Deck 38: The Nervous System

Question 1

What happens when a neuron reaches the threshold for an action potential?

A)Sodium channels are closed.
B)Potassium diffuses out of the cell.
C)Sodium channels open.
D)The plasma membrane is impermeable.
E)The sodium-potassium pump is turned on.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The repolarization (i.e., the return of the membrane potential from +60 to -70 mV)of the nerve during an action potential is due mostly to the movement of ________ ions.

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

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The place where a neuron communicates with a muscle fiber, a gland, or another neuron is called the:

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

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The central nervous system interprets signal frequency as:

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

Question 5

The primary neurotransmitter between the nervous system and skeletal muscles is:

A)nitric oxide.
B)GABA.
C)serotonin.
D)acetylcholine.
E)dopamine.

Question 6

Myelin speeds the conduction of impulses along a nerve by:

A)lowering the threshold levels.
B)allowing the action potential to "jump" over sections of the axon.
C)improving synaptic transmission.
D)reducing the action potential.
E)increasing the resting membrane potential.

Question 7

Which stimulus would the body perceive as the strongest?

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

Question 8

When an action potential reaches a portion of the membrane, ________ suddenly open.

A)potassium channels
B)sodium channels
C)sodium-potassium pumps
D)nitrogen channels
E)carbon channels

Question 9

In a nerve cell at its resting potential, ________ are closed.

A)potassium channels
B)sodium channels
C)sodium-potassium pumps
D)all channels
E)no channels

Question 10

Electrical signals are transmitted to the synaptic terminals along the:

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

Question 11

Axons:

A)form the gray matter of the brain and spinal cord.
B)carry an action potential in the direction of a synapse.
C)act independently of the cell body.
D)have neurotransmitter receptors.
E)decide whether to transmit an action potential.

Question 12

Which of the following is the path a nerve impulse travels within a single neuron?

A)synaptic terminal → cell body → axon → dendrite
B)cell body → dendrite → axon → synaptic terminal
C)synaptic terminal → axon → cell body → dendrite
D)dendrite → cell body → axon → synaptic terminal
E)synaptic terminal → dendrite → axon → cell body

Question 13

Caffeine lowers the threshold for an action potential. That means your nerves:

A)are easier to stimulate with caffeine.
B)are uncoordinated with caffeine.
C)are harder than normal to stimulate with caffeine.
D)are unaffected by caffeine.
E)cannot be stimulated at all with caffeine.

Question 14

The sodium-potassium pump pumps:

A)both sodium and potassium out of the cell.
B)both sodium and potassium into the cell.
C)ATP using sodium and potassium.
D)sodium into and potassium out of the cell.
E)potassium into and sodium out of the cell.

Question 15

The resting potential of neurons is between ________ millivolts.

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

Question 16

Which neurotransmitter is important in forming memories?

A)nitric oxide
B)GABA
C)serotonin
D)acetylcholine
E)dopamine

Question 17

In neurons, the ________ concentration is higher inside the cell than outside.

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

Question 18

Which portion of the neuron typically receives information?

A)synaptic terminal
B)cell body
C)axon
D)dendrite
E)glia

Question 19

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

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

Question 20

Which neurotransmitter is linked to mood and sleep?

A)nitric oxide
B)GABA
C)serotonin
D)acetylcholine
E)dopamine

Question 21

The complex motor patterns necessary for flight in birds are stored in the:

A)hypothalamus.
B)midbrain.
C)cerebellum.
D)cerebrum.
E)pons.

Question 22

Nerve nets are found in:

A)jellyfish.
B)invertebrates.
C)humans.
D)flatworms.
E)octopi.

Question 23

Most brain cells are:

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

Question 24

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

A)brain
B)spinal cord
C)medulla
D)autonomic nervous system
E)thalamus

Question 25

The ________ coordinates movements of the body.

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

Question 26

Which of the following structures is/are found in the human peripheral nervous system?

A)spinal cord
B)forebrain (cerebrum)
C)hypothalamus
D)cerebrum
E)sensory neurons

Question 27

If an animal is especially coordinated in its movements, it probably has a larger than normal:

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

Question 28

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)central
C)sensory
D)parasympathetic
E)sympathetic

Question 29

The part of the brain that controls involuntary actions, such as breathing, is the:

A)cerebrum.
B)cerebellum.
C)retina.
D)hindbrain.

Question 30

The autonomic nervous system controls:

A)the skeletal muscles.
B)the senses.
C)contractions of involuntary muscles.
D)reflexes.
E)integration in the brain.

Question 31

Which of these neurotransmitters is released by neurons of the sympathetic nervous system?

A)acetylcholine
B)dopamine
C)serotonin
D)noradrenaline
E)endorphin

Question 32

Which of these parts of the brain is involved in interpreting sensory information?

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

Question 33

Which of these parts of the brain passes information from the senses to the cerebral cortex with little further processing?

A)cerebellum
B)cerebrum
C)hypothalamus
D)thalamus
E)amygdala

Question 34

Which of these parts of the brain controls breathing and heart rate?

