Neuroscience Exam #1 Question Examples

A greater amount of branching on dendrites allows them to: a.have a larger surface area available for receiving information from other neurons. b.manufacture more mitochondria. c.increase their membrane permeability. d.lower their resting potential.

a

An impairment of eating, drinking, temperature regulation, or sexual behavior suggests possible damage to which brain structure? a.hypothalamus b.hippocampus c.midbrain d.cerebellum

a

Apoptosis: a.is a programmed mechanism of cell death. b.promotes the survival and growth of the axon. c.promotes the activity of neurons. d.promotes the survival and growth of dendrites.

a

Chemicals than cannot flow freely across a cell membrane enter a neuron through: a.specialized protein channels. b.a Golgi complex. c.gaps in the myelin sheath. d.the endoplasmic reticulum.

a

Electrical gradients lead to what kind of movements? a.the movement of ions to areas having the opposite electrical charges b.the general movement of ions into the neuron c.the movement of ions to areas having the same electrical charges d.the general movement of ions out of the neuron

a

How human language develops as the result of genes and the opportunity to hear language during a sensitive period in early life is an example of a(n) ____ explanation. a.ontogenetic b.evolutionary c.functional d.physiological

a

Ischemia is to ____ as hemorrhage is to ____. a.obstruction, rupture b.proximal, distal c.barely noticeable, lethal d.older individuals, younger individuals

a

Neurotransmitter is to ____ as cyclic AMP is to ____. a.first messenger, second messenger b.receptor, neuromodulator c.second messenger, first messenger d.metabotropic, ionotropic

a

Nitric oxide"s value is that it: a.increases blood flow to certain areas of the brain. b.increases growth of microglia. c.restricts blood flow to certain areas of the brain. d.decreases growth of microglia.

a

One way that over-the-counter cold remedies work is by: a.increasing sympathetic activity. b.blocking all autonomic activity. c.increasing parasympathetic activity. d.decreasing sympathetic activity.

a

Prefrontal lobotomies were conducted in the United States in an attempt to: a.treat severe psychiatric disorders. b.treat severe obesity. c.restrain prisoners. d.restore memory.

a

Scar tissue and myelin are similar in that they both: a.secrete chemicals that inhibit axon growth. b.are produced after brain damage. c.are formed in normal development of the nervous system. d.secrete chemicals to restore axons.

a

Seeing a snake come out of the drain in the bathtub might increase your heart rate, dilate your pupils, cause you to sweat, and raise the hair on your neck. These responses are due to the activity of the ____ nervous system. a.sympathetic b.motor c.somatic d.parasympathetic

a

So far, it appears that the brain feature most strongly correlated with intelligence in humans is the: a.amount of gray matter. b.brain weight. c.brain-to-body ratio. d.volume of the hippocampus.

a

What is one important difference between people who are blind because of cortical blindness and others who are blind because of problems with their eyes? a.People with damage to their eyes can still imagine visual scenes. b.There is no distinguishable difference between them. c.People with cortical blindness are also deaf. d.People with cortical blindness are really just pretending to be blind.

a

What supports the argument that humans have NOT stopped evolving? a.Evolution is based on reproduction rates so as long as some people have more children than others do, their genes will spread. b.Humans are no longer subject to 'survival of the fittest.' c.Medicine and technology are keeping more people alive these days. d.More mutations will occur because of increased use of pesticides.

a

What type of neurons in the substantia nigra deteriorate in Parkinson"s disease? a.dopamine b.acetylcholine c.serotonin d.norepinephrine

a

Which of the following aspects of brain and neural functioning can be most clearly altered by experience? a.structure of dendrites and axons b.chemical constituents of the ventricles c.velocity of action potentials d.number of laminae in the cerebral cortex

a

Activation of autoreceptors tends to: a.increase sodium-potassium pump activity. b.decrease further neurotransmitter release. c.stimulate GABA release. d.increase further neurotransmitter release.

