CDIS 421 Neuroanatomy Study Guide Exam
Questions And 100% Correct Answers
Chromatolysis - ANSWER Occurs when a cell is injured and the cell body swells and
shifts its nucleus to the periphery.
Commissural fibers - ANSWER Fibers that connect one hemisphere to another.
Saltatory conduction - ANSWER Occurs when an impulse jumps from node to node on
an axon.
Horizontal slice - ANSWER (or slice) of the brain separates the top from the bottom.
2 neuron reflex arc (monosynaptic) - ANSWER Simplest type of nerve pathway, involves
sensory and motor neuron; sensory input goes directly to the motor neuron with no
interneuron; ex: knee jerk.
2 types of visual receptors (photoreceptors) - ANSWER Rods and cones.
3 neuron reflex arc (polysynaptic) - ANSWER Involves sensory, motor and interneuron;
sensory information comes in through the dorsal root; in addition to being sent to brain,
stimulus is sent to an interneuron in gray matter of spinal cord; ex: withdrawal reflex.
Transient ischemic attack - ANSWER A temporary interruption in blood flow to the brain.
Embolism - ANSWER A clot that moves through the arterial system until it gets to an
artery too small for it to get through and gets stuck.
,Posterior lobe lesion - ANSWER A disruption of planning and coordination of motor
movements is most likely due to a lesion of the posterior lobe.
Contralateral visual field lesion - ANSWER A lesion after the optic chiasm affects the
contralateral visual field.
Basal ganglia lesion - ANSWER A lesion in the right basal ganglia would affect
movement in the left side of the body.
Cerebellum lesion - ANSWER A lesion in the right portion of the cerebellum would affect
movement in the right side of the body.
Left optic nerve lesion - ANSWER A lesion on the left optic nerve takes out the left visual
field (blind in left eye).
Bipolar neuron - ANSWER A neuron that has one dendrite and one axon.
Multipolar neuron - ANSWER A neuron that has two dendrites and one axon.
Unilateral and ipsilateral symptoms - ANSWER A patient has a lesion in the right
hemisphere with signs and symptoms observed on the right half of the body.
Neuroplasticity - ANSWER The brain's ability to reorganize function, as seen in a patient
with a lesion to the left inferior parietal lobule who improves written language abilities.
Right oculomotor nerve lesion - ANSWER The most likely location of the lesion when the
right pupil does not react to light but the left pupil does.
Gag reflex - ANSWER A reflex that requires sensory input transmitted by the
glossopharyngeal IX nerve and motor response transmitted by the vagus X nerve.
, Spastic hemiplegia - ANSWER A state of paralysis with hypertonia, exaggerated
reflexes, and clasp-knife rigidity on one side of the body.
Stretch reflex - ANSWER A stimulus causes a muscle spindle to be activated, sending
information to motor neurons without an intervening interneuron, which causes a quick
muscle contraction.
Nucleus and ganglion - ANSWER A well-defined collection of nerve cells in the CNS is
called a nucleus; a similar collection of cells in the PNS is called a ganglion.
Abducen VI - ANSWER Moves eyeball.
Accessory XI - ANSWER Head turning and shrugging shoulders (motor).
Acetylcholine - ANSWER A neurotransmitter that enables learning and memory and also
triggers muscle contraction.
Action potential - ANSWER A nerve impulse; a stimulus causes sodium gates to open;
+30/40mV.
Afferent - ANSWER Conduction of nerve impulses toward the CNS (sensory).
Agnosia - ANSWER The inability to recognize what you are touching even though you
can feel it.
Hypoglossal XII - ANSWER All of the tongue muscles, intrinsic and extrinsic, are
innervated by the hypoglossal XII.
Anterolateral system (ALS) - ANSWER These fibers ascend in the anterior and lateral
aspects of the spinal cord.
Questions And 100% Correct Answers
Chromatolysis - ANSWER Occurs when a cell is injured and the cell body swells and
shifts its nucleus to the periphery.
Commissural fibers - ANSWER Fibers that connect one hemisphere to another.
Saltatory conduction - ANSWER Occurs when an impulse jumps from node to node on
an axon.
Horizontal slice - ANSWER (or slice) of the brain separates the top from the bottom.
2 neuron reflex arc (monosynaptic) - ANSWER Simplest type of nerve pathway, involves
sensory and motor neuron; sensory input goes directly to the motor neuron with no
interneuron; ex: knee jerk.
2 types of visual receptors (photoreceptors) - ANSWER Rods and cones.
3 neuron reflex arc (polysynaptic) - ANSWER Involves sensory, motor and interneuron;
sensory information comes in through the dorsal root; in addition to being sent to brain,
stimulus is sent to an interneuron in gray matter of spinal cord; ex: withdrawal reflex.
Transient ischemic attack - ANSWER A temporary interruption in blood flow to the brain.
Embolism - ANSWER A clot that moves through the arterial system until it gets to an
artery too small for it to get through and gets stuck.
,Posterior lobe lesion - ANSWER A disruption of planning and coordination of motor
movements is most likely due to a lesion of the posterior lobe.
Contralateral visual field lesion - ANSWER A lesion after the optic chiasm affects the
contralateral visual field.
Basal ganglia lesion - ANSWER A lesion in the right basal ganglia would affect
movement in the left side of the body.
Cerebellum lesion - ANSWER A lesion in the right portion of the cerebellum would affect
movement in the right side of the body.
Left optic nerve lesion - ANSWER A lesion on the left optic nerve takes out the left visual
field (blind in left eye).
Bipolar neuron - ANSWER A neuron that has one dendrite and one axon.
Multipolar neuron - ANSWER A neuron that has two dendrites and one axon.
Unilateral and ipsilateral symptoms - ANSWER A patient has a lesion in the right
hemisphere with signs and symptoms observed on the right half of the body.
Neuroplasticity - ANSWER The brain's ability to reorganize function, as seen in a patient
with a lesion to the left inferior parietal lobule who improves written language abilities.
Right oculomotor nerve lesion - ANSWER The most likely location of the lesion when the
right pupil does not react to light but the left pupil does.
Gag reflex - ANSWER A reflex that requires sensory input transmitted by the
glossopharyngeal IX nerve and motor response transmitted by the vagus X nerve.
, Spastic hemiplegia - ANSWER A state of paralysis with hypertonia, exaggerated
reflexes, and clasp-knife rigidity on one side of the body.
Stretch reflex - ANSWER A stimulus causes a muscle spindle to be activated, sending
information to motor neurons without an intervening interneuron, which causes a quick
muscle contraction.
Nucleus and ganglion - ANSWER A well-defined collection of nerve cells in the CNS is
called a nucleus; a similar collection of cells in the PNS is called a ganglion.
Abducen VI - ANSWER Moves eyeball.
Accessory XI - ANSWER Head turning and shrugging shoulders (motor).
Acetylcholine - ANSWER A neurotransmitter that enables learning and memory and also
triggers muscle contraction.
Action potential - ANSWER A nerve impulse; a stimulus causes sodium gates to open;
+30/40mV.
Afferent - ANSWER Conduction of nerve impulses toward the CNS (sensory).
Agnosia - ANSWER The inability to recognize what you are touching even though you
can feel it.
Hypoglossal XII - ANSWER All of the tongue muscles, intrinsic and extrinsic, are
innervated by the hypoglossal XII.
Anterolateral system (ALS) - ANSWER These fibers ascend in the anterior and lateral
aspects of the spinal cord.
