NEUROSCIENCE Test Bank
to accompany
Neuroscience, Sixth Edition
Purves • Augustine • Fitzpatrick • Hall • LaMantia • Mooney • Platt • White
SIXTH EDITION Chapter 1: Studying the Nervous System
Multiple Choice
1. Which part of DNA is transcribed into messenger RNA?
a. Exon
b. Intron
c. Promoter
d. Non-coding DNA
e. Regulatory DNA
Answer: a
Textbook Reference: Genetics and Genomics
Bloom’s Level: 2. Understanding
TEST BANK 2. Genomics is the analysis of
a. coding DNA sequences for a species.
b. regulatory DNA sequences for an individual organism and a species.
c. coding and regulatory DNA sequences for a species.
d. coding and regulatory DNA sequences for an individual organism.
EDITORS e. coding and regulatory DNA of an individual organism or a species.
Answer: e
Textbook Reference: Genetics and Genomics
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
3. Which of Camillo Golgi’s contributions enabled Santiago Ramón y Cajal to make
observations that suggested that nerve cells are discrete entities?
a. Articulation of the neuron doctrine
b. Identifying the organelle later called the Golgi apparatus
c. Development of a staining method based on impregnation with silver salts
d. Improving the understanding of the pathophysiology of malaria
e. Articulation of the reticular theory of nerve cell communication
Answer: c
Textbook Reference: Cellular Components of the Nervous System
Bloom’s Level: 2. Understanding
4. The major proponent(s) of the neuron doctrine was(were)
a. Camillo Golgi.
b. Santiago Ramón y Cajal.
c. Charles Sherrington.
d. Santiago Ramón y Cajal and Charles Sherrington.
,e. Camillo Golgi and Santiago Ramón y Cajal. 9. Which statement best describes the function of a neuron with multiple, highly
Answer: d branched dendrites and one axon?
Textbook Reference: Cellular Components of the Nervous System a. It passes information directly to multiple neurons.
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering b. It cannot integrate information from multiple neurons.
c. It receives information from only one other neuron.
5. Which function is a characteristic primarily of neurons only, and not glia? d. It integrates information from many neurons.
a. Transmits action potentials e. The information it receives will not be relayed.
b. Supports electrical signals Answer: d
c. Repairs the nervous system Textbook Reference: Neurons
d. Prevents regeneration of the nervous system Bloom’s Level: 3. Applying
e. Produces myelin
Answer: a 10. Which statement best describes most neurons?
Textbook Reference: Cellular Components of the Nervous System a. They receive information via axons.
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering b. They transmit information to other cells via dendrites.
c. They are polarized.
6. In which part of a neuron would most of the endoplasmic reticulum be concentrated? d. They conduct signals bidirectionally.
a. Postsynaptic terminal e. They transmit electrical signals via cytoplasmic continuity.
b. Presynaptic terminal Answer: c
c. Axon Textbook Reference: Neurons
d. Cell body Bloom’s Level: 3. Applying
e. Dendrite
Answer: d 11. Compared with projection neurons, axons of local circuit neurons (interneurons)
Textbook Reference: Cellular Components of the Nervous System a. are longer.
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering b. are shorter.
c. have more synapses.
7. Which intracellular component facilitates the processes of endocytosis and exocytosis d. have more branches.
underlying synaptic communication? e. reach more postsynaptic neurons.
a. Mitochondria Answer: b
b. Endoplasmic reticulum Textbook Reference: Neurons
c. Cytoskeleton Bloom’s Level: 2. Understanding
d. Golgi apparatus
e. Nucleus 12. An action potential is a(n) _______ change in the electrical potential across the nerve
Answer: c cell membrane.
Textbook Reference: Cellular Components of the Nervous System a. single
Bloom’s Level: 2. Understanding b. all-or-nothing
c. permanent
8. Most neurons have d. random
a. one axon hillock (initial segment). e. unidirectional
b. multiple axon hillocks (initial segments). Answer: b
c. one dendrite. Textbook Reference: Neurons
d. one axon hillock (initial segment) and one dendrite. Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
e. multiple axon hillocks (initial segments) and one dendrite.
Answer: a 13. The part of a synapse to which the contents of synaptic vesicles bind is called the
Textbook Reference: Neurons a. presynaptic terminal.
