COMPREHENSIVE FINAL EXAM QUESTIONS
WITH CORRECT ANSWERS 2026-2027
1. The nurse notes that a patient isSnot able to voluntary move the right arm. Which part of the brai
n should the nurse suspect is affected in this patient?
a. Cerebellum
b. Frontal lobe
c. Parietal lobe
d. Hypothalamus - CORRECT ANSWER -ANS: B
The frontal lobes contain the motor areas that generate the impulses that bring about voluntary moveme
nt. Each motor area controls movement on the opposite side of the body. C. The parietal lobes contain th
e general sensory areas for the cutaneous senses, conscious muscle sense (proprioception), and taste (gu
station). D. The hypothalamus has varied functions. A. The functions of the cerebellum are concerned wit
h the involuntary aspects of voluntary movement: coordination, the appropriate direction and endpoint o
f movements, and the maintenance of posture and balance or equilibrium.
2. A patient is diagnosed with a health problem that alters the way impulses are conducted in the ne
urological system. When reviewing this information with the patient, which part of a neuron should the n
urse teach carriesSimpulses toward the cell body?
a. Axon
b. Dendrite
c. Schwann cell
d. Myelin sheath - CORRECT ANSWER -ANS: B
ASneuron may have one or many dendrites, which are extensions that carry impulses toward the cell body
. A. A neuron has one axon that transmits impulses away from the cell body. C. In the peripheral nervous s
ystem, axons and dendritesSare wrapped in specialized neuroglial cells called Schwann cells. The concentr
ic layers of cell membrane of a Schwann cells plasma membrane form the myelin sheath. D. Myelin is a ph
ospholipid that electrically insulates neurons from one another.
3. The nurse is reviewing the vital sign measurements for a patient with a neurological problem. Wh
en analyzing these measurements what should the nurse recall as the part of the brain that regulates hea
rt rate and blood pressure?
a. Medulla
b. Cerebrum
c. Cerebellum
,d. Hypothalamus - CORRECT ANSWER -ANS: A
Within the medulla are cardiac centers that regulate heart rate, respiratory centers that regulate breathin
g, and vasomotor centers that regulate the diameter of blood vessels and therefore blood pressure. B. D.
The hypothalamus and cerebrum have varied functions. C. The functions of the cerebellum are concerne
d with the involuntary aspects of voluntary movement: coordination, the appropriate direction and endp
oint of movements, and the maintenance of posture and balance or equilibrium.
4. The nurse is preparingSmaterial about impulse transmission to help with a presentation on the ne
urological system. When discussing spinal nerves, the nurse will include thatSeach spinal nerve is made up
of the dorsal root and which other root?
a. Medial
b. Lateral
c. Ventral
d. Proximal - CORRECT ANSWER -ANS: C
Each spinal nerve has two roots, which are neurons entering or leaving the spinal cord. The dorsal root is
made of sensory neurons that carry impulses into the spinal cord. The dorsal root ganglion is an enlargem
ent of this root that contains the cell bodies of these sensory neurons. The ventral root is the motor root;
it is made of motor neurons that carry impulses from the spinal cord to muscles or glands. (Their cell bodi
es are in the gray matter of the spinal cord.) When the two roots merge, the nerve thus formed is a mixed
nerve. A. B. D. Medial, lateral, and proximal are not parts of a spinal nerve
5. The nurse is explaining the transmission of nerve impulses to a patient with a spinal cord injury.
WhatSshould the nurse explain as the structure that carries nerve impulses at synapses?
a. Cell membrane
b. Depolarizations
c. Schwanns cells
d. Neurotransmitters - CORRECT ANSWER -ANS: D
The end of the axon is called the synaptic end bulb and contains a chemical neurotransmitter that is relea
sed into the synapse by the arrival of the electrical impulse. The neurotransmitter diffuses across the syna
pse and combines with specific receptor sites on the postsynaptic membrane. At excitatory synapses, the
neurotransmitter makes the postsynaptic membrane more permeable to sodium ions, which rush into th
e cell, initiating an electrical impulse on the membrane of the postsynaptic neuron. A. B. C. Schwann cells,
depolarization, and cell membranes are part of the neuron and its function, not the synapse.
