Page 1 of 45
THE MIND’S MACHINE: FOUNDATIONS OF BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR, 5TH EDITION
(WATSON & BREEDLOVE)-- COMPREHENSIVE —EXAM QUESTIONS LATEST EDITION
2026 – 2027 VERSION SOLVED QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Q1. Dendrites are best described as which of the following?
A. A type of glial cell.
B. The input zone of a nerve cell.
C. The conduction zone of a nerve cell.
D. Small interneurons.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Dendrites are the input zone of a neuron, receiving synaptic signals from
other neurons .
Q2. Which pathway represents the most common sequence of information flow
through a neuron?
A. Cell body → axon → dendrite → axon terminal
B. Dendrite → cell body → axon → axon hillock
C. Dendrite → cell body → axon → axon terminal
D. Dendrite → axon terminal → cell body → axon
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Information flows from dendrites (input) to the cell body (integration), then
along the axon (conduction), and finally to the axon terminals (output) .
Q3. Which statement about neurons is true?
A. All neurons have the same four functional zones.
B. Multipolar neurons can have many dendrites and many axons.
C. Some interneurons lack a nucleus.
D. Unipolar neurons are especially common in the visual system.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Despite morphological diversity, all neurons share four functional zones:
input, integration, conduction, and output .
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Q4. Preventing the formation of which structure would decrease the space
available for synapses on dendrites?
A. Synaptic vesicles
B. Dendritic spines
C. The myelin sheath
D. The axon hillock
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Dendritic spines are small protrusions that increase surface area for synaptic
connections; more spines mean more space for synapses .
Q5. Neurons receive information from other neurons at the ______ zone through
cellular extensions called ______.
A. integration; hillock
B. input; dendrites
C. conduction; axon
D. output; terminal
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The input zone comprises dendrites, which receive synaptic signals .
Q6. Axon terminals typically form synapses on the cell body or dendrites of a(n):
A. Postsynaptic neuron.
B. Presynaptic neuron.
C. Oligodendrocyte.
D. Schwann cell.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Axon terminals transmit signals across the synaptic cleft to the postsynaptic
neuron .
Q7. In standard neuroanatomical terminology, a structure described as 'rostral' is
located toward the:
A. Tail end of the nervous system.
B. Head end / nose end of the nervous system.
C. Top of the brain (skull surface).
D. Belly side of the body.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Rostral derives from the Latin for 'beak' or 'nose' and points toward the front
of the head .
Q8. A brain section that divides the brain into left and right halves is called a:
A. Horizontal (axial) section.
B. Coronal (frontal) section.
C. Sagittal section.
D. Transverse section of the spinal cord.
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Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A sagittal section is a vertical plane that divides the brain into left and right
portions .
Q9. Which of the following best describes the function of the myelin sheath?
A. It increases the speed of neural conduction.
B. It produces neurotransmitters.
C. It provides structural support to dendrites.
D. It filters cerebrospinal fluid.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Myelin insulates axons, increasing conduction velocity through saltatory
conduction .
Q10. A researcher wants to determine whether a specific brain region is necessary
for a particular memory task. Which approach provides the strongest causal
evidence?
A. fMRI during the task.
B. EEG during the task.
C. A lesion study or reversible inactivation of the region.
D. PET during the task.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Lesion studies or reversible inactivation can establish whether a brain region
is necessary (causal) for a behaviour.
Q11. Which technique measures the brain's electrical activity with high temporal
resolution by recording from electrodes placed on the scalp?
A. fMRI
B. PET
C. EEG
D. MRI
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: EEG records summed electrical activity with millisecond temporal
resolution.
Q12. Which of the following is an advantage of non-invasive imaging techniques
like fMRI over lesion studies?
A. They can be used in healthy human participants without damaging brain tissue.
B. They provide better causal evidence than lesion studies.
C. They have higher temporal resolution than single-unit recording.
D. They are less expensive.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Non-invasive imaging allows study of healthy humans, avoiding the ethical
and practical limitations of experimental lesions.
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Q13. The term 'contralateral' refers to:
A. The same side of the body.
B. The opposite side of the body.
C. Toward the midline.
D. Away from the midline.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Contralateral means on the opposite side (e.g., left hemisphere controls right
hand).
Q14. Which of the following best describes the function of the blood-brain barrier?
A. It allows free passage of all drugs into the brain.
B. It restricts the entry of many substances into the CNS based on size, charge, and lipid
solubility.
C. It produces cerebrospinal fluid.
D. It conducts action potentials.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The blood-brain barrier, formed by tight junctions between endothelial cells,
restricts entry of many substances into the CNS.
Chapter 2: Neurophysiology – Generation, Transmission, and Integration of Neural
Signals (Q15–Q28)
Q15. The resting membrane potential of a typical neuron is closest to the
equilibrium potential of which ion?
A. Na⁺
B. K⁺
C. Ca²⁺
D. Cl⁻
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Because the resting membrane is most permeable to K⁺, the resting potential
is close to the K⁺ equilibrium potential.
Q16. The rising phase (depolarization) of an action potential is primarily caused by:
A. Efflux of K⁺ through voltage-gated K⁺ channels.
B. Influx of Na⁺ through voltage-gated Na⁺ channels.
C. Influx of Ca²⁺ through voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channels.
D. Influx of Cl⁻ through ligand-gated Cl⁻ channels.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Depolarization to threshold opens voltage-gated Na⁺ channels, causing rapid
Na⁺ influx.
