UTSC NROB61 Neurophysiology: Practice Test 1 (Units 1-7) -
Questions with Correct Answers
50 questions
1. Which glial cells form myelin in the peripheral nervous system?
A. Oligodendrocytes
B. Astrocytes
C. Schwann cells
D. Microglia
Correct Answer: C. Schwann cells
Rationale: Oligodendrocytes myelinate in the CNS.
2. Which property most clearly distinguishes neurons from most other cells?
A. Having a nucleus
B. Using ATP
C. Having a plasma membrane
D. Excitable membranes that generate propagated electrical signals
Correct Answer: D. Excitable membranes that generate propagated electrical signals
Rationale: Neurons and muscle are excitable.
3. Hyperpolarization refers to:
A. Membrane potential becoming less negative
B. Membrane potential becoming more negative than rest
C. Reaching threshold
D. Overshoot
Correct Answer: B. Membrane potential becoming more negative than rest
Rationale: Moves away from threshold.
4. A neuron receiving thousands of inputs illustrates:
A. Convergence
B. Divergence
C. Saltatory conduction
D. Quantal release
Correct Answer: A. Convergence
Rationale: Many inputs onto one cell.
5. Which is a graded potential?
A. Action potential in an axon
B. Excitatory postsynaptic potential
C. Nodal spike
D. Backpropagating spike
Correct Answer: B. Excitatory postsynaptic potential
Rationale: EPSP amplitude varies with input.
6. A scientific argument in neuroscience should include:
A. Only personal opinions
B. Only citations without explanation
C. A claim, supporting evidence and reasoning linking them
D. Only conclusions
Correct Answer: C. A claim, supporting evidence and reasoning linking them
Rationale: Claim-evidence-reasoning structure.
, 7. The neuron doctrine, championed by Cajal, states that:
A. Neurons form a continuous network
B. The nervous system is made of discrete individual cells
C. Glia generate all signals
D. Axons are fused together
Correct Answer: B. The nervous system is made of discrete individual cells
Rationale: Golgi supported reticular theory instead.
8. Which technique gave the first recordings of single ion channel currents?
A. EEG
B. Patch clamp
C. fMRI
D. Golgi staining
Correct Answer: B. Patch clamp
Rationale: Neher and Sakmann, 1976.
9. Which configuration is best for applying neurotransmitter to the extracellular side of an
isolated patch?
A. Inside-out
B. Cell-attached
C. Perforated whole-cell
D. Outside-out
Correct Answer: D. Outside-out
Rationale: The extracellular face faces the bath.
10. Ion channels allow ions to move:
A. Against their gradient using ATP
B. Passively down their electrochemical gradient
C. Only when bound to carriers
D. Only during the resting state
Correct Answer: B. Passively down their electrochemical gradient
Rationale: Pumps use ATP; channels do not.
11. The P loop of a channel forms the:
A. Pore lining and selectivity filter
B. Voltage sensor
C. Inactivation ball
D. Ligand-binding domain
Correct Answer: A. Pore lining and selectivity filter
Rationale: It dips into the membrane.
12. Voltage-gated K+ channels are formed by:
A. A single protein with one domain
B. Four separate subunits (tetramer)
C. Two subunits
D. Six identical proteins
Correct Answer: B. Four separate subunits (tetramer)
Rationale: Each subunit has S1-S6.
Questions with Correct Answers
50 questions
1. Which glial cells form myelin in the peripheral nervous system?
A. Oligodendrocytes
B. Astrocytes
C. Schwann cells
D. Microglia
Correct Answer: C. Schwann cells
Rationale: Oligodendrocytes myelinate in the CNS.
2. Which property most clearly distinguishes neurons from most other cells?
A. Having a nucleus
B. Using ATP
C. Having a plasma membrane
D. Excitable membranes that generate propagated electrical signals
Correct Answer: D. Excitable membranes that generate propagated electrical signals
Rationale: Neurons and muscle are excitable.
3. Hyperpolarization refers to:
A. Membrane potential becoming less negative
B. Membrane potential becoming more negative than rest
C. Reaching threshold
D. Overshoot
Correct Answer: B. Membrane potential becoming more negative than rest
Rationale: Moves away from threshold.
4. A neuron receiving thousands of inputs illustrates:
A. Convergence
B. Divergence
C. Saltatory conduction
D. Quantal release
Correct Answer: A. Convergence
Rationale: Many inputs onto one cell.
5. Which is a graded potential?
A. Action potential in an axon
B. Excitatory postsynaptic potential
C. Nodal spike
D. Backpropagating spike
Correct Answer: B. Excitatory postsynaptic potential
Rationale: EPSP amplitude varies with input.
6. A scientific argument in neuroscience should include:
A. Only personal opinions
B. Only citations without explanation
C. A claim, supporting evidence and reasoning linking them
D. Only conclusions
Correct Answer: C. A claim, supporting evidence and reasoning linking them
Rationale: Claim-evidence-reasoning structure.
, 7. The neuron doctrine, championed by Cajal, states that:
A. Neurons form a continuous network
B. The nervous system is made of discrete individual cells
C. Glia generate all signals
D. Axons are fused together
Correct Answer: B. The nervous system is made of discrete individual cells
Rationale: Golgi supported reticular theory instead.
8. Which technique gave the first recordings of single ion channel currents?
A. EEG
B. Patch clamp
C. fMRI
D. Golgi staining
Correct Answer: B. Patch clamp
Rationale: Neher and Sakmann, 1976.
9. Which configuration is best for applying neurotransmitter to the extracellular side of an
isolated patch?
A. Inside-out
B. Cell-attached
C. Perforated whole-cell
D. Outside-out
Correct Answer: D. Outside-out
Rationale: The extracellular face faces the bath.
10. Ion channels allow ions to move:
A. Against their gradient using ATP
B. Passively down their electrochemical gradient
C. Only when bound to carriers
D. Only during the resting state
Correct Answer: B. Passively down their electrochemical gradient
Rationale: Pumps use ATP; channels do not.
11. The P loop of a channel forms the:
A. Pore lining and selectivity filter
B. Voltage sensor
C. Inactivation ball
D. Ligand-binding domain
Correct Answer: A. Pore lining and selectivity filter
Rationale: It dips into the membrane.
12. Voltage-gated K+ channels are formed by:
A. A single protein with one domain
B. Four separate subunits (tetramer)
C. Two subunits
D. Six identical proteins
Correct Answer: B. Four separate subunits (tetramer)
Rationale: Each subunit has S1-S6.
