Neuroscience – Psychology 224 Exam Review

These flashcards are designed to help students review key concepts and facts in neuroscience and psychology as covered in the exam material.

Where can axons form synapses?

a) dendritic spine, b) soma, c) axon, d) a & b, e) all of the above

What part of the neuron releases neurotransmitter?

a) terminal button of axon

Who is credited for discovering that a portion of the cerebral cortex is necessary for speech?

b) Paul Broca

What type of glia produces myelin sheaths?

e) both a & b (oligodendrocyte and Schwann cells)

What physiologist coined the terms 'neuron' and 'synapse'?

d) Charles Sherrington

What neurotransmitter binds to AMPA receptors?

d) glutamate

The influx of which ions leads to hyperpolarization?

d) a & c (chloride and calcium)

What is NOT true of an action potential?

c) it degrades with time

What is the resting membrane potential of a neuron?

e) −70 mV

Which process(es) is involved in the termination of postsynaptic potentials?

e) b & c (reuptake and enzymatic degradation)

When a neuron is at rest, which ion(s) are more concentrated inside the cell than outside the cell?

e) b & c (potassium and sodium)

Which receptor is both ligand- and voltage-dependent?

b) NMDA receptor

What is NOT true of the sodium–potassium pump?

c) It pumps potassium into the cell and sodium out.

What type of glia is involved in inflammation after traumatic brain injury?

d) microglia

What determines the threshold of excitation?

a) The voltage sensitivity of sodium ion channels

If a synapse is axosomatic, where are the neurotransmitter receptors located?

b) soma of the postsynaptic cell

What normally blocks the NMDA receptor?

a) magnesium (Mg²⁺)

When the neuron is at rest, why isn’t there a higher concentration of sodium inside the cell?

c) it is pumped out by the sodium–potassium pump

Where does neural integration take place?

b) axon hillock

What statement is TRUE?

a) GABA is produced from glutamate.

When glutamate binds to its receptor, what is the effect on the postsynaptic membrane?

a) EPSPs

What is true of postsynaptic potentials (PSPs)?

e) all of the above

Match the correct receptor type and effect: a) ionotropic; more time required to open an ion channel

c) ionotropic; direct opening of an ion channel.

If binding of a neurotransmitter causes positively charged ions to enter the cell, what is this called?

d) EPSP

When an action potential is initiated, which ion channels open first?

a) sodium

What philosopher thought animal spirits flowed through nerves?

c) René Descartes

What is lacking at a Node of Ranvier?

e) myelin

Which type of neuron is most common in the CNS?

b) multipolar neuron

What is it called when membrane potential becomes more negative?

d) hyperpolarization

What type of glia provides nutrients by wrapping capillaries and neurons?

a) astrocytes

When voltage-gated sodium channels open, what causes sodium to enter the cell?

d) both a & b (force of diffusion and electrostatic pressure)

Which statement reflects a monistic view of mind–body?

e) mind is generated by brain activity.

What glia form scar tissue and inhibit regrowth in the brain?

c) astrocytes

When an action potential reaches the axon terminal, which ion enters and triggers vesicle release?

d) calcium

When an action potential is initiated, which ion channels open second?

b) potassium

What cytoplasmic structure attaches to mRNA and produces proteins?

e) ribosome

Which statement is TRUE?

e) All of the above.

What is TRUE of myelin?

a) It speeds neural transmission.

What neurotransmitter binds to NMDA receptors?

d) glutamate

What determines whether a neurotransmitter causes an EPSP or IPSP?

a) Which ion channel opens.

Who proposed the mind is a blank slate at birth?

a) John Locke.

What is it called when membrane potential becomes more positive?

e) depolarization.

What is an advantage of saltatory conduction?

a) it is economical.

What is it called when mRNA is produced from genes?

c) transcription.

GABA_A receptors are ligand-gated.

a) True.

When glycine binds to its receptor, what happens postsynaptically?

b) IPSP.

What is inside synaptic vesicles?

d) neurotransmitters.

What causes hot air to leave a room when a door opens?

d) force of diffusion.

What happens if threshold of excitation is NOT reached?

d) action potential is not triggered.