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering b. synaptic ending.
c. axon terminal.
,d. terminal bouton.
e. receptor.
Answer: e
Textbook Reference: Neurons
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
14. Which cell produces myelin in the nerves of the peripheral nervous system?
a. Astrocyte
b. Neuron
c. Schwann cell
d. Microglia
e. Neural progenitor cell
Answer: c
Textbook Reference: Glial Cells
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
15. Which glial cell type serves as a resident immune cell in the central nervous system? Which method was used to visualize the retinal neurons shown?
a. Glial stem cell a. Cresyl violet staining
b. Astrocyte b. Intracellular injection of a fluorescent dye
c. Microglia c. Intracellular injection of an enzyme
d. Oligodendrocyte d. Silver impregnation (the Golgi method)
e. Schwann cell e. Nissl stain
Answer: c Answer: b
Textbook Reference: Glial Cells Textbook Reference: Cellular Diversity in the Nervous System
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering Bloom’s Level: 3. Applying
16. In the mature central nervous system, glial stem cells with the properties of astrocytes 18. The in situ hybridization method is based on
can give rise to a. labeling specific neuronal components with antibodies.
a. astrocytes. b. using nucleic acid probes to detect mRNAs that encode specific genes.
b. neurons. c. using nucleic acid probes to detect specific proteins.
c. oligodendrocytes. d. injecting a fluorescent dye into a neuron.
d. astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. e. formation of an insoluble colored product within cell bodies.
e. astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and neurons. Answer: b
Answer: e Textbook Reference: Cellular Diversity in the Nervous System
Textbook Reference: Glial Cells Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
19. In the knee-jerk reflex, the afferent neurons
17. Refer to the figure. a. innervate leg flexor muscles.
b. innervate leg flexor and extensor muscles.
c. innervate leg extensor muscles.
d. are sensory neurons.
e. are cranial nerves.
Answer: d
Textbook Reference: Neural Circuits
Bloom’s Level: 2. Understanding
, 20. What is the role of interneurons in the knee-jerk reflex? Textbook Reference: Organization of the Human Nervous System
a. Inhibition of motor neurons to all leg muscles Bloom’s Level: 2. Understanding
b. Amplification of the response
c. Dampen the pain of the hammer tap 23. From which part of the nervous system do cells that innervate neuromuscular
d. Relaxation of flexor muscles junctions originate?
e. Transfer of signal from efferent to afferent neurons a. Central nervous system (CNS)
Answer: d b. Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
Textbook Reference: Neural Circuits c. Somatic motor division of PNS
Bloom’s Level: 2. Understanding d. Visceral motor division of PNS
e. Autonomic nervous system
21. Refer to the figure. Answer: a
Textbook Reference: Organization of the Human Nervous System
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
24. Why is the white matter lighter than the gray matter?
a. These are just historic terms not representative of real colors.
b. White matter is less dense than gray matter.
c. White matter is more translucent than gray matter.
d. White matter contains more Schwann cells, which are light in appearance.
e. White matter is richer in myelin, which reflects more light than gray matter.
Answer: e
Textbook Reference: Organization of the Human Nervous System
Bloom’s Level: 2. Understanding
25. The neurons whose synaptic connections with glandular cells trigger stomach
secretions are located in
a. the spinal cord.
b. the brain stem.
The figure shows patterns of action potentials (vertical lines) in neurons that form the c. the ganglia located along the vertebral column.
neural circuits for the knee-jerk reflex. Which pattern represents the activity of a flexor d. front of the vertebral column.
motor neuron? e. the ganglia embedded in the wall of the stomach.
a. Top Answer: e
b. Second from the top Textbook Reference: Organization of the Human Nervous System
c. Third from the top Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
d. Bottom
e. None of the above 26. Neuroethology is the field devoted to studying complex behavior
Answer: d a. through specifically designed behavioral tasks.
Textbook Reference: Neural Circuits b. in the native environment.
Bloom’s Level: 4. Analyzing c. in a laboratory.
d. during a limited number of trials.
22. Which component represents the peripheral nervous system? e. using invasive methods.
a. Nucleus (i.e., group of neurons) Answer: b
b. Spinal nerve Textbook Reference: Analyzing Complex Behavior
c. Tract Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
d. Column
e. Commissure 27. Which brain research method is associated with the greatest safety concerns?