THE MIND’S MACHINE: FOUNDATIONS OF BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR, 5TH EDITION
(WATSON & BREEDLOVE)-- COMPREHENSIVE —EXAM QUESTIONS LATEST EDITION
2026 – 2027 VERSION SOLVED QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
Q1. Dendrites are best described as which of the following?
A. A type of glial cell.
B. The input zone of a nerve cell.
C. The conduction zone of a nerve cell.
D. Small interneurons.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Dendrites are the input zone of a neuron, receiving synaptic signals from
other neurons .
Q2. Which pathway represents the most common sequence of information flow
through a neuron?
A. Cell body → axon → dendrite → axon terminal
B. Dendrite → cell body → axon → axon hillock
C. Dendrite → cell body → axon → axon terminal
D. Dendrite → axon terminal → cell body → axon
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Information flows from dendrites (input) to the cell body (integration), then
along the axon (conduction), and finally to the axon terminals (output) .
Q3. Which statement about neurons is true?
A. All neurons have the same four functional zones.
B. Multipolar neurons can have many dendrites and many axons.
C. Some interneurons lack a nucleus.
D. Unipolar neurons are especially common in the visual system.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Despite morphological diversity, all neurons share four functional zones:
input, integration, conduction, and output .
, Page 2 of 45
Q4. Preventing the formation of which structure would decrease the space
available for synapses on dendrites?
A. Synaptic vesicles
B. Dendritic spines
C. The myelin sheath
D. The axon hillock
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Dendritic spines are small protrusions that increase surface area for synaptic
connections; more spines mean more space for synapses .
Q5. Neurons receive information from other neurons at the ______ zone through
cellular extensions called ______.
A. integration; hillock
B. input; dendrites
C. conduction; axon
D. output; terminal
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The input zone comprises dendrites, which receive synaptic signals .
Q6. Axon terminals typically form synapses on the cell body or dendrites of a(n):
A. Postsynaptic neuron.
B. Presynaptic neuron.
C. Oligodendrocyte.
D. Schwann cell.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Axon terminals transmit signals across the synaptic cleft to the postsynaptic
neuron .
Q7. In standard neuroanatomical terminology, a structure described as 'rostral' is
located toward the:
A. Tail end of the nervous system.
B. Head end / nose end of the nervous system.
C. Top of the brain (skull surface).
D. Belly side of the body.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Rostral derives from the Latin for 'beak' or 'nose' and points toward the front
of the head .
Q8. A brain section that divides the brain into left and right halves is called a:
A. Horizontal (axial) section.
B. Coronal (frontal) section.
C. Sagittal section.
D. Transverse section of the spinal cord.
, Page 3 of 45
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: A sagittal section is a vertical plane that divides the brain into left and right
portions .
Q9. Which of the following best describes the function of the myelin sheath?
A. It increases the speed of neural conduction.
B. It produces neurotransmitters.
C. It provides structural support to dendrites.
D. It filters cerebrospinal fluid.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Myelin insulates axons, increasing conduction velocity through saltatory
conduction .
Q10. A researcher wants to determine whether a specific brain region is necessary
for a particular memory task. Which approach provides the strongest causal
evidence?
A. fMRI during the task.
B. EEG during the task.
C. A lesion study or reversible inactivation of the region.
D. PET during the task.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Lesion studies or reversible inactivation can establish whether a brain region
is necessary (causal) for a behaviour.
Q11. Which technique measures the brain's electrical activity with high temporal
resolution by recording from electrodes placed on the scalp?
A. fMRI
B. PET
C. EEG
D. MRI
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: EEG records summed electrical activity with millisecond temporal
resolution.
Q12. Which of the following is an advantage of non-invasive imaging techniques
like fMRI over lesion studies?
A. They can be used in healthy human participants without damaging brain tissue.
B. They provide better causal evidence than lesion studies.
C. They have higher temporal resolution than single-unit recording.
D. They are less expensive.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Non-invasive imaging allows study of healthy humans, avoiding the ethical
and practical limitations of experimental lesions.
, Page 4 of 45
Q13. The term 'contralateral' refers to:
A. The same side of the body.
B. The opposite side of the body.
C. Toward the midline.
D. Away from the midline.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Contralateral means on the opposite side (e.g., left hemisphere controls right
hand).
Q14. Which of the following best describes the function of the blood-brain barrier?
A. It allows free passage of all drugs into the brain.
B. It restricts the entry of many substances into the CNS based on size, charge, and lipid
solubility.
C. It produces cerebrospinal fluid.
D. It conducts action potentials.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The blood-brain barrier, formed by tight junctions between endothelial cells,
restricts entry of many substances into the CNS.
Chapter 2: Neurophysiology – Generation, Transmission, and Integration of Neural
Signals (Q15–Q28)
Q15. The resting membrane potential of a typical neuron is closest to the
equilibrium potential of which ion?
A. Na⁺
B. K⁺
C. Ca²⁺
D. Cl⁻
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Because the resting membrane is most permeable to K⁺, the resting potential
is close to the K⁺ equilibrium potential.
Q16. The rising phase (depolarization) of an action potential is primarily caused by:
A. Efflux of K⁺ through voltage-gated K⁺ channels.
B. Influx of Na⁺ through voltage-gated Na⁺ channels.
C. Influx of Ca²⁺ through voltage-gated Ca²⁺ channels.
D. Influx of Cl⁻ through ligand-gated Cl⁻ channels.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Depolarization to threshold opens voltage-gated Na⁺ channels, causing rapid
Na⁺ influx.
