Neuroscience Exam Questions

Which of the following sensory receptors responds to its adequate stimulus with hyperpolarization: A. Auditory hair cells B. Vestibular hair cells C. Taste cells D. Olfactory receptor neurons E. Retinal rods - correct answer E. Retinal rods Abnormal color vision is 20 times more common in men than women because most cases are caused by an abnormal: A. Dominant gene on the Y chromosome B. Recessive gene on the Y chromosome C. Dominant gene on the X chromosome D. Recessive gene on the X chromosome E. Recessive gene on chromosome 21 - correct answer D. Recessive gene on the X chromosome Post-rotational nystagmus is caused by continued movement A. Aqueous humor over the ciliary body of the eye B. Cerebrospinal fluid over the parts of the brainstem that contain the vestibular nuclei C. Endolymph in the semicircular canals, with consequent bending of the cupula and stimulation of hair cells D. Endolymph towards the helicotrema E. Perilymph over hair cells that have their processes embedded in the tectorial membrane - correct answer C. Endolymph in the semicircular canals, with consequent bending of the cupula and stimulation of hair cells The direction of nystagmus is left if warm water is put in A. The left ear canal B. The right ear canal C. The nose D. The mouth E. The rectum - correct answer A. The left ear canal Impulses generated by the olfactory receptors in the nasal mucosa A. Pass through the substantia nigra B. Pass through the internal capsule C. Are relayed to the olfactory cortex via the hypothalamus D. Pass to the mitral cells and from there directly to the cerebral cortex E. Pass to the mitral cells and from there to the amygdala and then to the cerebral cortex - correct answer D. Pass to the mitral cells and from there directly to the cerebral cortex Impulses generated in the taste buds of the tongue reach the cerebral cortex via the A. Thalamus B. Hypothalamus C. Internal capsule D. Dorsal roots of the first cervical spinal nerves E. Trochlear Nerve - correct answer A. Thalamus Which of the following senses is most strongly associated with aversive conditioning? A. Pressure B. Taste C. Vision D. Olfaction E. Linear acceleration F. Hearing - correct answer B. Taste Diminished sense of smell in association with reproductive dysfunction is due to a deficiency of A. Rhodopsin B. Transducin C. Folic Acid D. Dopamine E. Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone - correct answer E. Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone A specific thalamic nucleus that projects information associated with vision is the A. Medial geniculate body B. Anterior nucleus C. Ventroposterior Lateral nucleus D. Lateral geniculate body E. Pulvinar - correct answer D. Lateral geniculate body In comparison with cones, rods A. Are more common in the central retina B. Are more involved in color vision C. Yield a greater acuity of vision D. Have their maximum sensitivity in bright light E. Have a lower threshold for light - correct answer E. Have a lower threshold for light Tunnel vision (bitemporal hemianopsia) can be associated with lesions of the A. Visual cortex B. Lateral geniculate body C. Optic radiation D. Optic chiasm E. Optic nerve - correct answer D. Optic chiasm Instant blindness in one eye would occur from transection of destruction of the A. Optic nerve B. Optic tract C. Right half of the optic chiasm D. Superior colliculus E. Temporal lobe - correct answer A. Optic nerve Which of the following deficits would result from a selective loss of cones in the retina? A. Fovea blindness B. Night blindness C. Diplopia (double vision) D. Enhanced lateral inhibition E. Vertigo - correct answer A. Fovea blindness Damage to which of the following cranial nerves would account for complaints of dizziness, vomiting, and nausea over the past 10 days? The patient also reports that the room appears to be spinning, and has difficulty getting on and off the examination table. A. Optic nerve B. Spinal accessory nerve C. Facial nerve D. Trigeminal nerve E. Vagus nerve F. Vestibulococlear nerve G. Glossopharyngeal nerve - correct answer F. Vestibulococlear nerve In addition to projecting to the vestibular nuclei, the vestibular portion of Cranial Nerve VIII projects to the A. Lateral hypothalamus B. Hippocampus C. Flocculonodular lobe of the cerebellum D. Caudal portion of the Nucleus of the Solitary Tract - correct answer C. Flocculonodular lobe of the cerebellum In the cupula, if the stereocilia bend towards the kinocilium A. The hair cell depolarizes B. The hair cell hyperpolarizes C. The amacrine cell inhibits neighboring hair cells D. The tufted cell increases its firing rate - correct answer A. The hair cell depolarizes A staggering ataxic gait can result from A. Damage to the pupillary reflex pathway B. Blockage of the canals of Schlemm C. Injury to the vestibulo-cerebellar pathway D. Damage to the medial geniculate body E. Damage to the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nuclei - correct answer C. Injury to the vestibulo-cerebellar pathway Swaying or falling that becomes worse when the eyes are closed indicates that there may be a defect in A. Vestibular Function B. Occulomotor Reflexes C. Pupillary Reflex D. Auditory Function E. Autonomic Function - correct answer A. Vestibular Function The tongue is covered by papillae. Which of the following is NOT a gustatory type of papillae? A. Filiform B. Fungiform C. Circumvallate D. Foliate - correct answer A. Filiform A complete loss of the sense of taste is rare because A. There are multiple branches to the Vagus Nerve B. The Facial Nerve has multiple ganglia associated with it C. Primary afferents send collaterals to the contralateral side D. There are multiple cranial nerves involved in taste E. Taste buds are found everywhere - correct answer D. There are multiple cranial nerves involved in taste Second order sensory neurons in the taste pathway have their cell bodies in the A. Lateral geniculate nucleus B. Pulvinar Nucleus of the Thalamus C. Medial Nucleus of the Cortical Amygdala D. Nucleus of the Solitary Tract E. Nucleus Ambiguus - correct answer D. Nucleus of the Solitary Tract Which of the following might be associated with loss of taste from the anterior 2/3 of tongue, accompanied by paralysis of ipsilateral facial muscles, and impaired secretion of nasal and lacrimal and salivary glands? A. Acoustic neuroma (CN VII tumor within the auditory meatus) B. Destruction of the Vagus Nerve C. Lesion of the Facial Nerve D. Glioblastoma multiforme E. A severe upper respiratory infection - correct answer C. Lesion of the Facial Nerve Permanent hearing loss or loss of vestibular function can be caused by which of the following A. Moderate alcohol consumption B. Severe upper respiratory infection C. Aminoglycoside or sulfur antibiotics D. Lesions of the caudal portion of the nucleus of the solitary tract E. Curare, an antagonist of ACh action on nicoticic receptor - correct answer C. Aminoglycoside or sulfur antibiotics The cornea is an extension of A. The dura mater B. The arachnoid C. The pia mater D. The optic nerve E. Neural crest - correct answer A. The dura mater The only neurons that are in direct contact with the external environment are A. Touch receptors in the skin B. Photoreceptors C. Vestibular hair cells D. Olfactory receptors E. Taste cells - correct answer D. Olfactory receptors One of the few neuronal cell types that appear long after birth are the