b

Breathing, heart rate, vomiting, salivation, coughing, and sneezing are all controlled by which structure? a.cerebellum b.medulla c.pons d.thalamus

b

Gaps in the insulating material that surrounds axons are known as: a.presynaptic terminals. b.nodes of Ranvier. c.interpeduncular nuclei. d.myelin synapses.

b

If a drug has high affinity and high efficacy, what effect does it have on the postsynaptic neuron? a.antagonistic b.agonistic c.destructive d.proactive

b

If the ipsilateral dorsal and ventral roots were cut, which of the following would be true? a.Sensation would be lost on both sides. b.Sensation and motor control would be lost on one side. c.Sensation would be lost on one side, and motor control on the other. d.Motor control would be lost on both sides.

b

In development, neurotrophins ____. During adulthood, they ____. a.facilitate differentiation, facilitate migration b.preserve neurons, increase neuronal branching c.preserve neurons, produce apoptosis d.produce apoptosis, increase neuronal branching

b

Inhibitory synapses on a neuron: a.move the potential closer to the cell"s threshold. b.hyperpolarize the postsynaptic cell. c.weaken the cell"s polarization. d.increase the probability of an action potential.

b

LSD and other hallucinogenic drugs resemble which neurotransmitter? a.norepinephrine b.serotonin c.acetylcholine d.dopamine

b

Meningitis is an inflammation of the: a.cerebrospinal fluid. b.membranes surrounding the brain. c.glia. d.medulla oblongata.

b

Monism is the belief that: a.mind is an accidental byproduct of brain functioning. b.mind and body are one and the same. c.the mind does not exist. d.mind and body are different in substance.

b

Most habit-forming drugs activate which type of synapse? a.opiate b.dopamine c.GABA d.acetylcholine

b

Myelination in the human brain: a.is complete around the second birthday. b.continues well into the adult years. c.is complete sometime shortly after adolescence. d.is complete upon birth.

b

Necrosis: a.is a programmed mechanism of cell death. b.is cell death caused by an injury or a toxic substance c.promotes the activity of neurons. d.promotes the survival and growth of dendrites.

b

Nerve growth factor (NGF): a.is a fuel metabolized by neurons. b.promotes the survival and growth of the axon. c.promotes programmed cell death. d.is a hormone first released at puberty.

b

Receptor molecules for neurotransmitters that exert metabotropic effects are proteins that bind to ____ outside the membrane, and attach to ____ inside the membrane. a.neurotransmitters; nicotine b.neurotransmitters; G-proteins c.adenosine; nitric oxide d.calcium; potassium

b

The 'decision' for a neuron to fire is determined by the: a.number of IPSPs only. b.ratio of EPSPs to IPSPs. c.spontaneous firing rate. d.number of EPSPs only.

b

The areas of the cortex used by expert video game players are most likely to ____ than the same cortical areas of those who don"t play video games. a.have smaller, but a greater number of neurons b.be thicker c.have faster action potentials d.be more resistant to transcortical stimulation

b

The insulating material which covers many vertebrate axons is called the: a.cell body or soma. b.myelin sheath. c.dendrite. d.presynaptic terminal.

b

The main difference between methylphenidate (Ritalin), when taken as a medication for attention deficit disorder, and cocaine, when taken as a drug of abuse, is that methylphenidate a.increases metabolic rate whereas cocaine decreases it. b.produces the same effects more slowly. c.attaches to a different set of receptors. d.inhibits receptors that cocaine excites.

b

The pons acts as a bridge between: a.the thalamus and the cerebral cortex. b.one side of the nervous system and the other. c.the hindbrain and the forebrain. d.the thalamus and the hypothalamus.

b

When a neuron"s membrane is at rest, the concentration gradient tends to move potassium ____ the cell and the electrical gradient tends to move it ____ the cell. a.out of, out of b.out of, into c.into, out of d.into, into

b

Which of the following describes selective permeability? a.All molecules must pass through designated channels. b.Only certain molecules are allowed to cross the membrane freely. c.Only certain types of stimulation will result in an action potential. d.Ions can only travel in certain directions across the membrane.

