1.
The phylogenetically new cerebral cortex, the neocortex, is composed of six layers tangential to the pial surface of the hemisphere. Which of the following statements concerning the organization of these six layers is correct?
A) The neurons in layers I, I, and III perform most of the thalamocortical connections within the same hemisphere
B) The neurons in layers II and III form connections with the basal ganglia
C) Specific incoming signals from the cerebellum terminate primarily in layer IV
D) The neurons in layer V have axons that extend beyond layer V to subcortical regions and the spinal cord
E) The neurons in layer VI send their axons to the hippocampus
2.
As they leave the spinal cord and course peripherally to skeletal muscle, the axons of motor neurons must pass through which of the following structures?
C) Ventral white commissure
3.
Which of the following items is the type of neuron whose axon forms synaptic junctions with the skeletal muscle cells (extrafusal fibers) that comprise the major part of a muscle?
4.
Ascending fibers from the excitatory elements of the reticular activating system reach the intralaminar nuclei of the thalamus and from there they are distributed to which of the following locations?
A) They project to the somatosensory nuclei of the thalamus
B) They extend widely throughout many areas of cortex
C) They reach the motor nuclei of the thalamus
D) They course primarily to the precentral gyrus
E) They extend primarily to the postcentral gyrus
5.
Which of the following statements concerning the general functional role of the cerebellum is correct?
A) The cerebellum directly stimulates motor neurons required to make a movement
B) The cerebellum is unable to make corrective adjustments to the movement once it is performed
C) The cerebellum does not receive feedback from muscles that execute the actual movement
D) The cerebellum is not involved in the planning of a movement, only its execution
E) The cerebellum plays an active role in the coordination of the muscles required to make a movement
6.
Which of the following spinal cord levels contains the entire population of preganglionic sympathetic neurons?
7.
Which of the following statements best describes a functional role for the lateral hemispheres of the cerebellum?
A) Controls and coordinates movements of the axial muscles as well as the shoulder and hip
B) Controls movements that involve distal limb musculature
C) Functions with the cerebral cortex to plan movements
D) Stimulates motor neurons through its connections to the spinal cord
8.
Which of the following items would produce an increase in cerebral blood flow?
A) Increase in carbon dioxide concentration
B) Increase in oxygen concentration
C) Decrease in the activity of cerebral cortex neurons
D) Decrease in carbon dioxide concentration
E) Decrease in arterial blood pressure from 120 mm Hg to 90 mm Hg
9.
Which of the following is the correct Brodmann number designation for the primary motor cortex?
10.
Which of the following body parts is represented most laterally and inferiorly within the primary motor cortex?
11.
Which of the following items is the type of neuron whose axon forms synaptic junctions with skeletal muscle cells (intrafusal fibers) within the muscle spindles?
12.
Preganglionic sympathetic axons pass through which of the following structures?
13.
Which of the following statements best describes a functional role for the cerebellar vermis?
A) Controls and coordinates movements of the axial muscles as well as the shoulder and hip
B) Controls movements that involve distal limb musculature
C) Functions with the cerebral cortex to plan movements
D) Stimulates motor neurons through its connections to the spinal cord
14.
Which of the following statements about sleep is correct?
A) Although fast-wave sleep is frequently referred to as “dreamless sleep,” dreams and sometimes nightmares do occur at this time
B) Individuals rarely will awaken spontaneously from rapid eye movement (REM) sleep
C) Muscle tone throughout the body is markedly suppressed during REM sleep
D) Heart rate and respiratory rate typically become very regular during REM sleep
15.
Which of the following statements concerning intrinsic spinal cord circuitry is correct?
A) Motor neurons greatly outnumber spinal cord interneurons
B) Most incoming sensory fibers from the periphery synapse with motor neurons and not interneurons
C) Most descending supraspinal motor system axons synapse directly with motor neurons
D) Spinal cord interneurons are localized solely within the anterior horn
E) Both excitatory and inhibitory interneurons are found in the spinal cord
16.
Which of the following statements best describes a functional role for the intermediate zone of the cerebellum?
A) Controls and coordinates movements of the axial muscles as well as the shoulder and hip
B) Controls movements that involve distal limb musculature
C) Functions with the cerebral cortex to plan movements
D) Stimulates motor neurons through its connections to the spinal cord
17.
The gigantocellular neurons of the reticular formation release which of the following neurotransmitters?
18.
A large portion of the cerebral cortex does not fit into the conventional definition of motor or sensory cortex. Which of the terms below is used to refer to the type of cortex that receives input primarily from several other regions of the cerebral cortex?
A) Cortex that is agranular
B) Secondary somatosensory cortex
D) Supplementary motor cortex
E) Secondary visual cortex
19.
Which statement concerning the premotor cortex is correct?
A) The premotor cortex is located just posterior to the primary motor cortex
B) The lateral to medial sequence in the somatotopic organization of the premotor cortex is just the reverse of that seen in the primary motor cortex
C) Stimulation of a small discrete group of neurons in premotor cortex will produce contraction of an individual muscle
D) Stimulation of premotor cortex does not lead to any muscle activation
E) The premotor cortex sets the specific posture required for the limb to produce the desired movement
20.
