to as

A) transduction.
B) adaptation.
C) negation.
D) exhaustion.
E) transformation.

Question 26

Tactile receptors located in the reticular dermis that are tonic and show little if any adaptation are called

A) Bulbous corpuscles.
B) lamellar corpuscles.
C) tactile (Meissner) corpuscles.
D) tactile discs.
E) root hair plexuses.

Question 27

All of the following are true of fast pain sensations except that they

A) are carried by type A fibers.
B) reach the CNS quickly.
C) are interpreted by the pre-frontal cortex.
D) receive conscious attention.
E) often trigger somatic reflexes.

Question 28

Receptors that monitor the position of joints belong to the category called

A) nociceptors.
B) chemoreceptors.
C) baroreceptors.
D) proprioceptors.
E) thermoreceptors.

Question 29

A ________ potential is a depolarization of a sensory dendrite that can lead to an afferent nerve impulse if strong enough.

A) resting
B) refractory
C) postsynaptic
D) generator
E) presynaptic

Question 30

The conversion of a sensory input to a change in membrane potential in the receptor is known as

A) transduction.
B) reception.
C) effection.
D) potential.
E) stimulation.

Question 31

Chemoreceptors of the general senses do not send information to the primary sensory cortex but instead sendinformation to the ________ to control autonomic function.

A) cerebellum
B) cerebrum
C) brain stem
D) spinal cord
E) corpus callosum

Question 32

Free nerve endings detect which stimulus/stimuli?

A) chemical
B) temperature, pain, stretch and touch
C) pain only
D) stretch
E) deep pressure

Question 33

A mechanoreceptor in the papillary layer of the dermis that responds to fine touch is a

A) tactile (Merkel) disc.
B) root hair plexus.
C) free nerve ending.
D) Bulbous corpuscle.
E) tactile (Meissner) corpuscle.

Question 34

You cannot tell when your small intestines shift position as food enters because you do not have any ________ there.

A) chemoreceptors
B) nociceptors
C) proprioceptors
D) thermoreceptors
E) photoreceptors

Question 35

Sensory neurons that are always active are called ________ receptors.

A) tonic
B) static
C) phasic
D) isometric
E) isotonic

Question 36

A tactile receptor composed of highly coiled dendrites that are surrounded by modified Schwann cells andafibrous capsule is a

A) lamellar corpuscle.
B) Bulbous corpuscle.
C) tactile (Meissner) corpuscle.
D) tactile (Merkel) disc.
E) root hair plexus.

Question 37

Sensory neurons that adapt quickly are called ________ receptors.

A) phasic
B) tonic
C) intracellular
D) chemical-channel
E) opioid

Question 38

A receptor that contains many mechanically-gated ion channels would function best as a

A) tactile receptor.
B) chemoreceptor.
C) photoceptor.
D) thermoreceptor.
E) light receptor.

Question 39

Receptors in your stomach that determine when food enters because the pH changes would be classified as

A) mechanoreceptors.
B) nociceptors.
C) proprioceptors.
D) baroreceptors.
E) chemoreceptors.

Question 40

Two types of receptors that are least likely to adapt are the

A) proprioceptors and nociceptors.
B) free nerve endings and the root hair plexus.
C) tactile discs and the free nerve endings.
D) lamellar corpuscles and baroreceptors.
E) chemoreceptors and baroreceptors.

Question 41

Activity of neurons in the spinothalamic pathway may still send signals even if the first order sensoryreceptor does not receive a signal such as in amputation. This situation might cause

A) referred pain.
B) phantom limb pain.
C) pain adaptation.
D) paresthesia.
E) anesthesia.

Question 42

The spinal tract that relays information concerning pain and temperature to the CNS is the

A) gracile fasciculus.
B) cuneate fasciculus.
C) posterior spinocerebellar.
D) lateral spinothalamic.
E) anterior spinothalamic.

Question 43

A sensory receptor characterized peripherally as a free nerve ending which centrally uses glutamate and/orsubstance P as neurotransmitters would most likely be a

A) chemoreceptor.
B) mechanoreceptor.
C) thermoreceptor.
D) nociceptor.
E) free receptor.

Question 44

Which ascending tract carries the sensations for fine touch and vibration?

A) corticobulbar
B) corticospinal
C) posterior (dorsal) column
D) spinothalamic
E) spinocerebellar

Question 45

Why is it that one cannot identify the location of internal organs, although joints and bone location can be identified?