, 6. A patientSlearns that abdominal pain is originating from the liver. The nurse should explain to the
patient that the impulses from receptors in the internal organs to the central nervous system are transmit
ted from which type of neurons?
a. Interneurons
b. Efferent neurons
c. Somatic sensory neurons
d. Visceral sensory neurons - CORRECT ANSWER -ANS: D
Sensory neurons from receptors in internal organsSare called visceral sensory neurons. C. Sensory neuron
s from receptors in the skin, skeletal muscles, and joints are called somatic. B. Motor (efferent) neurons tr
ansmit impulses from the central nervous system to effectorsthat is, muscles and glands. A. Interneurons
are found entirely within the central nervousSsystem.
7. The nurse is reviewing the results of a patients diagnostic tests which show changes in nerve insul
ation. What structure should the nurse explain to the patient that electrically insulates neurons?
a. Astrocytes
b. Gray matter
c. Interneurons
d. Myelin sheath - CORRECT ANSWER -ANS: D
Myelin is a phospholipid sheath that electrically insulates neurons from one another. B. C. The gray matte
r is where the cell bodies of motor neurons and interneurons are located. A. Astrocytes are part of the ne
uroglia.
8. The nurse notes that a patient has a history of falling. Which part of the brain should the nurse qu
estion as being affected in this patient?
a. Medulla
b. Cerebellum
c. Frontal lobes
d. Hypothalamus - CORRECT ANSWER -ANS: B
The functions of the cerebellum are concerned with the involuntary aspects of voluntary movement: coor
dination, the appropriate direction and endpoint of movements, and the maintenance of posture and bal
ance or equilibrium. C. The frontal lobes contain the motor areas that generate the impulses that bringSab
out voluntary movement. Each motor area controls movement on the opposite side of the body. The fron
tal lobes contain the motor areas that generate the impulses that bring about voluntary movement. D. Th
e hypothalamus has many functions. A. The medulla regulates the most vital life functions.
WITH CORRECT ANSWERS 2026-2027
1. The nurse notes that a patient isSnot able to voluntary move the right arm. Which part of the brai
n should the nurse suspect is affected in this patient?
a. Cerebellum
b. Frontal lobe
c. Parietal lobe
d. Hypothalamus - CORRECT ANSWER -ANS: B
The frontal lobes contain the motor areas that generate the impulses that bring about voluntary moveme
nt. Each motor area controls movement on the opposite side of the body. C. The parietal lobes contain th
e general sensory areas for the cutaneous senses, conscious muscle sense (proprioception), and taste (gu
station). D. The hypothalamus has varied functions. A. The functions of the cerebellum are concerned wit
h the involuntary aspects of voluntary movement: coordination, the appropriate direction and endpoint o
f movements, and the maintenance of posture and balance or equilibrium.
2. A patient is diagnosed with a health problem that alters the way impulses are conducted in the ne
urological system. When reviewing this information with the patient, which part of a neuron should the n
urse teach carriesSimpulses toward the cell body?
a. Axon
b. Dendrite
c. Schwann cell
d. Myelin sheath - CORRECT ANSWER -ANS: B
ASneuron may have one or many dendrites, which are extensions that carry impulses toward the cell body
. A. A neuron has one axon that transmits impulses away from the cell body. C. In the peripheral nervous s
ystem, axons and dendritesSare wrapped in specialized neuroglial cells called Schwann cells. The concentr
ic layers of cell membrane of a Schwann cells plasma membrane form the myelin sheath. D. Myelin is a ph
ospholipid that electrically insulates neurons from one another.
3. The nurse is reviewing the vital sign measurements for a patient with a neurological problem. Wh
en analyzing these measurements what should the nurse recall as the part of the brain that regulates hea
rt rate and blood pressure?
a. Medulla
b. Cerebrum
c. Cerebellum
,d. Hypothalamus - CORRECT ANSWER -ANS: A
Within the medulla are cardiac centers that regulate heart rate, respiratory centers that regulate breathin
g, and vasomotor centers that regulate the diameter of blood vessels and therefore blood pressure. B. D.