A)medulla
B)cerebellum
C)cerebrum
D)hypothalamus
E)thalamus

Question 35

Which portion of the brain is responsible for primitive emotions?

A)medulla
B)pons
C)reticular formation
D)limbic system
E)thalamus

Question 36

If I step on a shard of glass while playing volleyball barefoot, which path will the reflex to pull my foot up follow?

A)motor nerve → spinal cord → brain → spinal cord → sensory nerve → effector
B)sensory nerve → spinal cord → motor nerve → effector
C)sensory nerve → spinal cord → brain → spinal cord → motor nerve → effector
D)sensory nerve → motor nerve → spinal cord → brain
E)motor nerve → sensory nerve → spinal cord → brain

Question 37

The cell bodies of motor neurons are located:

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

Question 38

Motor neurons:

A)contract.
B)carry impulses to the spinal cord.
C)carry impulses to the brain.
D)connect to the effector organs.
E)store memories.

Question 39

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

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

Question 40

The kinds of peripheral neurons that are responsible for involuntary responses to extreme danger or stress are:

A)the somatic.
B)the parasympathetic.
C)the sympathetic.
D)the sensory.
E)currently unidentified.

Question 41

Which structure is responsible for transferring information from short-term memory into long-term memory?

A)hypothalamus
B)hippocampus
C)amygdala
D)frontal lobe
E)occipital lobe

Question 42

Recent discoveries have shown that women are more able than men to recover their speaking ability after a stroke. Women are able to shift more easily from the left brain to the right brain because they have a larger ________ than men do.

A)hypothalamus
B)corpus callosum
C)cerebellum
D)cerebrum
E)hippocampus

Question 43

Neurotransmitters are released from the dendrite side of the synapse. True or False?

Question 44

Cells maintain a resting membrane potential, with a higher K+ concentration on the inside of the cell membrane. True or False?

Question 45

The ion concentrations in a resting membrane potential are maintained by Na+-K+ pumps. True or False?

Question 46

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

A)temporal lobes
B)cerebellum
C)hippocampus
D)frontal lobes
E)parietal lobes

Question 47

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)cerebellum
C)hippocampus
D)cerebrum

Question 48

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

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

Question 49

Memory, sensory processing, motor responses, creativity, and higher intellectual functions are carried out by the:

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

Question 50

At a chemical synapse, the cell membranes touch and chemicals are exchanged through gap junctions. True or False?

Question 51

Myelin slows the transmission of action potentials along their length. True or False?

Question 52

Visual information is processed in the:

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

Question 53

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

Question 54

The right cerebral hemisphere:

A)is better than the left at language.
B)is better than the left at math.
C)controls the left side of the body.
D)receives input from the right eye only.
E)is logical.

Question 55

The corpus callosum links the:

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

Question 56

Is it possible that brain damage from a stroke or other injury could leave a person whose hearing is fine with the ability to comprehend written language but no understanding of spoken language? Why?

A)Yes, because various aspects of language are localized to different parts of the brain.
B)Yes, because various aspects of language are localized to individual cells.
C)No, because all aspects of language are processed in the same part of the brain.
D)No, because all aspects of language are processed by the same cell.

Question 57

Which of these parts of the brain controls the autonomic nervous system?

A)medulla
B)cerebellum
C)cerebrum
D)hypothalamus
E)thalamus

Question 58

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

Question 59

As the resting membrane potential moves closer to the threshold level, the neuron becomes harder to stimulate. True or False?

Question 60

Nerves are groups of axons bundled together. True or False?

Question 61

A stimulus that is strong enough to change a resting potential into an action potential is said to be above a ________.

Question 62

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

Question 63

Effectors pick up sensory stimuli. True or False?

Question 64

Interneurons connect sensory and motor nerves. True or False?

Question 65

The electrical voltage difference maintained across the plasma membrane in an inactive neuron is the ________.

Question 66

The neurotransmitter most associated with emotion and reward is ________.

Question 67

Emotions and the responses to emotions are controlled by the limbic system. True or False?

Question 68

The part of a neuron that contains a nucleus and other organelles typical of cells is the ________.

Question 69

The stronger the stimulus, the larger the action potential. True or False?

Question 70

GABA is a major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. True or False?

Question 71

The summation of postsynaptic potentials determines the activity of the neuron. True or False?

Question 72

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

Question 73

The brain is able to take sensory inputs from many neurons and integrate them into a few association areas. True or False?

Question 74

Smooth muscle responses are controlled by the somatic nervous system. True or False?

Question 75

The peripheral nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord. True or False?

Question 76

The more complex the organism, the more likely it is to have nerve net. True or False?

Question 77

The effects of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems usually oppose each other. True or False?

Question 78

Nerve cells release compounds known as ________ into a synapse with adjacent cells.

Question 79

The hippocampus is responsible for processing visual stimuli. True or False?

Question 80

At a synapse, neurotransmitters that open channels that make postsynaptic neurons more negative produce ________ postsynaptic potentials.