Physiology exam style questions

Lower motor neurons are located in the:
a) Precentral gyrus
b) Anterior horn of spinal cord
c) Basal ganglia
d) Cerebellum

B

Damage to upper motor neurons typically leads to:
a) Flaccid paralysis
b) Loss of all reflexes
c) Spastic paralysis
d) Muscle atrophy

C

The corticospinal tract decussates mainly at the level of the:
a) Pons
b) Midbrain
c) Medulla pyramids
d) Spinal cord

C

The rubrospinal tract mainly facilitates:
a) Extensor muscles
b) Flexor muscles
c) Postural control
d) Eye movements

B

The main center responsible for wakefulness is the:
a) Hippocampus
b) RAS (Reticular Activating System)
c) Amygdala
d) Cerebellum

B

REM sleep is characterized by:
a) Slow-wave sleep
b) Minimal brain activity
c) Rapid eye movements and vivid dreams
d) Increased muscle tone

C

The hippocampus is mainly responsible for:
a) Muscle memory
b) Reflex arcs
c) Short-term → long-term memory conversion
d) Emotional memory

C

Rods are specialized for:
a) Color vision
b) Fine detail
c) Night vision
d) Central vision

C

The optic chiasm contains crossing of fibers from the:
a) Temporal retina
b) Nasal retina
c) Fovea
d) Lateral geniculate nucleus

B

The optic chiasm contains crossing of fibers from the:
a) Temporal retina
b) Nasal retina
c) Fovea
d) Lateral geniculate nucleus

B

Sour taste is detected mainly by:
a) G-protein receptors
b) Sodium channels
c) Hydrogen ions acting on ion channels
d) Chloride pumps

C

Olfactory transduction begins when odorants bind to receptors on the:
a) Basal cells
b) Mitral cells
c) Cilia of olfactory receptor neurons
d) Bowman's glands

C

The organ of Corti contains:
a) Otoliths
b) Hair cells
c) Semicircular ducts
d) Vestibular sacs

B

The semicircular canals detect:
a) Angular acceleration
b) Linear acceleration
c) Gravity
d) Sound waves

A

The utricle primarily detects:
a) Vertical acceleration
b) Horizontal acceleration
c) Sound vibration
d) Rotation

B

The final common pathway for all motor output is:
a) Basal ganglia
b) Upper motor neuron
c) Lower motor neuron
d) Cerebellum

C

The extrapyramidal system includes all EXCEPT:
a) Rubrospinal tract
b) Vestibulospinal tract
c) Corticospinal tract
d) Reticulospinal tract

C

The main function of the basal ganglia is to:
a) Initiate and smooth movement
b) Maintain balance
c) Control eye reflexes
d) Convert sensory info

A

The anterior corticospinal tract mainly controls:
a) Fingers
b) Feet
c) Trunk muscles
d) Facial expression

C

The rubrospinal tract originates from the:
a) Red nucleus
b) Substantia nigra
c) Medulla oblongata
d) Pons

A

The vestibulospinal tract mainly:
a) Inhibits extensor tone
b) Facilitates extensor tone
c) Facilitates flexor muscles
d) Controls eye muscles

B

The cerebellum sends corrective signals via the:
a) Corticospinal tract
b) Thalamus
c) Extrapyramidal pathways
d) Hippocampus

C

The fovea contains mostly:
a) Rods
b) Cones
c) Ganglion cells
d) Bipolar cells

B

The pigment found in rods is:
a) Iodopsin
b) Melanin
c) Rhodopsin
d) Hemoglobin

C

The optic disc contains:
a) Cones
b) Rods
c) Both rods and cones
d) No photoreceptors

D

Horizontal cells function in:
a) Lateral inhibition
b) Vision in low light
c) Motion detection
d) Producing action potentials

A

Optic nerve fibers cross in the:
a) LGN
b) Optic tract
c) Optic chiasm
d) Fovea

C

Nasal retinal fibers project to:
a) Same side
b) Opposite side
c) Cerebellum
d) Superior colliculus only

B

The majority of refraction occurs at the:
a) Lens
b) Sclera
c) Cornea
d) Vitreous humor

C

Decrease in glutamate release from rods occurs when:
a) In darkness
b) In bright light
c) During sleep
d) During REM

B

ON bipolar cells are depolarized by:
a) Increased glutamate
b) Decreased glutamate
c) GABA
d) Dopamine

B

Salty taste is primarily detected by:
a) Sodium channels
b) GPCRs
c) Hydrogen ion channels
d) Potassium pumps

A

Sweet taste uses:
a) Ion channels
b) G-protein coupled receptors
c) Voltage-gated channels
d) Mechanoreceptors

B

The gustatory cortex is located in the:
a) Occipital lobe
b) Insula
c) Temporal lobe
d) Parietal cortex only

B

Olfactory receptor neurons are what type of cell?
a) Unipolar neurons
b) Bipolar neurons
c) Multipolar neurons
d) Non-neural epithelial cells

B

The first relay station of olfaction is the:
a) Hypothalamus
b) Olfactory bulb
c) Orbitofrontal cortex
d) Thalamus

B

Olfactory transduction uses which second messenger?
a) GMP
b) IP3
c) cAMP
d) CaMK

C

The organ of Corti rests on the:
a) Tectorial membrane
b) Basilar membrane
c) Reissner’s membrane
d) Oval window

B

Endolymph is rich in:
a) Na⁺
b) K⁺
c) Ca²⁺
d) Cl⁻

B

High-frequency sounds stimulate:
a) Apex of cochlea
b) Helicotrema
c) Base of cochlea
d) Round window

C

Hair cells bend due to movement of the:
a) Oval window
b) Basilar membrane
c) Stapes
d) Semicircular canals

B

Perilymph fills the:
a) Cochlear duct
b) Scala vestibuli
c) Tectorial membrane
d) Semicircular duct only

B

Utricle detects:
a) Horizontal linear acceleration
b) Vertical linear acceleration
c) Rotation
d) Sound

A

Sacculus detects:
a) Horizontal movement
b) Vertical movement
c) Rotation
d) Temperature

B

The gelatinous structure over hair cells in semicircular canals is the:
a) Otolithic membrane
b) Cupula
c) Tectorial membrane
d) Tympanic membrane

B

Vestibular hair cell depolarization occurs when stereocilia bend:
a) Away from kinocilium
b) Toward kinocilium
c) Downward
d) Randomly

B

The vestibulospinal tract functions mainly to:
a) Control neck muscles
b) Maintain posture and balance
c) Regulate facial muscles
d) Control distal limb movement

B