Practice Exam
Final exam, chapters 1 - 20.

True or False Questions

1. The cerebrospinal fluid fills the hollow core of the central nervous system: the cerebral ventricles in the brain and the spinal canal in the spinal cord. (Chapter 1)
   T F

2. The notochord is the structure that gives rise to the spinal cord during embryonic development. (Chapter 2)
   T F

3. The Nernst equation gives the equilibrium potential for an ion: the value of membrane potential at which the electrical gradient across the membrane exactly compensates for the concentration gradient for the ion. (Chapter 3)
   T F

4. The depolarizing phase of the action potential is caused by the explosive cycle of depolarization opening voltage-dependent sodium channels, which in turn produces further depolarization. (Chapter 4)
   T F

5. An inhibitory postsynaptic potential would result from a neurotransmitter that opens nonspecific cation channels that are equally permeable to sodium and potassium ions. (Chapter 5)
   T F

6. The dorsal columns of the spinal cord consist predominantly of ascending axons of spinal neurons that receive incoming sensory information about pain and temperature. (Chapter 7)
   T F

7. Many neurons in the primary visual cortex respond best to bars or stripes of light of a particular orientation. (Chapter 8)
   T F

8. In the cochlea, hair cells at the basal end respond best to low-frequency sound, whereas hair cells at the apical end respond best to high-frequency sound. (Chapter 9)
   T F

9. In the olfactory system, each olfactory receptor neuron has an axon that projects directly to a particular glomerulus in the olfactory bulb. (Chapter 10)
   T F

10. In skeletal muscle fibers, thick filaments are made up of the protein actin, and thin filaments are made up of the protein myosin. (Chapter 11)
    T F

11. In the inverse myotatic reflex, primary sensory neurons from a particular muscle make direct excitatory synapses onto motor neurons of the same muscle. (Chapter 12)
    T F

12. The basal ganglia are the caudate, the putamen, and the globus pallidus. (Chapter 13)
    T F

13. The sympathetic and somatic divisions are the two divisions of the autonomic nervous system. (Chapter 14)
    T F

14. Motor neurons that control the eye muscles are located in three cranial nerve nuclei: the oculomotor nucleus (cranial nerve III), the trochlear nucleus (cranial nerve IV), and the abducens nucleus (cranial nerve VI). (Chapter 15)
    T F

15. The Papez circuit is another name for the limbic system. (Chapter 16)
    T F

16. Broca's area is part of the frontal lobe, and damage to Broca's area causes difficulty in speech production. (Chapter 17)
    T F

17. Destruction of the hippocampus would erase all memories. (Chapter 18)
    T F

18. Cellular adhesion molecules interact with complementary adhesion molecules on the surface of surrounding cells or in the extracellular matrix. (Chapter 19)
    T F

19. Information about the function of a gene in the nervous system can be obtained if either a naturally occurring or induced mutation in the gene can be identified. (Chapter 20)
    T F

Multiple Choice

21. The forebrain includes the following structures: (Chapter 1)
    1. the diencephalon
    2. the cerebral cortex
    3. the basal ganglia
    4. all of the above)
    5. none of the above

22. During development of the nervous system: (Chapter 2)
    1. the neurons of the central nervous system arise from the neural crest, and the neurons of the peripheral nervous system arise from the neural tube.
    2. the three vesicles that give rise to the brain are called the telencephalon, diencephalon, and the cerebrum.
    3. the neuroectoderm gives rise to the cells of the nervous system.
    4. all of the above
    5. none of the above

23. Suppose a neuron is permeable to sodium and potassium ions and that the intracellular and extracellular fluids have their usual compositions. If pNa were doubled, leaving pK unchanged, the membrane potential of the neuron would:
    (Chapter 3)
    1. become more positive (depolarize).
    2. become more negative (hyperpolarize).
    3. remain unchanged.

24. The refractory period following an action potential arises because: (Chapter 4)
    1. voltage-dependent potassium channels close slowly upon repolarization and so remain open for a period after the action potential.
    2. the inactivation gates (h-gates) of voltage-dependent sodium channels reopen slowly upon repolarization, and so the sodium channels are unable to open again upon depolarization for a period after the action potential.
    3. the activation gates (m-gates) of voltage-dependent sodium channels close slowly upon repolarization, and so the sodium channels remain open for a period after the action potential.
    4. both voltage-dependent sodium channels and voltage-dependent potassium channels are incapable of responding again to depolarization for a period after the action potential.
    5. none of the above.

25. Neurotransmitter release: (Chapter 5)
    1. occurs when membrane-bound synaptic vesicles are released from the presynaptic cell and then fuse with the plasma membrane of the postsynaptic cell.
    2. requires the release of calcium ions from the postsynaptic cell.
    3. is required for excitatory neurotransmission but not for inhibitory neurotransmission.
    4. all of the above
    5. none of the above

26. The receptor potential of a primary sensory neuron: (Chapter 6)
    1. is another name for the action potential in a primary sensory neuron.
    2. is the change in membrane potential resulting from the process of sensory transduction.
    3. is stimulated by synaptic inputs from other primary sensory neurons.
    4. all of the above are correct.
    5. none of the above is correct.

