Neuroscience, Sixth Edition
Purves • Augustine • Fitzpatrick • Hall • LaMantia • Mooney • Platt • White
Chapter 1: Studying the Nervous System
Multiple Choice
Which part of DNA is transcribed into messenger RNA? a.
Exon
b. Intron
c. Promoter
d. Non-coding
DNA e. Regulatory
DNA Answer: a
Textbook Reference: Genetics and Genomics
Bloom’s Level: 2. Understanding
Genomics is the analysis of
a. coding DNA sequences for a species.
b. regulatory DNA sequences for an individual organism and a species.
c. coding and regulatory DNA sequences for a species.
d. coding and regulatory DNA sequences for an individual organism.
e. coding and regulatory DNA of an individual organism or a species.
Answer: e
Textbook Reference: Genetics and Genomics
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
Which of Camillo Golgi’s contributions enabled Santiago Ramón y Cajal to make
observations that suggested that nerve cells are discrete entities?
a. Articulation of the neuron doctrine
b. Identifying the organelle later called the Golgi apparatus
c. Development of a staining method based on impregnation with silver salts
d. Improving the understanding of the pathophysiology of malaria
e. Articulation of the reticular theory of nerve cell
communication Answer: c
Textbook Reference: Cellular Components of the Nervous System
Bloom’s Level: 2. Understanding
The major proponent(s) of the neuron doctrine was(were)
a. Camillo Golgi.
b. Santiago Ramón y Cajal.
c. Charles Sherrington.
d. Santiago Ramón y Cajal and Charles Sherrington.
,e. Camillo Golgi and Santiago Ramón y Cajal.
Answer: d
Textbook Reference: Cellular Components of the Nervous System
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
Which function is a characteristic primarily of neurons only, and not glia?
a. Transmits action potentials
b. Supports electrical signals
c. Repairs the nervous system
d. Prevents regeneration of the nervous
system e. Produces myelin
Answer: a
Textbook Reference: Cellular Components of the Nervous System
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
In which part of a neuron would most of the endoplasmic reticulum be concentrated?
a. Postsynaptic terminal
b. Presynaptic terminal
c. Axon
d. Cell body
e. Dendrite
Answer: d
Textbook Reference: Cellular Components of the Nervous System
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
Which intracellular component facilitates the processes of endocytosis and exocytosis
underlying synaptic communication?
a. Mitochondria
b. Endoplasmic reticulum
c. Cytoskeleton
d. Golgi apparatus
e. Nucleus
Answer: c
Textbook Reference: Cellular Components of the Nervous System
Bloom’s Level: 2. Understanding
Most neurons have
one axon hillock (initial segment).
multiple axon hillocks (initial segments).
one dendrite.
one axon hillock (initial segment) and one dendrite.
multiple axon hillocks (initial segments) and one dendrite.
Answer: a
Textbook Reference: Neurons
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
, Which statement best describes the function of a neuron with multiple, highly
branched dendrites and one axon?
a. It passes information directly to multiple neurons.
b. It cannot integrate information from multiple
neurons. c. It receives information from only one other
neuron. d. It integrates information from many neurons.
e. The information it receives will not be
relayed. Answer: d
Textbook Reference: Neurons
Bloom’s Level: 3. Applying
Which statement best describes most neurons?
a. They receive information via axons.
b. They transmit information to other cells via dendrites.
c. They are polarized.
d. They conduct signals bidirectionally.
e. They transmit electrical signals via cytoplasmic continuity.
Answer: c
Textbook Reference: Neurons
Bloom’s Level: 3. Applying
Compared with projection neurons, axons of local circuit neurons (interneurons) a.
are longer.
b. are shorter.
c. have more synapses.
d. have more branches.
e. reach more postsynaptic neurons.
Answer: b
Textbook Reference: Neurons
Bloom’s Level: 2. Understanding
An action potential is a(n) _______ change in the electrical potential across the nerve
cell membrane.
a. single
b. all-or-nothing
c. permanent d.
random
e. unidirectional
Answer: b
Textbook Reference: Neurons
Bloom’s Level: 1. Remembering
The part of a synapse to which the contents of synaptic vesicles bind is called the
a. presynaptic terminal.
b. synaptic ending.
c. axon terminal.