b

Which of the following is necessarily included in the concept of evolution? a.species improvements from one generation to the next b.generationally changing frequencies of various genes in the population c.'If you don"t use it, you lose it.' d.improvements to the individual

b

Which one of Sherrington"s inferences about the synapse was WRONG? a.Synapses can be either excitatory or inhibitory. b.Transmission at the synapse is primarily an electrical process. c.Transmission at a synapse is slower than transmission of impulses along an axon. d.Synapses make spatial summation and temporal summation possible.

b

Which type of explanation would describe eating in terms of the hypothalamus affecting insulin production which affects the availability of glucose in cells? a.functional b.physiological c.ontogenetic d.evolutionary

b

Why do neurons rely so heavily on glucose as their source of nutrition? a.Neurons lack the enzymes necessary to metabolize other fuels. b.Other fuels do not readily cross the blood-brain barrier. c.Glucose is the only fuel that can be used even in the absence of vitamins. d.Glucose is not used extensively by other parts of the body.

b

A receptor can directly open a channel, exerting an ____ effect or it can produce slower but longer ____ effects. a.metabotropic; ionotropic b.gated; metabotropic c.ionotropic; metabotropic d.ionotropic; gated

c

According to Chalmers, knowing why and how brain activity is associated with consciousness is the: a.problem of other minds. b.mentalistic debate. c.hard problem. d.easy problem.

c

An axon in your hand causes contraction of a muscle fiber in your finger as you write. This neuron belongs to which branch of the nervous system? a.sympathetic b.parasympathetic c.somatic d.central

c

An individual has difficulty remembering certain things after brain damage, but all memories stored before the damage are intact. The brain area most likely damaged is the: a.nucleus basalis. b.hypothalamus. c.hippocampus. d.fornix.

c

Brain studies of blind people suggest that they have greater attention to touch and auditory stimulation because: a.they have greater neurotrophin release. b.they have greater neural branching. c.their visual cortex is used for touch and verbal tasks. d.cortical areas for touch and audition are thicker.

c

Descartes thought that the most problematic issue facing dualism was: a.finding the smallest unpaired structure in the brain. b.discovering how neurons work. c.how an immaterial mind could influence a physical brain. d.finding two parts of the brain that were connected to each other.

c

Few pianists can play quickly enough to play the Minute Waltz in a minute. The finger movements that are required are likely to involve which type of neurotransmitter effects? a.metabotropic effects b.second messenger effects c.ionotropic effects d.neuromodulator effects

c

Glial cells whose function most closely resembles that of the immune system are called: a.oligodendrocytes. b.radio glia. c.microglia. d.Schwann cells.

c

Hormones exert their effects: a.similarly to ionotropic neurotransmitters. b.by being metabolized by presynaptic cells and thus converted into neurotransmitters. c.similarly to metabotropic neurotransmitters. d.by attaching to special receptors on muscle fibers.

c

If one structure is on the left side of the body and another is on the right, they are said to be ____ to each other. a.ipsilateral b.medial c.contralateral d.lateral

c

If you were to stub your toe and feel the pressure a second or two before you feel the pain, then which of the following statements is most likely true? a.Pain sensitive neurons are longer. b.Pressure sensitive neurons are small and lightly myelinated. c.Pain sensitive neurons are large and myelinated. d.Pressure sensitive neurons are large and myelinated.

c

One reason why people with prefrontal cortex damage may act impulsively is that they have trouble: a.remembering who they are. b.maintaining normal hormone levels. c.adjusting their behavior to different contexts. d.making visual discriminations.

c

Research indicates that the behavioral effects of the cerebellum may be due to its role in: a.coordinating information from left and right hemispheres. b.interpreting visual stimuli. c.focusing and shifting attention and organizing sensory inputs. d.coordinating the release of hormones.