A) The internal organs have no proprioceptors like joints, bones, and muscles.
B) Internal organs have no pain receptors.
C) Although internal organs have some receptors, the information is not interpreted by the brain.
D) Internal organs have no receptors of any kind.
E) Sensory information from internal organs is processed by a different part of the brain than the joints, bones, and muscles.

Question 46

Your uncle was just diagnosed with a heart attack. One of his major symptoms is left arm pain. You are notsurprised because you are familiar with the phenomenon of ________ pain.

A) referred
B) phantom
C) psychosomatic
D) somatic
E) neurogenic

Question 47

For the last few weeks, you have had an odd sensation on your upper thigh. When you touch the naked skin, it feels very strange, like you are touching your skin through layers of cloth. The surrounding area feels normal. Your doctor thinks that this may be related to spinal nerve damage related to a herniated disc. The doctor calls this change in sensation

A) paresthesia.
B) anesthesia.
C) hypesthesia.
D) synesthesia.
E) kinesthesia.

Question 48

Which of the following is true of all the sensory pathways?

A) They all have third-order neurons.
B) They all synapse in the thalamus.
C) They all synapse in the cerebellum.
D) They all enter through dorsal roots.
E) Axons in each pathway decussate.

Question 49

Bladder fullness is to ________ as blood pH is to ________.

A) nociceptors; thermoreceptors
B) baroreceptors; chemoreceptors
C) baroreceptors; nociceptors
D) chemoreceptors; nociceptors
E) baroreceptors; thermoreceptors

Question 50

Which of the following is a property of thermoreceptors?

A) involves specialized receptors
B) monitor heat stimuli, not cold
C) found in skin only
D) project to reticular formation
E) cold receptors are less numerous than warm receptors

Question 51

A very large, fast-adapting tactile receptor that is composed of a single dendrite enclosed by concentric layers of collagen is a

A) Bulbous corpuscle.
B) lamellar (Pacinian) corpuscle.
C) tactile (Meissner) corpuscle.
D) tactile (Merkel) disc.
E) root hair plexus.

Question 52

A highly sensitive tactile receptor composed of dendritic processes of a single myelinated fiber that makescontact with specialized cells of the stratum basale is a

A) lamellar corpuscle.
B) tactile (Meissner) corpuscle.
C) Bulbous corpuscle.
D) tactile (Merkel) disc.
E) root hair plexus.

Question 53

All of the following pathways require third-order neurons synapsing in the thalamus except

A) the lateral spinothalamic tract.
B) the anterior spinothalamic tract.
C) the anterior and posterior spinocerebellar tracts.
D) the gracile fasciculus.
E) the cuneate fasciculus.

Question 54

If a friend is talking about someone she knows who lost his special senses, you would correct her when youhear her mention ________ because it is not a special sense.

A) smell
B) sight
C) balance
D) cold
E) hearing

Question 55

Chemoreceptors are located in all of the following except

A) carotid bodies.
B) aortic bodies.
C) the skin.
D) the organs of taste.
E) the organs of smell.

Question 56

Pain is to ________ as cold is to ________.

A) nociceptors; thermoreceptors
B) baroreceptors; chemoreceptors
C) baroreceptors; nociceptors
D) chemoreceptors; nociceptors
E) baroreceptors; thermoreceptors

Question 57

Sensations of burning or aching pain

A) are carried by type A fibers.
B) reach the CNS quickly.
C) cause a generalized activation of the reticular formation and the thalamus.
D) are well localized.
E) are fast adapting.

Question 58

________ are receptors in the aorta that monitor the blood pressure.

A) Chemoreceptors
B) Nociceptors
C) Baroreceptors
D) Proprioceptors
E) Hair cells

Question 59

We are constantly bombarded by a variety of stimuli inside and outside of our bodies. Why are we not overwhelmed by sensory information?

A) We do not have receptors for most stimuli.
B) Stimuli are blocked from the receptors by our immune systems.
C) Most stimuli are external to our bodies and we have very few exteroceptors on the outside of the body.
D) A particular receptor type can have different sensitivities to different stimuli.
E) A very tiny percentage of incoming sensory information is received by the cerebral cortex.

Question 60

Sensory neurons synapse in the CNS with an interneuron known as a

A) first-order neuron.
B) second-order neuron.
C) third-order neuron.
D) motor neuron.
E) efferent neuron.

Question 61

Which of the following is a progressive, degenerative disorder that affects upper and lower motor neurons causing skeletal muscle atrophy?

A) cerebral palsy
B) stroke
C) paralysis
D) amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
E) multiple sclerosis

Question 62

Thalamic neurons that project to the primary sensory cortex are ________ neurons.

