& Physiology Practice Questions, Study
Guide & Detailed Answers | 2026 Update
SECTION 1: BASIC STRUCTURE & FUNCTION (Questions 1-
20)
Question 1
Which of the following cells produces myelin in the peripheral nervous system (PNS)?
A) Oligodendrocyte
B) Astrocyte
C) Schwann cell
D) Microglia
Answer: C) Schwann cell
Rationale: Schwann cells myelinate axons in the PNS. Oligodendrocytes perform this
function in the CNS. Astrocytes support the blood-brain barrier, and microglia are
phagocytic cells .
,Question 2
The part of a neuron that conducts electrical impulses away from the cell body is the:
A) Dendrite
B) Axon
C) Soma
D) Synaptic cleft
Answer: B) Axon
Rationale: The axon is a long fiber that carries action potentials away from the cell body
(soma) toward other neurons, muscles, or glands. Dendrites receive signals, and the
synaptic cleft is the gap between neurons .
Question 3
Which structure carries nerve impulses away from the cell body?
A) Dendrite
B) Nucleus
C) Axon
D) Myelin sheath
,Answer: C) Axon
Rationale: A helpful mnemonic is "Axon = Away." Axons transmit impulses away from the
cell body, while dendrites receive incoming signals .
Question 4
Which neuron structure receives incoming signals?
A) Axon
B) Cell body
C) Dendrites
D) Myelin sheath
Answer: C) Dendrites
Rationale: Dendrites are branched projections that act as the primary site for receiving
signals from other neurons. Think of dendrites as "doors" that let signals into the neuron .
Question 5
What is the basic functional unit of the nervous system?
A) Neuron
B) Dendrite
, C) Axon
D) Synapse
Answer: A) Neuron
Rationale: The neuron is the fundamental unit that transmits electrical and chemical
signals, making it the basic functional unit of the nervous system .
Question 6
Which of the following correctly describes the flow of information within a neuron?
A) Axon → Dendrite → Cell body → Synaptic terminal
B) Dendrite → Cell body → Axon → Synaptic terminal
C) Cell body → Dendrite → Axon → Synaptic terminal
D) Synaptic terminal → Axon → Cell body → Dendrite
Answer: B) Dendrite → Cell body → Axon → Synaptic terminal
Rationale: Signals always travel one direction within a neuron: dendrites receive, cell body
integrates, axon transmits, and synaptic terminals release neurotransmitters .
Question 7