c

Suppose you were bitten by a black widow spider whose venom increases the release of acetylcholine from the presynaptic terminal. Which of the following treatments would be most effective? a.decrease reuptake b.bite the spider back c.increase the activity of acetylcholinesterase d.increase the activity of COMT

c

The stimulant effects of MDMA are likely due to actions at ____ synapses, while the hallucinogenic effects are likely due to actions at ____ synapses. a.neuropeptide Y, serotonin b.dopamine, nitric oxide c.dopamine, serotonin d.serotonin, dopamine

c

Uniquely, endogenous cannabinoid receptors are located: a.on the dendrites of the postsynaptic neuron. b.on the cell body. c.on the presynaptic neuron. d.inside the cell membrane.

c

What happens when a neurotransmitter is released by a presynaptic cell? a.The neurotransmitter is actively transported across the synaptic cleft. b.It causes calcium to rush into the presynaptic neuron. c.The neurotransmitter passively spreads across the synaptic cleft. d.It causes calcium to rush into the postsynaptic neuron.

c

What is one important difference between people who are blind because of cortical blindness and others who are blind because of problems with their eyes? a.People with cortical blindness are also deaf. b.People with cortical blindness are really just pretending to be blind. c.People with damage to their eyes can still imagine visual scenes. d.There is no distinguishable difference between them.

c

What leads to Korsakoff"s syndrome? a.glucose deficiency resulting from alcoholism b.viruses that manage to cross the blood-brain barrier c.thiamine deficiency resulting from alcoholism d.glial cells that over-reproduce and increase pressure in the brain

c

When the neuronal membrane is at rest, the sodium channels: a.permit potassium ions to cross instead of sodium. b.fluctuate rapidly between open and closed. c.are closed. d.permit sodium ions to pass quickly and easily.

c

Which effect would be considered to be agonistic? a.mimicking enzymes that breakdown neurotransmitters b.blocking the synthesis of neurotransmitters c.stimulating the release of neurotransmitters d.blocking the postsynaptic receptors

c

Which effect would be considered to be antagonistic? a.blocking the reuptake of neurotransmitters b.stimulating the release of neurotransmitters c.blocking the synthesis of neurotransmitters d.interfering with the breakdown of neurotransmitters

c

Which of the following actions would depolarize a neuron? a.decreasing membrane permeability to sodium b.decreasing membrane permeability to calcium c.increasing membrane permeability to sodium d.increasing membrane permeability to potassium

c

Which of the following best describes the process by which developing axons find their general target areas? a.electrical attraction b.shape attraction c.chemical attraction d.completely random growth

c

Which of the following is NOT true of astrocytes? a.They help synchronize the activity of the axons. b.They wrap around the presynaptic terminals of several axons. c.They make up the myelin sheaths in the periphery of the body. d.They remove waste material.

c

Which of the following is an advantage of having a resting potential? a.All of the ions are maintained in equal concentrations throughout the cytoplasm. b.No energy is required to maintain it. c.The cell is prepared to respond quickly to a stimulus. d.The toxic effects of sodium are minimized inside the cell.

c

Which of the following patterns of post-synaptic excitation will most likely result in an action potential? a.large number of simultaneous IPSPs b.large number of simultaneous IPSPs and EPSPs c.rapid sequence of EPSPs d.rapid sequence of IPSPs

c

Which of the following would be the most likely effect of taking a drug that blocks sympathetic nervous system activity? a.slowed digestion b.increased blood pressure c.decreased heart rate d.sweating

c

A drug that blocks the sodium gates of a neuron"s membrane would: a.eliminate the refractory period. b.cause repeated action potentials. c.decrease the threshold. d.block the action potential.

d

A drug that decreases the flow of potassium through the potassium gates of the membrane would: a.cause the membrane to be hyperpolarized. b.increase the threshold of the membrane. c.block action potentials. d.slow the return of the membrane to its resting potential.

