CLINICAL NEUROSCIENCE CERTIFICATION
SCRIPT 2026 QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◍ ventral.
Answer: motor
◍ What is serotonin and what are its functions?.
Answer: Primarily inhibitory neurotransmitter that regulates sleep, appetite,
arousal, and mood. Low levels are associated with depression, suicidal
behavior. High levels associated with schizophrenia and OCD
◍ In which direction does the 1st order neuron travel after entering the pons?.
Answer: Inferiorly through the upper and lower medulla
◍ Where are motor neurons produced?.
Answer: Produced in the ventral regions of the neural tube
◍ cerebellum function.
Answer: - balance- coordination- motor learning
◍ temporal lobe functions.
Answer: - audition- memory- emotion- learning
◍ What are free nerve endings and what do they detect?.
Answer: Cutaneous nociceptors that detect painful/noxious stimuli
◍ What makes up the cerebrum?.
Answer: - cerebral cortex- basal ganglia- hippocampus- amygdala
◍ Fidelity refers to what?.
Answer: The degree of exactness with which something is copied or
reproduced
,◍ What are synaptic changes?.
Answer: Alterations in neuron connections affecting learning
◍ In spinal sensory systems, the primary afferent neurons are located where?.
Answer: Peripheral ganglia (DRG)
◍ What are Chiari malformations?.
Answer: Neural tube disorder that is identified early, affect brain and
cerebellum; functional difficulties are dependent upon severity of the
malformation
◍ The 2nd order neuron transmitting fast pain from the face ascends to what
location following decussation?.
Answer: VPM of the thalamus
◍ What are voltage-gated calcium channels?.
Answer: Channels found on synaptic terminal that open upon electric
potential change, allowing Ca2+ influx triggering vesicle release
◍ What are tracts? By what other names are they known?.
Answer: Collections of axons in the CNS. Also known as vertical columns,
lemniscus, fascicle
◍ Describe coarse/crude touch.
Answer: Sensation less localized, transmitted by unmyelinated C fiber
axons, associated with pleasurable skin-skin contact, tickle, itch
◍ cervical and lumbar spinal cord enlargements.
Answer: more spinal nerves in UE and LE for brachial and lumbar plexuses
◍ Where are joint receptors located and to what do they respond?.
Answer: Located in ligaments and capsular tissues around the joints;
respond to mechanical deformation of joint capsule and ligaments
◍ What are the functions of oligodendrocytes?.
Answer: CNS glial cells with cytoplasmic extensions that form myelin
sheaths around axons. Each oligodendrocyte can myelinate multiple axons
◍ other names for premotor cortex.
, Answer: - PMC- BA6- dorsal and ventral premotor cortex- supplementary
motor area- pre-supplementary motor area- cingulate motor area
◍ Dermatomes involve cutaneous sensation only. Therefore, which tracts are
being tested? Impairments suggest what?.
Answer: DCML or spinothalamic. Impairments suggest a lesion in the spinal
nerve or spinal segment
◍ what makes up the motor cortex?.
Answer: - primary motor cortex- premotor cortices
◍ From medial to lateral in the brain, how is the sensory homunculus
arranged?.
Answer: Lower body → upper body → head and face
◍ sensory neurons.
Answer: PNS to CNS (usually afferent)
◍ Cognitive capabilities affect what?.
Answer: Affect neuroplasticity and learning processes
◍ Discuss neuronal regeneration in the CNS.
Answer: Limited in CNS due to growth inhibitors and glial cells
◍ dorsal.
Answer: sensory
◍ What is the function of mechanoreceptors?.
Answer: Respond to mechanical deformation due to touch, pressure, stretch,
vibration
◍ occipital lobe function.
Answer: vision
◍ What makes up the brainstem?.
Answer: - midbrain- pons- medulla oblongata
◍ What are the three types of synaptic connections?.
