Question 1

Which of the following best describes the function of the basal nuclei in voluntary movement?

Accepted Answer

They inhibit involuntary movements and initiate voluntary movements by modulating upper motor neuron activity.

Question 2

A patient presents with difficulty initiating voluntary movements and displays a resting tremor. Which brain structure is most likely affected?

Accepted Answer

Basal nuclei

Question 3

Which pathway is responsible for carrying tactile (discriminative touch) and proprioceptive stimuli from the lower limbs to the cerebral cortex?

Accepted Answer

Medial fasciculus gracilis of the posterior columns/medial lemniscal system

Question 4

During REM sleep, which of the following occurs?

Accepted Answer

Blood pressure, heart rate, and metabolic rate increase; most major muscle groups are paralyzed.

Question 5

Which of the following statements about the blood brain barrier is correct?

Accepted Answer

It consists mainly of endothelial cells with numerous tight junctions and limits endocytosis and exocytosis.

Question 6

A lesion in Broca’s area would most likely result in which of the following deficits?

Accepted Answer

Difficulty producing speech with preserved comprehension

Question 7

Which of the following best explains why the brain requires a large proportion of the body’s blood flow at rest?

Accepted Answer

The brain has a high demand for oxygen, glucose, and other nutrients to support its metabolic activity.

Question 8

Which of the following is TRUE regarding the organization of gray and white matter in the brain and spinal cord?

Accepted Answer

In the brain, gray matter is superficial and white matter is deep; in the spinal cord, white matter is superficial and gray matter is deep.

Question 9

Which of the following structures is responsible for regulating the sleep/wake cycle by secreting melatonin?

Accepted Answer

Pineal gland (epithalamus)

Question 10

A patient with damage to the right temporal association cortex is most likely to experience which deficit?

Accepted Answer

Loss of ability to recognize faces (prosopagnosia)

Question 11

Which of the following best describes the pathway for pain and temperature sensation from the body to the cerebral cortex?

Accepted Answer

First-order neurons synapse in the posterior horn, second-order neurons decussate in the spinal cord, and ascend via the spinothalamic tracts to the thalamus.

Question 12

Which of the following is a function of the reticular formation?

Accepted Answer

Regulation of sleep and arousal, pain transmission, mood, and autonomic functions such as heart rate and blood pressure.

Question 13

Which of the following is TRUE regarding the formation and storage of declarative memory?

Accepted Answer

Declarative memories are formed in the hippocampus but stored in various areas of the cerebral cortex.

Question 14

Which of the following best describes the role of the hypothalamus in homeostasis?

Accepted Answer

It acts as the main regulator of the autonomic nervous system, receives sensory input, and adjusts output to maintain variables such as body temperature, hunger, and blood pressure.

Question 15

Which of the following is a consequence of damage to the cerebellum?

Accepted Answer

Jerky, uncoordinated movements and intention tremor (cerebellar ataxia)

Question 16

Which of the following structures is involved in the emotional expression of fear and receives sensory input from multiple sources?

Accepted Answer

Amygdala

Question 17

Which of the following is the correct sequence for the formation, circulation, and reabsorption of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)?

Accepted Answer

Fluid leaks from choroid plexus capillaries → Ependymal cells secrete CSF into ventricles → CSF circulates through ventricles and subarachnoid space → CSF is reabsorbed into dural sinuses via arachnoid granulations.

Question 18

Which of the following best describes the function of the primary motor cortex?

Accepted Answer

It controls voluntary movements by sending commands to upper motor neurons.

Question 19

Which of the following is TRUE regarding cerebral lateralization?

Accepted Answer

Certain cognitive functions are specialized in either the right or left hemisphere, such as language in the left and facial recognition in the right.

Question 20

Which of the following is a plausible explanation for the placebo effect in pain perception?

Accepted Answer

Placebo treatments activate pathways from S1, amygdala, and periaqueductal gray matter, leading to endorphin release that reduces spinal cord neuron sensitivity to pain.

Central Nervous System: Structure, Function, and Integration

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