d

After the migrating neuron reaches its destination, ____ begin to form. a.nuclei b.ganglions c.axons d.dendrites

d

Axons of motor neurons would most likely be found in which of the following? a.tracts b.white matter c.dorsal roots d.gray matter

d

Cell bodies of motor neurons would most likely be found in which of the following? a.tracts b.dorsal roots c.white matter d.gray matter

d

Children of mothers who smoke cigarettes during pregnancy are at an increased risk of: a.Korsakoff"s syndrome. b.Rett syndrome. c.Parkinson"s disease. d.intellectual deficits.

d

Concentration gradients lead to what kind of movements? a.the movement of ions to areas of their highest concentrations b.the general movement of ions into the neuron c.the general movement of ions out of the neuron d.the movement of ions to areas of their lowest concentrations

d

Focal hand dystonia, sometimes called 'musician"s cramp', is caused by: a.buildup of excess GABA in the temporal cortex. b.deterioration of muscles in the hand. c.demyelination of neurons in the fingers. d.extreme overlap of cortical representation of the fingers.

d

If a person has difficulty determining which of two rhythms is faster, it is likely that she suffered damage to the: a.tectum. b.forebrain. c.medulla. d.cerebellum.

d

Mapping out the relationship between shared bone structures across different species suggests there is a(n) ____ explanation. a.physiological b.behavioral c.ontogenetic d.evolutionary

d

One currently popular hypothesis about the binding problem is that binding depends on: a.a special kind of activity in the pineal gland. b.convergence of all sensory inputs onto a single central processor. c.increased velocity of action potentials. d.synchronized activity in different brain areas.

d

Penumbra, as related to stroke, refers to the: a.brain cells that are immediately destroyed by the stroke. b.brain region unaffected by the stroke. c.type of stroke that has been suffered. d.brain region that surrounds the immediate damage.

d

Saltatory conduction ____ the velocity of action potentials, and ____ the amount of energy used by the neuron. a.increases; increases b.decreases; decreases c.decreases; increases d.increases; decreases

d

Superior colliculus is to _____ as inferior colliculus is to _____. a.vision; touch b.taste; smell c.touch; hearing d.vision; hearing

d

The raphe system ______ the brain"s readiness to respond to stimuli, and sends axons to the ______. a.decreases; basal ganglia b.decreases; forebrain c.increases; cerebellum d.increases; forebrain

d

The resting potential of the inside of a neuron"s membrane is approximately? a.0 millivolts b.+90 millivolts c.+10 millivolts d.-70 millivolts

d

The risk of having part of the brain unprotected by the blood-brain barrier is: a.the blood is poorly oxygenated. b.it is invisible to brain imaging techniques. c.it takes longer for drugs to work. d.viruses or toxic chemicals are more likely to damage it.

d

What type of glial cells myelinate axons in the brain and spinal cord? a.radial glia b.Schwann cells c.astrocytes d.oligodendrocytes

d

When a neuron"s membrane is at rest, the concentration gradient tends to move potassium ____ the cell and the electrical gradient tends to move it ____ the cell. a.into, into b.out of, out of c.into, out of d.out of, into

d

Which chemicals flow most freely across a cell membrane? a.proteins, fats, and carbohydrates b.positively charged ions c.calcium and magnesium d.water, oxygen, and carbon dioxide

d

Which of the following actions is most likely to be dependent on ionotropic effects? a.hormone release b.hunger c.gradual sleepiness d.rapid muscle contraction

d

Which of the following is the BEST explanation for why males can grow breasts under certain hormonal conditions? a.Breast growth is linked to color vision deficiency. b.Sex-linked genes become activated. c.The Y chromosome becomes activated. d.Sex-limited genes become activated.

d

Which of the following would most likely result in an IPSP? a.sodium ions entering the cell b.chloride ions leaving the cell c.potassium ions entering the cell d.chloride ions entering the cell

d

Which plane shows brain structures as they would be seen from the front? a.sagittal b.horizontal c.transverse d.coronal

d