Which of the following features is characteristic of the supplementary motor cortex?
A) It has no somatotopic representation of the body
B) Stimulation of the supplementary motor cortex leads to bilateral movements, typically involving both hands
C) It is located just anterior to the premotor cortex on the lateral surface of the hemisphere
D) Like the premotor cortex, stimulation in the supplementary motor cortex leads to discrete movement of individual muscles
E) The supplementary cortex functions totally independent of the premotor and primary motor cortex
21.
Administration of a drug that blocks serotonin production will have which of the following effects on sleep?
A) Sleep induction will be almost immediate
B) Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep will be blocked
C) Sleep induction will be significantly prolonged or blocked
D) REM sleep will be immediately induced
22.
Which brain structure serves as the major controller of the limbic system?
23.
Which of the following projection systems is contained in the superior cerebellar peduncle?
C) Posterior spinocerebellar
24.
Which of the following terms applies to the combination of a motor neuron and all the skeletal muscle fibers contacted by that motor neuron?
D) Skeletal muscle fibers
25.
The creation of memory can be interrupted by which of the following activities?
A) Phosphorylation of a potassium channel to block activity
B) Activation of adenylate cyclase
C) Unnatural loss of consciousness
D) Increase in protein synthesis
E) Activation of cGMP phosphodiesterase
26.
The condition of prosopagnosia usually results from dysfunction or damage to which area of the cerebral cortex?
B) Junction of parietal and temporal lobe on nondominant side of the brain
D) Underside of medial occipital and temporal lobes
E) Limbic association areas of frontal and anterior temporal lobes
27.
Lesions of which of the following areas of the brain would have the most devastating effect on verbal and symbolic intelligence?
C) Wernicke’s area on the non-dominant side of the brain
E) Wernicke’s area on the dominant side of the brain
28.
The two hemispheres of the brain are connected by which nerve fibers or pathways?
E) Medial longitudinal fasciculus
29.
Broca’s area is a specialized portion of motor cortex. Which of the following conditions best describes the deficit resulting from damage to Broca’s area?
A) Spastic paralysis of the contralateral hand
B) Paralysis of the muscles of the larynx and pharynx
C) Inability to use the two hands to grasp an object
D) Inability to direct the two eyes to the contralateral side
E) Inability to speak whole words correctly
30.
A stroke involving the middle cerebral artery on the left side is likely to cause which of the following symptoms?
A) Paralysis of left side of face and left upper extremity
B) Paralysis of left lower extremity
C) Complete loss of vision in both eyes
D) Loss of ability to comprehend speech
E) Loss of vision in left half of both eyes
31.
The fibers of the corticospinal tract pass through which one of the following structures?
D) Medial longitudinal fasciculus
32.
Which of the following structures serves to connect Wernicke’s area to Broca’s area in the cerebral cortex?
C) Medial longitudinal fasciculus
33.
Which of the following maneuvers will attenuate the stretch reflex in skeletal muscle?
A) Sectioning the dorsal root of a spinal nerve
B) Disruption of the spinocerebellar tract
C) Disruption of the corticospinal tract
D) Sectioning the medial lemniscus on the contralateral side of the skeletal muscle in question
E) Creating a lesion in the contralateral globus pallidus
34.
The peripheral sensory input that activates the ascending excitatory elements of the reticular formation comes mainly from which of the following?
B) Proprioceptive sensory information
E) Input from Pacinian corpuscles
35.
Signals from motor areas of the cortex reach the contralateral cerebellum after first passing through which one of the following structures?
D) Basilar pontine nuclei
36.
Cells of the adrenal medulla receive synaptic input from which of the following types of neurons?
A) Preganglionic sympathetic neurons
B) Postganglionic sympathetic neurons
C) Preganglionic parasympathetic neurons
D) Postsynaptic parasympathetic neurons
E) Presynaptic parasympathetic neurons
37.
Which of the following statements about muscle and passive stretch of muscle spindles is true?
A) Primary (Ia) sensory fibers increase their firing rate
B) Secondary sensory fibers decrease their firing rate
C) Alpha motor neurons are inhibited
D) Gamma motor neurons are stimulated
E) Muscle spindles go completely slack
38.
Which of the following statements concerning electroencephalogram activity is correct?
A) Beta waves occur in normal adults who are awake but in a quiet, resting state
B) Alpha waves occur at 14 to 80 cycles per second during periods of heightened excited activity or high tension
C) Theta waves are commonly seen in children but also occur in adults during emotional disappointment or in degenerative brain states
D) Delta waves are characteristic of slow wave sleep
E) Both C and D are correct
39.
Which of the following projection systems is contained in the middle cerebellar peduncle?
A) Pontocerebellar projections
B) Cerebellothalamic projections
C) Posterior spinocerebellar projections
D) Corticospinal projections
E) Ventrospinocerebellar projections
40.
Which of the following projection systems is contained in the inferior cerebellar peduncle?