27. The primary somatosensory cortex: (Chapter 7)
    1. is located in the postcentral gyrus, just behind the central sulcus of the cerebral cortex.
    2. is organized in a somatotopic map, with sensory inputs from the head represented nearest the midline and inputs from the feet at the most lateral position.
    3. receives direct synaptic input from primary sensory neurons, without any intervening synapses.
    4. on the right side of the brain receives sensory information from the right side of the body.
    5. receives sensory information only from the dorsal column pathway of the spinal cord.

28. In the retina: (Chapter 8)
    1. photoreceptors depolarize in response to illumination.
    2. light is absorbed in rod photoreceptors by the visual pigment molecule, rhodopsin.
    3. center-surround receptive fields are observed only in retinal ganglion cells.
    4. all of the above
    5. none of the above

29. The primary auditory cortex: (Chapter 9)
    1. receives direct synaptic inputs from the cochlear nucleus, without intervening synapses.
    2. is located in the frontal lobe of the cerebral cortex.
    3. is organized in a two-dimensional array of vertically oriented frequency columns and binaural columns.
    4. all of the above
    5. none of the above

30. The olfactory bulb: (Chapter 10)
    1. receives olfactory inputs from the thalamus, which in turn receives direct synaptic input from the axons of primary olfactory receptor neurons.
    2. receives synaptic inputs from the glomeruli of the olfactory paleocortex.
    3. is located within the nasal cavity and contains the olfactory epithelium.
    4. all of the above
    5. none of the above

31. During contraction of a skeletal muscle cell: (Chapter 11)
    1. calcium ions are released from the transverse tubules to initiate contraction.
    2. calcium ions bind to the regulatory protein tropomyosin, which is associated with the thin filaments.
    3. neither the thin filaments nor the thick filaments change in length.
    4. all of the above
    5. none of the above

32. The myotatic reflex differs from the inverse myotatic reflex in which of the following ways? (Chapter 12)
    1. the myotatic reflex produces limb flexion, whereas the inverse myotatic reflex produces limb extension.
    2. the sensory neurons of the myotatic reflex innervate muscle spindles, whereas the sensory neurons of the inverse myotatic reflex innervate Golgi tendon organs.
    3. the myotatic reflex is activated by muscle stretch, whereas the inverse myotatic reflex is activated by muscle relaxation.
    4. all of the above
    5. none of the above

33. The primary motor cortex: (Chapter 13)
    1. has output neurons whose axons form the pyramidal tract.
    2. has output neurons that make direct synaptic connections with motor neurons in the spinal cord.
    3. is located in the precentral gyrus of the cerebral cortex.
    4. all of the above
    5. none of the above

34. Neurons of the intermediolateral cell column of the spinal cord make direct synaptic connection with: (Chapter 14)
    1. paravertebral sympathetic ganglia
    2. prevertebral sympathetic ganglia
    3. sympathetic chain ganglia
    4. all of the above
    5. none of the above.

35. During a saccade: (Chapter 15)
    1. neural circuits in the superior colliculus help determine the direction of the eye movement.
    2. omnidirectional pause neurons fire a rapid burst of action potentials.
    3. excitatory burst neurons stop firing.) inhibitory burst neurons stop firing.
    4. all of the above

36. Which of the following hormones are released in the posterior lobe of the pituitary? (Chapter 16)
    1. growth hormone and thyroxin
    2. prolactin and somatotropin
    3. thyrotropin and ACTH
    4. the gonadotropins LH and FSH
    5. vasopressin and oxytocin

37. Which of the following brain regions, lobes, and neurological syndromes are associated? (Chapter 17)
    1. Wernicke's area; frontal lobe; expressive aphasia
    2. Broca's area; temporal lobe; receptive aphasia
    3. angular gyrus; parietal lobe; agnosia
    4. Wernicke's area; frontal lobe; agnosia
    5. Broca's area; parietal lobe; receptive aphasia

38. Long-term potentiation in a hippocampal neuron: (Chapter 18)
    1. is thought to involve changes in both postsynaptic and presynaptic events at the potentiated synapse, resulting in enhanced synaptic transmission.
    2. occurs only at synapses that are silent during a period of strong activity in other synapses on the same postsynaptic neuron.
    3. produces an enhancement of the strength of synaptic transmission that lasts for a few hours.
    4. all of the above
    5. none of the above

39. The guidance of growing neurites during development of the nervous system involves: (Chapter 19)
    1. interaction of adhesion molecules on the surface of the neurite with complementary adhesion molecules in the extracellular matrix.
    2. interaction of adhesion molecules on the surface of the neurite with complementary adhesion molecules on neighboring cells.
    3. chemotropic molecules that attract or repel growth cones.
    4. all of the above
    5. a and b, but not c

40. Regarding genetic and molecular biological analysis of the nervous system: (Chapter 20)
    1. genetic analysis is possible in simple organisms such as Drosophila, but not in more complex organisms, such as mammals.
    2. in a transgenic animal, the inserted DNA inserts randomly in the genome of the host, and it is not possible to control the site of insertion.
    3. it is possible to test the function of a protein by selectively disrupting the corresponding gene by replacing it with a nonfunctional gene that does not encode a functional protein.
    4. all of the above
    5. a and b, but not c

1.  T  2. F  3. T  4. T  5. F  6. F  7. F  8. T  9. F  10. T  11. F  12. F  13. T  14. F  15. T   16. F  17. T  18. F  19. T  20.
21. d)  22. c  23. a  24. b  25. e  26. b  27. a  28. b  29. c  30. e  31. c  32. b  33. d  34. d  35. a  36. e  37. c  38. a  39. d
40. c