Answer: Axo-somatic, axo-dendritic, or axo-axonic
SCRIPT 2026 QUESTIONS WITH SOLUTIONS
GRADED A+
◍ ventral.
Answer: motor
◍ What is serotonin and what are its functions?.
Answer: Primarily inhibitory neurotransmitter that regulates sleep, appetite,
arousal, and mood. Low levels are associated with depression, suicidal
behavior. High levels associated with schizophrenia and OCD
◍ In which direction does the 1st order neuron travel after entering the pons?.
Answer: Inferiorly through the upper and lower medulla
◍ Where are motor neurons produced?.
Answer: Produced in the ventral regions of the neural tube
◍ cerebellum function.
Answer: - balance- coordination- motor learning
◍ temporal lobe functions.
Answer: - audition- memory- emotion- learning
◍ What are free nerve endings and what do they detect?.
Answer: Cutaneous nociceptors that detect painful/noxious stimuli
◍ What makes up the cerebrum?.
Answer: - cerebral cortex- basal ganglia- hippocampus- amygdala
◍ Fidelity refers to what?.
Answer: The degree of exactness with which something is copied or
reproduced
,◍ What are synaptic changes?.
Answer: Alterations in neuron connections affecting learning
◍ In spinal sensory systems, the primary afferent neurons are located where?.
Answer: Peripheral ganglia (DRG)
◍ What are Chiari malformations?.
Answer: Neural tube disorder that is identified early, affect brain and
cerebellum; functional difficulties are dependent upon severity of the
malformation
◍ The 2nd order neuron transmitting fast pain from the face ascends to what
location following decussation?.
Answer: VPM of the thalamus
◍ What are voltage-gated calcium channels?.
Answer: Channels found on synaptic terminal that open upon electric
potential change, allowing Ca2+ influx triggering vesicle release
◍ What are tracts? By what other names are they known?.
Answer: Collections of axons in the CNS. Also known as vertical columns,
lemniscus, fascicle
◍ Describe coarse/crude touch.
Answer: Sensation less localized, transmitted by unmyelinated C fiber
axons, associated with pleasurable skin-skin contact, tickle, itch
◍ cervical and lumbar spinal cord enlargements.
Answer: more spinal nerves in UE and LE for brachial and lumbar plexuses
◍ Where are joint receptors located and to what do they respond?.
Answer: Located in ligaments and capsular tissues around the joints;
respond to mechanical deformation of joint capsule and ligaments
◍ What are the functions of oligodendrocytes?.
Answer: CNS glial cells with cytoplasmic extensions that form myelin
sheaths around axons. Each oligodendrocyte can myelinate multiple axons
◍ other names for premotor cortex.
, Answer: - PMC- BA6- dorsal and ventral premotor cortex- supplementary
motor area- pre-supplementary motor area- cingulate motor area
◍ Dermatomes involve cutaneous sensation only. Therefore, which tracts are
being tested? Impairments suggest what?.
Answer: DCML or spinothalamic. Impairments suggest a lesion in the spinal
nerve or spinal segment
◍ what makes up the motor cortex?.
Answer: - primary motor cortex- premotor cortices
◍ From medial to lateral in the brain, how is the sensory homunculus
arranged?.
Answer: Lower body → upper body → head and face
◍ sensory neurons.
Answer: PNS to CNS (usually afferent)
◍ Cognitive capabilities affect what?.
Answer: Affect neuroplasticity and learning processes
◍ Discuss neuronal regeneration in the CNS.
Answer: Limited in CNS due to growth inhibitors and glial cells
◍ dorsal.
Answer: sensory
◍ What is the function of mechanoreceptors?.
Answer: Respond to mechanical deformation due to touch, pressure, stretch,
vibration
◍ occipital lobe function.
Answer: vision
◍ What makes up the brainstem?.
Answer: - midbrain- pons- medulla oblongata
◍ What are the three types of synaptic connections?.
Answer: Axo-somatic, axo-dendritic, or axo-axonic