A) Pontocerebellar projections
B) Cerebellothalamic projections
C) Posterior spinocerebellar projections
D) Corticospinal projections
E) Dorsospinocerebellar projections
41.
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) provides a cushioning effect both inside and outside the brain. Which of the following spaces lies outside the brain or spinal cord and contains CSF?
42.
In a muscle spindle receptor, which type of muscle fiber is responsible for the dynamic response?
A) Extrafusal muscle fiber
B) Static nuclear bag fiber
D) Dynamic nuclear bag fiber
43.
Neurological disease associated with the cerebellum produces which of the following types of symptoms?
44.
Preganglionic parasympathetic neurons that contribute to the innervation of the descending colon and rectum are found in which of the following structures?
A) Superior cervical ganglion
B) Dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus
C) Superior mesenteric ganglion
E) Spinal cord levels S2 and S3
45.
A complex spike pattern in the Purkinje cells of the cerebellum can be initiated by stimulation of which of the following brain areas?
A) Inferior olivary complex
B) Brainstem reticular nuclei
C) Neurons in red nucleus
D) Superior olivary complex
E) Dorsal vestibular nucleus
46.
Which of the following activities will increase the sensitivity of the stretch reflex?
A) Cutting the dorsal root fibers associated with the muscle in which the stretch reflex is being examined
B) Increasing the activity of the medullary reticular nuclei
C) Bending the head forward
D) Enhanced activity in the fusimotor (gamma motor neuron) system
E) Stimulating the lateral hemispheres of the cerebellum
47.
Which of the following structures serves as an “alternative pathway” for signals from the motor cortex to the spinal cord?
B) Basilar pontine nuclei
48.
The phenomenon of decerebrate rigidity can be explained, at least in part, by which of the following?
A) Stimulation of type 1b sensory neurons
B) Loss of cerebellar inputs to the red nucleus
C) Overactivity of the medullary reticular nuclei involved in motor control
D) Unopposed activity of the pontine reticular nuclei
E) Degeneration of the nigrostriatal pathway
49.
Like the primary visual cortex, the primary motor cortex is organized into vertical columns composed of cells linked together throughout the six layers of the cortex. The cells that contribute axons to the corticospinal tract are concentrated in which cortical layer?
50.
When a muscle is suddenly stretched, a signal is transmitted over Ia sensory fibers from muscle spindles. Which of the following statements best describes the response elicited by these spindle afferent signals?
A) Contraction of the muscle in which the active spindles are located
B) Relaxation of the muscle in which the active spindles are located
C) Contraction of muscles antagonistic to those in which the active spindles are located
D) Relaxation of intrafusal fibers in the active spindles
E) Direct synaptic activation of gamma motor neurons
51.
Which of the following foramina allows cerebrospinal fluid to pass directly from the ventricular system into the subarachnoid space?
52.
There is an area in the dominant hemisphere, which when damaged, might leave the sense of hearing intact but not allow words to be arranged into a comprehensive thought. Which of the following terms is used to identify this portion of the cortex?
A) Primary auditory cortex
E) Limbic association cortex
53.
Efferent fibers from the cerebellum originate in
A) Deep cerebellar nuclei
B) Purkinje cell layer of cerebellar cortex
C) Granular cell layer of cerebellar cortex
D) Molecular cell layer of cerebellar cortex
E) Floccular cortex of cerebellum
54.
Afferent signals from the periphery of the body travel to the cerebellum in which of the following nerve tracts?
A) Ventral spinocerebellar tract
B) Fastigioreticular tract
C) Vestibulocerebellar tract
D) Reticulocerebellar tract
E) Dorsal spinocerebellar tract
55.
Motor cortex neurons receive feedback from muscles activated by the corticospinal system. This feedback arises from which of the following structures?
B) Spinocerebellar tracts
C) Skin surface of fingers used to grasp an object
D) Muscle spindles in muscles antagonistic to those used to make the movement
56.
Which epileptic condition involves a postictal depression period lasting from several minutes to perhaps as long as several hours?
D) Phase-out clonic seizure
57.
The sweat glands and piloerector muscles of hairy skin are innervated by which of the following fiber types?
A) Cholinergic postganglionic parasympathetic fibers
B) Cholinergic postganglionic sympathetic fibers
C) Adrenergic preganglionic parasympathetic fibers
D) Adrenergic postganglionic sympathetic fibers
E) Adrenergic preganglionic sympathetic fibers
58.
In controlling the fine muscles of the hands and fingers, corticospinal axons can synapse primarily with which of the following?
A) Posterior horn neurons
B) Spinal cord interneurons
C) Spinal cord motor neurons
59.
Which of the following statements concerning spinal cord motor circuits is correct?
A) Dynamic gamma motor neurons innervate static nuclear bag fibers
B) Descending supraspinal axons will synapse with either alpha or gamma motor neurons
C) Clonus is caused by a hyperactive stretch reflex
D) The contractile elements of intrafusal fibers are found at the central (nuclear) region of the fiber
E) Both types of sensory fibers in a muscle spindle are mechanoreceptors that signal stretch of the two polar, noncontractile ends of the intrafusal fiber
