NUR 670 - Exam 1 Questions and Correct
Answers| Latest Update
Section 1: Foundational Neuroscience
1. What are the building blocks of proteins?
A) Fatty acids
B) Amino acids
C) Nucleic acids
D) Monosaccharides
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Amino acids are organic compounds that combine to form proteins.
When proteins are digested, they are broken down into amino acids, which serve
as the fundamental structural units for the body's tissues.
2. What is the major source of energy for body tissues that circulates in the
blood?
A) Glycogen
B) Insulin
C) Glucose
D) Fructose
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Glucose is the main type of sugar in the blood and is the primary
source of energy for cells throughout the body. When blood glucose levels are
low, it signals hunger.
3. What is the animal equivalent of starch, a glucose storage polysaccharide
found in the liver and muscle?
A) Glucose
B) Glucagon
C) Glycogen
D) Cellulose
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Glycogen is a multibranched polysaccharide of glucose that serves as a
form of energy storage in animals, fungi, and bacteria. It is the animal analog to
starch in plants and is stored primarily in the liver and muscle cells.
,4. What is an amplified recording of the brain's electrical activity, measured by
electrodes on the scalp?
A) MRI
B) PET scan
C) EEG
D) CT scan
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a test that detects electrical activity
in your brain using small, metal discs (electrodes) attached to your scalp. It
amplifies and records the brain's wave patterns and is used to help diagnose
conditions like epilepsy and sleep disorders.
5. This neurotransmitter enables learning and memory and triggers muscle
contraction.
A) Dopamine
B) Serotonin
C) Acetylcholine
D) Norepinephrine
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Acetylcholine (ACh) is a neurotransmitter that is crucial for cognitive
function, particularly learning and memory. In the peripheral nervous system, it is
also the primary neurotransmitter at the neuromuscular junction, where it
triggers muscle contraction.
6. This neurotransmitter is involved in arousal, learning, and mood regulation.
A) Serotonin
B) Acetylcholine
C) GABA
D) Norepinephrine
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Norepinephrine (NE) is a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in the
body's "fight-or-flight" response, promoting arousal and alertness. It also is
involved in mood regulation and learning.
7. This neurotransmitter affects hunger, sleep, arousal, and mood.
A) Dopamine
,B) Serotonin
C) Glutamate
D) Histamine
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that has a wide range of functions in
the human body, influencing mood, emotions, sleep, appetite, and arousal. It is a
key target for many medications used to treat depression and anxiety.
8. This is a major excitatory neurotransmitter involved in memory.
A) GABA
B) Glycine
C) Glutamate
D) Serotonin
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Glutamate is the most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter in the
vertebrate nervous system. It is involved in most aspects of normal brain function
including cognition, learning, and memory. Its action is counterbalanced by
inhibitory neurotransmitters like GABA.
9. This is a primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain.
A) Glutamate
B) GABA
C) Dopamine
D) Norepinephrine
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the primary inhibitory
neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. It plays a major role in reducing
neuronal excitability throughout the nervous system, promoting relaxation and
preventing anxiety. A deficiency of GABA is associated with conditions like anxiety
and addiction.
10. This neurotransmitter is associated with movement, attention, learning, and
the brain's pleasure and reward system.
A) Serotonin
B) Acetylcholine
C) Dopamine
, D) Norepinephrine
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a major role in the brain's
reward and pleasure centers, helping to regulate movement and emotional
responses. It also enables us to see rewards and to take action to move toward
them. Dysfunctions in dopamine pathways are linked to conditions like
Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia.
11. What are the two main divisions of the nervous system?
A) Brain and Spinal Cord
B) Somatic and Autonomic
C) Central and Peripheral
D) Sympathetic and Parasympathetic
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The nervous system is structurally divided into two main parts: the
Central Nervous System (CNS), which consists of the brain and spinal cord, and
the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS), which consists of all the nerves that lie
outside the CNS.
12. What does the Central Nervous System (CNS) consist of?
A) The brain and peripheral nerves
B) The spinal cord and peripheral nerves
C) The brain and spinal cord
D) The autonomic and somatic systems
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The CNS is the central processing unit of the nervous system and is
composed of the brain and the spinal cord. It is responsible for integrating,
processing, and coordinating sensory data and motor commands.
13. What is the function of the Somatic Nervous System?
A) Regulates involuntary functions like heart rate
B) Conveys information from CNS to skeletal muscle
C) Controls the "fight or flight" response
D) Manages the "rest and digest" functions
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The somatic nervous system is a part of the peripheral nervous system
Answers| Latest Update
Section 1: Foundational Neuroscience
1. What are the building blocks of proteins?
A) Fatty acids
B) Amino acids
C) Nucleic acids
D) Monosaccharides
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Amino acids are organic compounds that combine to form proteins.
