1. Q: What neurotransmitter is primarily associated with Parkinson's
disease? ANSWER Dopamine. Parkinson's disease results from
degeneration of dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra.
2. Q: Which brain structure is most critical for the consolidation of new
explicit memories? ANSWER The hippocampus. Damage to this
structure impairs the formation of new declarative memories.
3. Q: What is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central
nervous system? ANSWER GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). It
reduces neuronal excitability throughout the nervous system.
4. Q: Which lobe of the brain is primarily responsible for executive
functions? ANSWER The frontal lobe, specifically the prefrontal
cortex, manages planning, decision-making, and impulse control.
5. Q: What is the function of the corpus callosum? ANSWER It
connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain, allowing
communication between them.
6. Q: Which neurotransmitter is most associated with depression?
ANSWER Serotonin, though norepinephrine and dopamine also play
significant roles in mood regulation.
7. Q: What does the autonomic nervous system control? ANSWER
Involuntary bodily functions such as heart rate, digestion, respiration, and
glandular activity.
8. Q: What is neuroplasticity? ANSWER The brain's ability to
reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life.
9. Q: Which brain structure regulates circadian rhythms? ANSWER
The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the hypothalamus.
10.Q: What is the difference between gray matter and white matter?
ANSWER Gray matter consists of neuronal cell bodies; white matter
consists of myelinated axons that transmit signals.
,11.Q: What role does the amygdala play? ANSWER It processes
emotions, particularly fear and threat detection, and is involved in
emotional memory.
12.Q: What is the blood-brain barrier? ANSWER A selective membrane
that protects the brain from harmful substances while allowing necessary
nutrients to pass.
13.Q: Which neurotransmitter is involved in muscle contraction?
ANSWER Acetylcholine. It transmits signals from motor neurons to
muscle fibers.
14.Q: What is the function of myelin? ANSWER Myelin insulates axons
and increases the speed of neural transmission through saltatory
conduction.
15.Q: What does the reticular activating system (RAS) control?
ANSWER Arousal, wakefulness, and attention. It filters sensory
information going to the cortex.
16.Q: What is hemispheric lateralization? ANSWER The specialization
of function in each hemisphere, with language typically in the left and
spatial processing in the right.
17.Q: What happens during an action potential? ANSWER A rapid
depolarization and repolarization of the neuron's membrane, allowing
signal transmission down the axon.
18.Q: What is the role of the hypothalamus? ANSWER It regulates
homeostasis, including temperature, hunger, thirst, and hormonal control
via the pituitary gland.
19.Q: What are endorphins? ANSWER Natural opioid peptides that
reduce pain perception and can produce feelings of euphoria.
20.Q: What is the thalamus's primary function? ANSWER It serves as a
relay station for sensory information (except smell) going to the cortex.
21.Q: What is synaptic pruning? ANSWER The elimination of unused
neural connections, most active during childhood and adolescence.
22.Q: What does the cerebellum control? ANSWER Motor coordination,
balance, posture, and motor learning.
, 23.Q: What is the difference between afferent and efferent neurons?
ANSWER Afferent neurons carry sensory information to the CNS;
efferent neurons carry motor commands from the CNS.
24.Q: What is the function of glial cells? ANSWER They support,
nourish, and protect neurons, and play roles in neural communication and
immune response.
25.Q: What is the HPA axis? ANSWER The hypothalamic-pituitary-
adrenal axis, which regulates the stress response and cortisol release.
26.Q: What neurotransmitter is associated with schizophrenia?
ANSWER Dopamine. The dopamine hypothesis suggests excessive
dopamine activity contributes to positive symptoms.
27.Q: What is the refractory period in neural transmission? ANSWER
A brief period after an action potential when a neuron cannot fire again,
ensuring one-way signal transmission.
28.Q: What role does the basal ganglia play? ANSWER It's involved in
motor control, procedural learning, habit formation, and reward
processing.
29.Q: What is long-term potentiation (LTP)? ANSWER A persistent
strengthening of synapses based on recent patterns of activity, underlying
learning and memory.
30.Q: What does the sympathetic nervous system do? ANSWER It
activates the "fight or flight" response, increasing heart rate, dilating
pupils, and mobilizing energy.
31.Q: What is the parasympathetic nervous system responsible for?
ANSWER "Rest and digest" functions, promoting relaxation, digestion,
and energy conservation.
32.Q: What are ventricles in the brain? ANSWER Fluid-filled cavities
that contain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which cushions the brain and
removes waste.
33.Q: What is the role of the pituitary gland? ANSWER Often called the
"master gland," it regulates other endocrine glands and produces growth
hormone.
34.Q: What is neurogenesis? ANSWER The formation of new neurons,
which continues in limited areas like the hippocampus throughout
adulthood.
disease? ANSWER Dopamine. Parkinson's disease results from
degeneration of dopamine-producing neurons in the substantia nigra.
