OCCTH 585 Neuro UPDATED ACTUAL
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
How do we know the brain is capable of being changed? - CORRECT ANSWER - 1. Skill
acquisition: our brain layout must change to allow for the acquisition of new capabilities
2. nervous system develops as you grow
3. aging: after age 21 we start to lose neurons so the neurons left over will adapt to pick up the
slack
4. Nervous system changes following injury or disease
5. Recovery: the brain will go through neuroplasticity to optimize what it has left
The main communicating cells of the nervous system are: - CORRECT ANSWER -
neurons
In what ways does neuroplasticity occur? - CORRECT ANSWER - 1. change in the
properties of neurotransmission via a change in PSP size or shape and/or a change in the
transmitter released
2. changing the cell properties by changing the size/shape of the cell, it's electrical
properties/resistance and/or leakiness of the membrane
3. structural changes in the cell
Describe the process of unmasking - CORRECT ANSWER - the process of exposing
present synapses that were previously silent
You're working on reducing a recent lower limb amputee's phantom limb pain when they ask you
the reason for why they still feel sensation in a limb that is no longer there. What phenomenon is
the likely cause and how would you explain it? - CORRECT ANSWER - They are
experiencing unmasking. I would inform them that while they are no longer getting sensory input
from that limb, there are neurons in that cortical area of the brain that have now been exposed.
These neurons receive inputs from other areas of the body which result in the the sensation felt
by the amputated limb.
,Describe the process of dendritic pruning - CORRECT ANSWER - If a neuron loses
inputs from a cell following disease or injury and the vacant spots are not filled, the dendrites
will begin to retract causing changes to the cell's shape/size and thus its behaviour
compare and contrast unmasking vs dendritic pruning - CORRECT ANSWER -
unmasking occurs immediately and results in functional changes to the cells that influence its
behaviour
dendritie pruning occurs over time and results in a loss of SA, brain mass, and changes to the
shape/size of the cell which leads to changes in behaviour
Simply put, collateral sprouting is... - CORRECT ANSWER - growth of new synapses
onto a cell
When a neuron has vacant real estate, this space will emit a chemical signal and nearby cells will
begin to form synapses towards those vacancies, what is this process called? - CORRECT
ANSWER - collateral sprouting
Provide characteristics of collateral sprouting - CORRECT ANSWER - - requires time to
grow new tissue
- may or may not fill vacant space in the nervous sytem
- is activity dependent (more active neurons= more collaterals)
- produces functional changes as they provide more inputs leading to domination of a cell
Neurogenesis - CORRECT ANSWER - growth of new neurons
T/F: Adults can't generate new neurons in the central nervous system. Explain - CORRECT
ANSWER - False. Adults can generate new neurons in very limited anatomical regions
such as the hippocampus, lateral ventricle, and cortex
, How are neurons involved in learning and memory - CORRECT ANSWER - we change
the structure of synapses to retain memory and go through new learning when we want to forget
memories
- cells only live for a couple months before they get turned over
Is it possible to use neurogenesis for long term neurological recovery? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Not yet. Neurogenesis happens in a fixed pattern and cells go through a
lifetime of learning and experience to get them to where they are. It would be difficult to take a
generic cell and plop it into a system that requires it to do a specific task. May also cause chaos
to the system
Why are we unable to grow collaterals across a great distance? - CORRECT ANSWER -
the farther from a target you get, the more diffused and diluted the chemical signals get making it
unnoticeable after a certain point. There are also various barriers and obstacles that get in the
way.
T/F a neuron must be active for collateral sprouting to occur. Defend your answer - CORRECT
ANSWER - True. The cell must be able to take up the chemical being released by the
vacant space and it will only achieve this when an AP occurs.