What best describes this direction relative to the neuraxis?

b) ventral.

What form of drug administration gets the drug to the brain the fastest and in the highest concentration?

c) intravenous injection.

What best describes this direction relative to the neuraxis?

a) dorsal.

Identify the plane of section labeled #5 above.

c) coronal section.

Identify the plane of section labeled #6 above.

e) horizontal section.

Identify the plane of section labeled #7 above.

a) sagittal section.

What is TRUE of the blood-brain barrier?

c) it is weaker at the area postrema.

What statement is TRUE?

e) None of the above.

If a drug binds to the neurotransmitter binding site and inhibits the opening of the ion channel, what is it called?

e) direct antagonist.

What is TRUE of a drug that interferes with the synthesis of a particular neurotransmitter?

b) it is an antagonist.

What is TRUE of glycine receptors?

a) they lead to the opening of chloride ion channels.

Which neurotransmitter is NOT a monoamine?

b) glycine.

What brain region has been implicated in the symptoms associated with Parkinson’s disease?

b) substantia nigra.

What brain region contains cells that produce dopamine?

b) substantia nigra.

What effect does botulinum toxin have on the brain?

b) Prevents the release of acetylcholine.

The cell bodies of serotonin neurons are found in which brain region?

e) raphe nuclei.

What statement is FALSE about acetylcholine receptors?

c) Muscarinic receptors are ionotropic.

What drug(s) bind to GABA receptors?

d) b & c (barbiturate and benzodiazepine).

What brain region contains cells that produce norepinephrine?

d) locus coeruleus.

What is true of a drug that blocks acetylcholinesterase?

d) It is an agonist.

Monoamine oxidase inhibitors are commonly used to treat depression. How do they affect synaptic transmission?

d) Block reuptake allowing dopamine to remain in the synapse longer.

What neurotransmitter is affected by antidepressants such as Prozac, Zoloft, Celexa, and Lexapro?

a) serotonin.

What is TRUE of MDMA ('Ecstasy')?

e) None of the above.

Which pathway(s) is important for movement-related activities?

a) nigrostriatal pathway.

In the mesocortical pathway, where is dopamine released?

a) frontal cortex.

What brain region contains cholinergic cell bodies?

a) dorsolateral pons.

Which is a catecholamine?

a) epinephrine.

Which layer of the meninges is the innermost layer?

a) pia mater.

What gives cerebral cortex a gray appearance?

e) All of the above.

Tryptophan is the precursor of what neurotransmitter?

b) serotonin.

Which lobe is in the posterior part of the brain and is concerned with visual processing?

e) occipital lobe.

Which statement is TRUE?

d) a & b.

What cortical areas are involved in processing sensory information?

e) All of the above.

Which layer of the meninges is closest to the skull?

c) dura mater.

If you injected current into the ventral tegmental area, what would happen?

a) levels of dopamine in the synapse would increase.

What indentation separates the primary motor cortex from the primary somatosensory cortex?

b) central sulcus.

What is TRUE of the somatosensory cortex?

d) a & b.

What part of the brain was damaged in Phineas Gage?

e) frontal lobe.

What is inside the ventricles?

d) cerebrospinal fluid.

What natural ligand binds to nicotinic receptors?

c) acetylcholine.

What is a function of cerebrospinal fluid?

d) reduces the net weight of the brain.

What makes cerebrospinal fluid?

a) choroid plexus.

If you injected current into the locus coeruleus, what would happen?

a) vigilance and anxiety would increase.

What pathway has been implicated in mediating drug abuse?

a) mesolimbic system.

Which neurotransmitters share a biosynthetic pathway?

c) dopamine and norepinephrine.

What type of receptors does atropine (aka belladonna) bind to?

c) acetylcholine.

What effect does amphetamine have on the brain?

b) more dopamine gets released.

Which of these neurotransmitters is an indolamine?

b) serotonin.

What brain region(s) is part of the limbic system?

d) hippocampus.

What brain region controls the endocrine system of the body?

b) pituitary.

What part of the neuron is stained with a Nissl stain?

d) cell bodies.