NURS 5357 NEUROBIOLOGY EXAM 1
ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
BUNDLED FULL SOLUTION VIEW AHEAD
●● When a single gene mutates ...
Answer: 1. There are broad changes in brain development and function
2. There are changes in only a single cell type
●● Convergence
Answer: # of inputs received by a single neuron (look at # of dendritic
arbors)
●● Divergence
Answer: # of synaptic targets of a single neuron (output) (looks at
axonal branching)
●● Electrocephalography (EEG)
Answer: electrophysiological monitoring method to record electrical
activity of the brain
●● Computerized Tomography (CT)
Answer: x-ray tech with spatial resolution of several mm
,●● magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Answer: strong magnetic field to achieve images with resolutions
withing 2-3mm
●● Functional Brain Imaging
Answer: records local metabolic activity or cerebral blood flow in small
volumes of brain tissue
●● Examples of Functional Brain Imaging
Answer: 1) Positron emission tomography (PET)
2) Single-photon emission comuterized tomography (SPECT)
3)Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
●● Magnetoencephalography (MEG)
Answer: best temporal resolution by detecting the magnetic
consequences of brain electric activity
●● Dendrites
Answer: primary targets for synaptic input
●● Axon
, Answer: the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers,
through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands
- action potential travels through this; typically myelinated
●● Projection neurons
Answer: long axons that can sometimes be meters long
●● Interneurons
Answer: short axons typical in local circuit neurons
●● axon terminal
Answer: chemical synapses where neurotransmitters are released
●● Glial Cells
Answer: - maintain ionic environment of neuron cells
-modulate the rate of nerve signal propagation
-modulate synaptic action by controlling uptake and metabolism of
neurotransmitters at or near the synaptic cleft
-provide scaffold for neurodevelopment
- aid or impede recovery from neural injury
- can act as stem cells and give rise to new glia + neurons
●● Astrocytes
ACTUAL QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
BUNDLED FULL SOLUTION VIEW AHEAD
●● When a single gene mutates ...
Answer: 1. There are broad changes in brain development and function
2. There are changes in only a single cell type
●● Convergence
Answer: # of inputs received by a single neuron (look at # of dendritic
arbors)
●● Divergence
Answer: # of synaptic targets of a single neuron (output) (looks at
axonal branching)
●● Electrocephalography (EEG)
Answer: electrophysiological monitoring method to record electrical
activity of the brain
●● Computerized Tomography (CT)
Answer: x-ray tech with spatial resolution of several mm
,●● magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Answer: strong magnetic field to achieve images with resolutions
withing 2-3mm
●● Functional Brain Imaging
Answer: records local metabolic activity or cerebral blood flow in small
volumes of brain tissue
●● Examples of Functional Brain Imaging
Answer: 1) Positron emission tomography (PET)
2) Single-photon emission comuterized tomography (SPECT)
3)Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)
●● Magnetoencephalography (MEG)
Answer: best temporal resolution by detecting the magnetic
consequences of brain electric activity
●● Dendrites
Answer: primary targets for synaptic input
●● Axon
, Answer: the extension of a neuron, ending in branching terminal fibers,
through which messages pass to other neurons or to muscles or glands
- action potential travels through this; typically myelinated
●● Projection neurons
Answer: long axons that can sometimes be meters long
●● Interneurons
Answer: short axons typical in local circuit neurons
●● axon terminal
Answer: chemical synapses where neurotransmitters are released
●● Glial Cells
Answer: - maintain ionic environment of neuron cells
-modulate the rate of nerve signal propagation
-modulate synaptic action by controlling uptake and metabolism of
neurotransmitters at or near the synaptic cleft
-provide scaffold for neurodevelopment
- aid or impede recovery from neural injury
- can act as stem cells and give rise to new glia + neurons
●● Astrocytes