2. Q: Which brain structure is most critical for the consolidation of new
explicit memories? ANSWER The hippocampus. Damage to this
structure impairs the formation of new declarative memories.
3. Q: What is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central
nervous system? ANSWER GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). It
reduces neuronal excitability throughout the nervous system.
4. Q: Which lobe of the brain is primarily responsible for executive
functions? ANSWER The frontal lobe, specifically the prefrontal
cortex, manages planning, decision-making, and impulse control.
5. Q: What is the function of the corpus callosum? ANSWER It
connects the left and right hemispheres of the brain, allowing
communication between them.
6. Q: Which neurotransmitter is most associated with depression?
ANSWER Serotonin, though norepinephrine and dopamine also play
significant roles in mood regulation.
7. Q: What does the autonomic nervous system control? ANSWER
Involuntary bodily functions such as heart rate, digestion, respiration, and
glandular activity.
8. Q: What is neuroplasticity? ANSWER The brain's ability to
reorganize itself by forming new neural connections throughout life.
9. Q: Which brain structure regulates circadian rhythms? ANSWER
The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the hypothalamus.
10.Q: What is the difference between gray matter and white matter?
ANSWER Gray matter consists of neuronal cell bodies; white matter
consists of myelinated axons that transmit signals.
,11.Q: What role does the amygdala play? ANSWER It processes
emotions, particularly fear and threat detection, and is involved in
emotional memory.
12.Q: What is the blood-brain barrier? ANSWER A selective membrane
that protects the brain from harmful substances while allowing necessary
nutrients to pass.
13.Q: Which neurotransmitter is involved in muscle contraction?
ANSWER Acetylcholine. It transmits signals from motor neurons to
muscle fibers.
14.Q: What is the function of myelin? ANSWER Myelin insulates axons
and increases the speed of neural transmission through saltatory
conduction.
15.Q: What does the reticular activating system (RAS) control?
ANSWER Arousal, wakefulness, and attention. It filters sensory
information going to the cortex.
16.Q: What is hemispheric lateralization? ANSWER The specialization
of function in each hemisphere, with language typically in the left and
spatial processing in the right.
17.Q: What happens during an action potential? ANSWER A rapid
depolarization and repolarization of the neuron's membrane, allowing
signal transmission down the axon.
18.Q: What is the role of the hypothalamus? ANSWER It regulates
homeostasis, including temperature, hunger, thirst, and hormonal control
via the pituitary gland.
19.Q: What are endorphins? ANSWER Natural opioid peptides that
reduce pain perception and can produce feelings of euphoria.
20.Q: What is the thalamus's primary function? ANSWER It serves as a
relay station for sensory information (except smell) going to the cortex.
21.Q: What is synaptic pruning? ANSWER The elimination of unused
neural connections, most active during childhood and adolescence.
22.Q: What does the cerebellum control? ANSWER Motor coordination,
balance, posture, and motor learning.
, 23.Q: What is the difference between afferent and efferent neurons?
ANSWER Afferent neurons carry sensory information to the CNS;
efferent neurons carry motor commands from the CNS.
24.Q: What is the function of glial cells? ANSWER They support,
nourish, and protect neurons, and play roles in neural communication and
immune response.
25.Q: What is the HPA axis? ANSWER The hypothalamic-pituitary-
adrenal axis, which regulates the stress response and cortisol release.
26.Q: What neurotransmitter is associated with schizophrenia?
ANSWER Dopamine. The dopamine hypothesis suggests excessive
dopamine activity contributes to positive symptoms.
27.Q: What is the refractory period in neural transmission? ANSWER
A brief period after an action potential when a neuron cannot fire again,
ensuring one-way signal transmission.
28.Q: What role does the basal ganglia play? ANSWER It's involved in
motor control, procedural learning, habit formation, and reward
processing.
29.Q: What is long-term potentiation (LTP)? ANSWER A persistent
strengthening of synapses based on recent patterns of activity, underlying
learning and memory.
30.Q: What does the sympathetic nervous system do? ANSWER It
activates the "fight or flight" response, increasing heart rate, dilating
pupils, and mobilizing energy.
31.Q: What is the parasympathetic nervous system responsible for?
ANSWER "Rest and digest" functions, promoting relaxation, digestion,
and energy conservation.
32.Q: What are ventricles in the brain? ANSWER Fluid-filled cavities
that contain cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which cushions the brain and
removes waste.
33.Q: What is the role of the pituitary gland? ANSWER Often called the
"master gland," it regulates other endocrine glands and produces growth
hormone.
34.Q: What is neurogenesis? ANSWER The formation of new neurons,
which continues in limited areas like the hippocampus throughout
adulthood.