Answer: b
to accompany
Neuroscience, Sixth Edition
Purves • Augustine • Fitzpatrick • Hall • LaMantia • Mooney • Platt • White
SIXTH EDITION Chapter 1: Studying the Nervous System
Multiple Choice
1. Which part of DNA is transcribed into messenger RNA?
a. Exon
b. Intron
c. Promoter
d. Non-coding DNA
e. Regulatory DNA
Answer: a
Textbook Reference: Genetics and Genomics
Bloom’s Level: 2. Understanding
TEST BANK 2. Genomics is the analysis of
a. coding DNA sequences for a species.
b. regulatory DNA sequences for an individual organism and a species.
c. coding and regulatory DNA sequences for a species.
d. coding and regulatory DNA sequences for an individual organism.
EDITORS e. coding and regulatory DNA of an individual organism or a species.
Answer: e
Textbook Reference: Genetics and Genomics
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
3. Which of Camillo Golgi’s contributions enabled Santiago Ramón y Cajal to make
observations that suggested that nerve cells are discrete entities?
a. Articulation of the neuron doctrine
b. Identifying the organelle later called the Golgi apparatus
c. Development of a staining method based on impregnation with silver salts
d. Improving the understanding of the pathophysiology of malaria
e. Articulation of the reticular theory of nerve cell communication
Answer: c
Textbook Reference: Cellular Components of the Nervous System
Bloom’s Level: 2. Understanding
4. The major proponent(s) of the neuron doctrine was(were)
a. Camillo Golgi.
b. Santiago Ramón y Cajal.
c. Charles Sherrington.
d. Santiago Ramón y Cajal and Charles Sherrington.
,e. Camillo Golgi and Santiago Ramón y Cajal. 9. Which statement best describes the function of a neuron with multiple, highly
Answer: d branched dendrites and one axon?
Textbook Reference: Cellular Components of the Nervous System a. It passes information directly to multiple neurons.
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering b. It cannot integrate information from multiple neurons.
c. It receives information from only one other neuron.
5. Which function is a characteristic primarily of neurons only, and not glia? d. It integrates information from many neurons.
a. Transmits action potentials e. The information it receives will not be relayed.
b. Supports electrical signals Answer: d
c. Repairs the nervous system Textbook Reference: Neurons
d. Prevents regeneration of the nervous system Bloom’s Level: 3. Applying
e. Produces myelin
Answer: a 10. Which statement best describes most neurons?
Textbook Reference: Cellular Components of the Nervous System a. They receive information via axons.
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering b. They transmit information to other cells via dendrites.
c. They are polarized.
6. In which part of a neuron would most of the endoplasmic reticulum be concentrated? d. They conduct signals bidirectionally.
a. Postsynaptic terminal e. They transmit electrical signals via cytoplasmic continuity.
b. Presynaptic terminal Answer: c
c. Axon Textbook Reference: Neurons
d. Cell body Bloom’s Level: 3. Applying
e. Dendrite
Answer: d 11. Compared with projection neurons, axons of local circuit neurons (interneurons)
Textbook Reference: Cellular Components of the Nervous System a. are longer.
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering b. are shorter.
c. have more synapses.
7. Which intracellular component facilitates the processes of endocytosis and exocytosis d. have more branches.
underlying synaptic communication? e. reach more postsynaptic neurons.
a. Mitochondria Answer: b
b. Endoplasmic reticulum Textbook Reference: Neurons
c. Cytoskeleton Bloom’s Level: 2. Understanding
d. Golgi apparatus
e. Nucleus 12. An action potential is a(n) _______ change in the electrical potential across the nerve
Answer: c cell membrane.
Textbook Reference: Cellular Components of the Nervous System a. single
Bloom’s Level: 2. Understanding b. all-or-nothing
c. permanent
8. Most neurons have d. random
a. one axon hillock (initial segment). e. unidirectional
b. multiple axon hillocks (initial segments). Answer: b
c. one dendrite. Textbook Reference: Neurons
d. one axon hillock (initial segment) and one dendrite. Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
e. multiple axon hillocks (initial segments) and one dendrite.
Answer: a 13. The part of a synapse to which the contents of synaptic vesicles bind is called the
Textbook Reference: Neurons a. presynaptic terminal.
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering b. synaptic ending.
c. axon terminal.