When proteins are digested, they are broken down into amino acids, which serve
as the fundamental structural units for the body's tissues.
2. What is the major source of energy for body tissues that circulates in the
blood?
A) Glycogen
B) Insulin
C) Glucose
D) Fructose
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Glucose is the main type of sugar in the blood and is the primary
source of energy for cells throughout the body. When blood glucose levels are
low, it signals hunger.
3. What is the animal equivalent of starch, a glucose storage polysaccharide
found in the liver and muscle?
A) Glucose
B) Glucagon
C) Glycogen
D) Cellulose
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Glycogen is a multibranched polysaccharide of glucose that serves as a
form of energy storage in animals, fungi, and bacteria. It is the animal analog to
starch in plants and is stored primarily in the liver and muscle cells.
,4. What is an amplified recording of the brain's electrical activity, measured by
electrodes on the scalp?
A) MRI
B) PET scan
C) EEG
D) CT scan
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: An electroencephalogram (EEG) is a test that detects electrical activity
in your brain using small, metal discs (electrodes) attached to your scalp. It
amplifies and records the brain's wave patterns and is used to help diagnose
conditions like epilepsy and sleep disorders.
5. This neurotransmitter enables learning and memory and triggers muscle
contraction.
A) Dopamine
B) Serotonin
C) Acetylcholine
D) Norepinephrine
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Acetylcholine (ACh) is a neurotransmitter that is crucial for cognitive
function, particularly learning and memory. In the peripheral nervous system, it is
also the primary neurotransmitter at the neuromuscular junction, where it
triggers muscle contraction.
6. This neurotransmitter is involved in arousal, learning, and mood regulation.
A) Serotonin
B) Acetylcholine
C) GABA
D) Norepinephrine
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Norepinephrine (NE) is a neurotransmitter that plays a key role in the
body's "fight-or-flight" response, promoting arousal and alertness. It also is
involved in mood regulation and learning.
7. This neurotransmitter affects hunger, sleep, arousal, and mood.
A) Dopamine
,B) Serotonin
C) Glutamate
D) Histamine
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that has a wide range of functions in
the human body, influencing mood, emotions, sleep, appetite, and arousal. It is a
key target for many medications used to treat depression and anxiety.
8. This is a major excitatory neurotransmitter involved in memory.
A) GABA
B) Glycine
C) Glutamate
D) Serotonin
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Glutamate is the most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter in the
vertebrate nervous system. It is involved in most aspects of normal brain function
including cognition, learning, and memory. Its action is counterbalanced by
inhibitory neurotransmitters like GABA.
9. This is a primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain.
A) Glutamate
B) GABA
C) Dopamine
D) Norepinephrine
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the primary inhibitory
neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. It plays a major role in reducing
neuronal excitability throughout the nervous system, promoting relaxation and
preventing anxiety. A deficiency of GABA is associated with conditions like anxiety
and addiction.
10. This neurotransmitter is associated with movement, attention, learning, and
the brain's pleasure and reward system.
A) Serotonin
B) Acetylcholine
C) Dopamine
, D) Norepinephrine
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays a major role in the brain's
reward and pleasure centers, helping to regulate movement and emotional
responses. It also enables us to see rewards and to take action to move toward
them. Dysfunctions in dopamine pathways are linked to conditions like
Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia.
11. What are the two main divisions of the nervous system?
A) Brain and Spinal Cord
B) Somatic and Autonomic
C) Central and Peripheral
D) Sympathetic and Parasympathetic
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The nervous system is structurally divided into two main parts: the
Central Nervous System (CNS), which consists of the brain and spinal cord, and
the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS), which consists of all the nerves that lie
outside the CNS.
12. What does the Central Nervous System (CNS) consist of?
A) The brain and peripheral nerves
B) The spinal cord and peripheral nerves
C) The brain and spinal cord
D) The autonomic and somatic systems
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The CNS is the central processing unit of the nervous system and is
composed of the brain and the spinal cord. It is responsible for integrating,
processing, and coordinating sensory data and motor commands.
13. What is the function of the Somatic Nervous System?
A) Regulates involuntary functions like heart rate
B) Conveys information from CNS to skeletal muscle
C) Controls the "fight or flight" response
D) Manages the "rest and digest" functions
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The somatic nervous system is a part of the peripheral nervous system