(blank) are released from (blank) to stabilize the position of a synapse - CORRECT
ANSWER - neurotrophins; dendritic spine
How does a dendritic spine that finds a synapse closer to the cell body behave? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Since it's closer to the cell body it will ahve a stronger E/IPSP and reduced
likelihood of the current leaking out
when a neuron emits growth cues, why doesn't every axon grow towards that neuron? Why do
some repel? - CORRECT ANSWER - axons that respond to the growth cue have the
specific receptor molecule that enables them to read and receive that growth cue
axons that repel from the growth cue have growth repellent receptors that tell them to grow away
from the target
Exam Questions and CORRECT Answers
How do we know the brain is capable of being changed? - CORRECT ANSWER - 1. Skill
acquisition: our brain layout must change to allow for the acquisition of new capabilities
2. nervous system develops as you grow
3. aging: after age 21 we start to lose neurons so the neurons left over will adapt to pick up the
slack
4. Nervous system changes following injury or disease
5. Recovery: the brain will go through neuroplasticity to optimize what it has left
The main communicating cells of the nervous system are: - CORRECT ANSWER -
neurons
In what ways does neuroplasticity occur? - CORRECT ANSWER - 1. change in the
properties of neurotransmission via a change in PSP size or shape and/or a change in the
transmitter released
2. changing the cell properties by changing the size/shape of the cell, it's electrical
properties/resistance and/or leakiness of the membrane
3. structural changes in the cell
Describe the process of unmasking - CORRECT ANSWER - the process of exposing
present synapses that were previously silent
You're working on reducing a recent lower limb amputee's phantom limb pain when they ask you
the reason for why they still feel sensation in a limb that is no longer there. What phenomenon is
the likely cause and how would you explain it? - CORRECT ANSWER - They are
experiencing unmasking. I would inform them that while they are no longer getting sensory input
from that limb, there are neurons in that cortical area of the brain that have now been exposed.
These neurons receive inputs from other areas of the body which result in the the sensation felt
by the amputated limb.
,Describe the process of dendritic pruning - CORRECT ANSWER - If a neuron loses
inputs from a cell following disease or injury and the vacant spots are not filled, the dendrites
will begin to retract causing changes to the cell's shape/size and thus its behaviour
compare and contrast unmasking vs dendritic pruning - CORRECT ANSWER -
unmasking occurs immediately and results in functional changes to the cells that influence its
behaviour
dendritie pruning occurs over time and results in a loss of SA, brain mass, and changes to the
shape/size of the cell which leads to changes in behaviour
Simply put, collateral sprouting is... - CORRECT ANSWER - growth of new synapses
onto a cell
When a neuron has vacant real estate, this space will emit a chemical signal and nearby cells will
begin to form synapses towards those vacancies, what is this process called? - CORRECT
ANSWER - collateral sprouting
Provide characteristics of collateral sprouting - CORRECT ANSWER - - requires time to
grow new tissue
- may or may not fill vacant space in the nervous sytem
- is activity dependent (more active neurons= more collaterals)
- produces functional changes as they provide more inputs leading to domination of a cell
Neurogenesis - CORRECT ANSWER - growth of new neurons
T/F: Adults can't generate new neurons in the central nervous system. Explain - CORRECT
ANSWER - False. Adults can generate new neurons in very limited anatomical regions
such as the hippocampus, lateral ventricle, and cortex
, How are neurons involved in learning and memory - CORRECT ANSWER - we change
the structure of synapses to retain memory and go through new learning when we want to forget
memories
- cells only live for a couple months before they get turned over
Is it possible to use neurogenesis for long term neurological recovery? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Not yet. Neurogenesis happens in a fixed pattern and cells go through a
lifetime of learning and experience to get them to where they are. It would be difficult to take a
generic cell and plop it into a system that requires it to do a specific task. May also cause chaos
to the system
Why are we unable to grow collaterals across a great distance? - CORRECT ANSWER -
the farther from a target you get, the more diffused and diluted the chemical signals get making it
unnoticeable after a certain point. There are also various barriers and obstacles that get in the
way.
T/F a neuron must be active for collateral sprouting to occur. Defend your answer - CORRECT
ANSWER - True. The cell must be able to take up the chemical being released by the
vacant space and it will only achieve this when an AP occurs.
(blank) are released from (blank) to stabilize the position of a synapse - CORRECT
ANSWER - neurotrophins; dendritic spine
How does a dendritic spine that finds a synapse closer to the cell body behave? - CORRECT
ANSWER - Since it's closer to the cell body it will ahve a stronger E/IPSP and reduced
likelihood of the current leaking out
when a neuron emits growth cues, why doesn't every axon grow towards that neuron? Why do
some repel? - CORRECT ANSWER - axons that respond to the growth cue have the
specific receptor molecule that enables them to read and receive that growth cue
axons that repel from the growth cue have growth repellent receptors that tell them to grow away
from the target