,d. terminal bouton.
e. receptor.
Answer: e
Textbook Reference: Neurons
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
14. Which cell produces myelin in the nerves of the peripheral nervous system?
a. Astrocyte
b. Neuron
c. Schwann cell
d. Microglia
e. Neural progenitor cell
Answer: c
Textbook Reference: Glial Cells
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
15. Which glial cell type serves as a resident immune cell in the central nervous system? Which method was used to visualize the retinal neurons shown?
a. Glial stem cell a. Cresyl violet staining
b. Astrocyte b. Intracellular injection of a fluorescent dye
c. Microglia c. Intracellular injection of an enzyme
d. Oligodendrocyte d. Silver impregnation (the Golgi method)
e. Schwann cell e. Nissl stain
Answer: c Answer: b
Textbook Reference: Glial Cells Textbook Reference: Cellular Diversity in the Nervous System
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering Bloom’s Level: 3. Applying
16. In the mature central nervous system, glial stem cells with the properties of astrocytes 18. The in situ hybridization method is based on
can give rise to a. labeling specific neuronal components with antibodies.
a. astrocytes. b. using nucleic acid probes to detect mRNAs that encode specific genes.
b. neurons. c. using nucleic acid probes to detect specific proteins.
c. oligodendrocytes. d. injecting a fluorescent dye into a neuron.
d. astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. e. formation of an insoluble colored product within cell bodies.
e. astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, and neurons. Answer: b
Answer: e Textbook Reference: Cellular Diversity in the Nervous System
Textbook Reference: Glial Cells Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
19. In the knee-jerk reflex, the afferent neurons
17. Refer to the figure. a. innervate leg flexor muscles.
b. innervate leg flexor and extensor muscles.
c. innervate leg extensor muscles.
d. are sensory neurons.
e. are cranial nerves.
Answer: d
Textbook Reference: Neural Circuits
Bloom’s Level: 2. Understanding
, 20. What is the role of interneurons in the knee-jerk reflex? Textbook Reference: Organization of the Human Nervous System
a. Inhibition of motor neurons to all leg muscles Bloom’s Level: 2. Understanding
b. Amplification of the response
c. Dampen the pain of the hammer tap 23. From which part of the nervous system do cells that innervate neuromuscular
d. Relaxation of flexor muscles junctions originate?
e. Transfer of signal from efferent to afferent neurons a. Central nervous system (CNS)
Answer: d b. Peripheral nervous system (PNS)
Textbook Reference: Neural Circuits c. Somatic motor division of PNS
Bloom’s Level: 2. Understanding d. Visceral motor division of PNS
e. Autonomic nervous system
21. Refer to the figure. Answer: a
Textbook Reference: Organization of the Human Nervous System
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
24. Why is the white matter lighter than the gray matter?
a. These are just historic terms not representative of real colors.
b. White matter is less dense than gray matter.
c. White matter is more translucent than gray matter.
d. White matter contains more Schwann cells, which are light in appearance.
e. White matter is richer in myelin, which reflects more light than gray matter.
Answer: e
Textbook Reference: Organization of the Human Nervous System
Bloom’s Level: 2. Understanding
25. The neurons whose synaptic connections with glandular cells trigger stomach
secretions are located in
a. the spinal cord.
b. the brain stem.
The figure shows patterns of action potentials (vertical lines) in neurons that form the c. the ganglia located along the vertebral column.
neural circuits for the knee-jerk reflex. Which pattern represents the activity of a flexor d. front of the vertebral column.
motor neuron? e. the ganglia embedded in the wall of the stomach.
a. Top Answer: e
b. Second from the top Textbook Reference: Organization of the Human Nervous System
c. Third from the top Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
d. Bottom
e. None of the above 26. Neuroethology is the field devoted to studying complex behavior
Answer: d a. through specifically designed behavioral tasks.
Textbook Reference: Neural Circuits b. in the native environment.
Bloom’s Level: 4. Analyzing c. in a laboratory.
d. during a limited number of trials.
22. Which component represents the peripheral nervous system? e. using invasive methods.
a. Nucleus (i.e., group of neurons) Answer: b
b. Spinal nerve Textbook Reference: Analyzing Complex Behavior
c. Tract Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
d. Column
e. Commissure 27. Which brain research method is associated with the greatest safety concerns?
Answer: b