The hypothalamus and cerebrum have varied functions. C. The functions of the cerebellum are concerne
d with the involuntary aspects of voluntary movement: coordination, the appropriate direction and endp
oint of movements, and the maintenance of posture and balance or equilibrium.
4. The nurse is preparingSmaterial about impulse transmission to help with a presentation on the ne
urological system. When discussing spinal nerves, the nurse will include thatSeach spinal nerve is made up
of the dorsal root and which other root?
a. Medial
b. Lateral
c. Ventral
d. Proximal - CORRECT ANSWER -ANS: C
Each spinal nerve has two roots, which are neurons entering or leaving the spinal cord. The dorsal root is
made of sensory neurons that carry impulses into the spinal cord. The dorsal root ganglion is an enlargem
ent of this root that contains the cell bodies of these sensory neurons. The ventral root is the motor root;
it is made of motor neurons that carry impulses from the spinal cord to muscles or glands. (Their cell bodi
es are in the gray matter of the spinal cord.) When the two roots merge, the nerve thus formed is a mixed
nerve. A. B. D. Medial, lateral, and proximal are not parts of a spinal nerve
5. The nurse is explaining the transmission of nerve impulses to a patient with a spinal cord injury.
WhatSshould the nurse explain as the structure that carries nerve impulses at synapses?
a. Cell membrane
b. Depolarizations
c. Schwanns cells
d. Neurotransmitters - CORRECT ANSWER -ANS: D
The end of the axon is called the synaptic end bulb and contains a chemical neurotransmitter that is relea
sed into the synapse by the arrival of the electrical impulse. The neurotransmitter diffuses across the syna
pse and combines with specific receptor sites on the postsynaptic membrane. At excitatory synapses, the
neurotransmitter makes the postsynaptic membrane more permeable to sodium ions, which rush into th
e cell, initiating an electrical impulse on the membrane of the postsynaptic neuron. A. B. C. Schwann cells,
depolarization, and cell membranes are part of the neuron and its function, not the synapse.
, 6. A patientSlearns that abdominal pain is originating from the liver. The nurse should explain to the
patient that the impulses from receptors in the internal organs to the central nervous system are transmit
ted from which type of neurons?
a. Interneurons
b. Efferent neurons
c. Somatic sensory neurons
d. Visceral sensory neurons - CORRECT ANSWER -ANS: D
Sensory neurons from receptors in internal organsSare called visceral sensory neurons. C. Sensory neuron
s from receptors in the skin, skeletal muscles, and joints are called somatic. B. Motor (efferent) neurons tr
ansmit impulses from the central nervous system to effectorsthat is, muscles and glands. A. Interneurons
are found entirely within the central nervousSsystem.
7. The nurse is reviewing the results of a patients diagnostic tests which show changes in nerve insul
ation. What structure should the nurse explain to the patient that electrically insulates neurons?
a. Astrocytes
b. Gray matter
c. Interneurons
d. Myelin sheath - CORRECT ANSWER -ANS: D
Myelin is a phospholipid sheath that electrically insulates neurons from one another. B. C. The gray matte
r is where the cell bodies of motor neurons and interneurons are located. A. Astrocytes are part of the ne
uroglia.
8. The nurse notes that a patient has a history of falling. Which part of the brain should the nurse qu
estion as being affected in this patient?
a. Medulla
b. Cerebellum
c. Frontal lobes
d. Hypothalamus - CORRECT ANSWER -ANS: B
The functions of the cerebellum are concerned with the involuntary aspects of voluntary movement: coor
dination, the appropriate direction and endpoint of movements, and the maintenance of posture and bal
ance or equilibrium. C. The frontal lobes contain the motor areas that generate the impulses that bringSab
out voluntary movement. Each motor area controls movement on the opposite side of the body. The fron
tal lobes contain the motor areas that generate the impulses that bring about voluntary movement. D. Th
e hypothalamus has many functions. A. The medulla regulates the most vital life functions.