A) receptor
B) first-order
C) second-order
D) third-order
E) fourth-order

Question 63

Figure 15-1 Spinothalamic Tracts
Use Figure 15-1 to answer the following questions:
Where in the spinal cord is the structure labeled "2" located?

A) anterior gray horns
B) dorsal root ganglion
C) anterior white column
D) anterior median fissure
E) posterior white column

Question 64

Figure 15-1 Spinothalamic Tracts
Use Figure 15-1 to answer the following questions:
Identify the structure labeled "5."

A) thalamus
B) cerebral cortex
C) primary motor cortex
D) primary sensory cortex
E) autonomic ganglion

Question 65

Each of the following is an ascending tract in the spinal cord except the

A) gracile fasciculus.
B) cuneate fasciculus.
C) posterior spinocerebellar.
D) reticulospinal tract.
E) anterior spinothalamic.

Question 66

Which neuron delivers sensations to the CNS?

A) first-order
B) second-order
C) third-order
D) fourth-order
E) sensory receptor

Question 67

Figure 15-1 Spinothalamic Tracts
Use Figure 15-1 to answer the following questions:
Identify the type of information that travels along the structure labeled "2."

A) motor commands to skeletal muscles
B) proprioception to the cerebral cortex
C) fine touch to the cerebral cortex
D) crude touch and pressure sensations
E) visceral motor commands to smooth muscle

Question 68

The spinal tract that relays information concerning crude touch and pressure to the CNS is the

A) gracile fasciculus.
B) cuneate fasciculus.
C) posterior spinocerebellar.
D) lateral spinothalamic.
E) anterior spinothalamic.

Question 69

Figure 15-1 Spinothalamic Tracts
Use Figure 15-1 to answer the following questions:
Identify the neuron labeled "1."

A) lower motor neuron
B) upper motor neuron
C) first-order neuron
D) second-order neuron
E) ganglionic neuron

Question 70

Figure 15-1 Spinothalamic Tracts
Use Figure 15-1 to answer the following questions:
Which structure conducts action potentials directly from a sensory receptor?

A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 5
E) 7

Question 71

Figure 15-1 Spinothalamic Tracts
Use Figure 15-1 to answer the following questions:
Identify the axon labeled "3."

A) axon of a lower motor neuron
B) axon of a upper motor neuron
C) axon of a first-order neuron
D) axon of a second-order neuron
E) axon of a ganglionic neuron

Question 72

What loss would result from cutting through the medial lemniscus on the right side?

A) loss of pain sensation on the left side of the body
B) loss of pain sensation on the right side of the body
C) loss of fine touch sensation on the left side of the body
D) loss of fine touch sensation on the right side of the body
E) complete hemiplegia (paralysis) on the left side of the body

Question 73

Figure 15-1 Spinothalamic Tracts
Use Figure 15-1 to answer the following questions:
The third-order neuron in this pathway synapses in what structure labeled "7"?

A) cerebellum
B) thalamus
C) primary sensory cortex
D) pons
E) medulla oblongata

Question 74

In the spinothalamic pathway, the sensory neuron that synapses with a neuron in the cerebral cortex is called the ________ neuron.

A) first-order
B) second-order
C) third-order
D) fourth-order
E) receptive

Question 75

The sense of proprioception passes along the ________ pathway.

A) rubriocerebellar
B) corticospinal
C) spinocerebellar
D) decussation pathways
E) ganglion

Question 76

In motor pathways, the only portion of the pathway that is outside of the CNS is the

A) lower motor neuron.
B) upper motor neuron.
C) axon of the lower motor neuron.
D) axon of the upper motor neuron.
E) interneuron.

Question 77

Stimulation of a neuron that terminates in the superior region of the left postcentral gyrus would produce

A) a sensation in the right leg.
B) a sensation in the lips.
C) a muscle twitch in the right leg.
D) a muscle twitch in the lips.
E) both sensations and muscle twitches in the right leg.

Question 78

We can localize sensations that originate in different areas of the body because

A) sensory neurons carry only one modality.
B) sensory neurons from specific body regions project to specific cortical regions.
C) incoming sensory information is first processed by the thalamus.
D) different types of sensory receptors produce action potentials of different sizes and shapes.
E) of the many types of tactile receptors.

Question 79

Ascending tracts in the spinal cord relay ________ information.

A) sensory
B) motor
C) sensory and motor
D) only somatic
E) autonomic

Question 80

The afferent neuron that carries the sensation and enters the CNS is a ________ neuron.

A) receptor
B) first-order
C) second-order
D) third-order
E) fourth-order