Systems Neuro SI Practice Exam(s) - ANSWER KEYs 1-3

Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome is due to palsy of the abducens nerve: T/F?

True

The Sensory Association Cortex is involved in nondeclarative memory. This brain region can be impacted by Huntington’s and/or Parkinson’s Disease, leading to impairments of its function. T/F?

False

External ear sensation is part of which functional component of the glossopharyngeal nerve?

1. GVA

2. SVA

3. GVE

4. SVE

5. GSA

5. GSA

Which of the spinocerebellar tracts decussates twice to still transmit ipsilateral information?

1. Posterior Spinocerebellar

2. Anterior Spinocerebellar

3. Cuneocerebellar

4. Rostral Spinocerebellar

2. Anterior Spinocerebellar

Which of the following cranial nerves is NOT involved in eye movement?

1. CN III

2. CN IV

3. CN V

4. CN VI

3. Cranial Nerve (V)

Together, the superior and inferior colliculus make up the _________

while the substantia nigra and red nucleus are part of the __________.

1. Tectum

2. Tegmentum

What are the two primary functions of the reticular activating system?

1. Manages arousal levels

2. Initiates/manages threat response

Muscles closer to your midline are controlled by motor neurons with somas farther from the midline. T/F?

False

Which of the following generate the greatest amount of force?

1. Slow motor units

2. Fast-fatigable motor units

3. Fatigue-resistant motor units

2. Fast-fatigable motor units

When Usaian Bolt runs his 100m dash, which of the following are recruited for his use?

1. Slow motor units

2. Fast-fatigable motor units

3. Fatigue-resistant motor units

2. Fast-fatigable motor units

After beating the world record, Bolt decides to walk a few miles to decompress. Now which of the following are recruited for his use?

1. Slow motor units

2. Fast-fatigable motor units

3. Fatigue-resistant motor units

Fatigue-resistant motor units

Where can you find Betz cells?

1. Layer 4 of the primary motor cortex

2. Layer 5 of the primary motor cortex

3. Layer 4 of the premotor cortex

4. Layer 5 of the premotor cortex

5. A and C

6. B and D

2. Layer 5 of the primary motor cortex

Which area of the cortex cares more about people entering my personal space?

Which area cares more about people farther away?

Close: Primary Motor Cortex

Further: Premotor Cortex

Which of the following is NOT a stabilizing eye movement?

1. Vergence

2. Optokinetics

3. Vestibulo-ocular

4. Saccades

5. Smooth pursuit

Vergence

Which of the following is important for foveation and used to shift your gaze?

1. Vergence

2. Optokinetics

3. Vestibulo-ocular

4. Saccades

5. Smooth pursuit

Vergence

Optokinetics =

stabilize a moving image on the retina

Vestibulo-ocular =

ensures best vision during head motion (by moving the eyes contrary to the head to stabilize the line of sight in space).

Saccades =

rapid, ballistic movements of the eyes that abruptly change the point of fixation
** range in amplitude

Smooth pursuit =

slower tracking movements of the eyes that — keep a moving stimulus on the fovea.

What are the names of the two gaze centers? Label whether they are the horizontal or vertical gaze center.

1. PPRF = horizontal

2. Mesencephalic Reticular Formation (MRF)= vertical

The _____ corticospinal tract is essential for innervation of trunk and shoulder musculature while the _____ corticospinal tract is essential for limb musculature innervation.

1. Anterior

2. Lateral

I go to stick my tongue out at you and it deviates to the right. What cranial nerve is likely impacted?

1. Glossopharyngeal

2. Vagus

3. Hypoglossal

4. Facial

Hypoglossal

The ____ nerve is technically part of the CNS because it is derived from an out-pocket of the diencephalon during embryonic development.

Optic

Which spinocerebellar tract(s) communicate with the lower limbs? Select all that apply.

1. Posterior Spinocerebellar

2. Anterior Spinocerebellar

3. Cuneocerebellar

4. Rostral Spinocerebellar

1. Posterior Spinocerebellar

2. Anterior Spinocerebellar

Which spinocerebellar tract communicate with the upper limbs?

Cuneocerebellar

Describe the major difference between declarative and nondeclarative memory?

Declarative = available consciousness

Nondeclarative = not available to consciousness (inc: priming)

I go sit down in my Systems Neuroscience lecture at 9:30. Professor Clark starts talking about the brain, and after the lecture I realize that I was unable to retain any information. I visit the doctor and they tell me I am suffering from amnesia. What type of amnesia am I suffering from?

Anterograde Amnesia
( = cannot remember new information)

Retrograde amnesia:

A person can remember new info but CAN NOT remember events from before the onset of amnesia.

Dissociative amnesia:

A person may forget specific events or time periods.

The basal ganglia and cerebellum directly influence lower motor neurons? T/F

False

What structures make up the striatum? (2)

Caudate and putamen

What structures make up the pallidum? (2)

Globus pallidus and substantia nigra

Which three structures are generally believed to be a part of the basal ganglia?

1. Caudate

2. putamen

3. globus pallidus

Nearly all cortical regions have direct projections to the striatum via the _______ pathway.

Corticostriatal

Which thalamic nuclei are involved in outflow of the basal ganglia? Select all that apply/

1. Dorsal Anterior Nucleus

2. Ventral Anterior Nucleus

3. Dorsal Lateral Nucleus

4. Ventral Lateral Nucleus

2. Ventral Anterior Nucleus

4. Ventral Lateral Nucleus

The ventral anterior nucleus is primarily involved in the learning of movements. T/F?

False

Which disease is characterized by degeneration of dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra?

1. Huntington’s Disease

2. Alzheimer’s Disease

3. Parkinson’s Disease

4. ALS

3. Parkinson’s Disease

Huntington’s Disease =

inherited disorder that causes nerve cells (neurons) in parts of the brain to gradually break down and die.

Alzheimer’s Disease =

slowly destroys memory and thinking skills — eventually, not able to do simple tasks.

ALS =

Affects motor neurons

(the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movement and breathing).

Which cerebellar peduncle primarily receives afferent fibers from the medulla?

1. Superior Cerebellar Peduncle

2. Inferior Cerebellar Peduncle

3. Middle Cerebellar Peduncle

2. Inferior Cerebellar Peduncle

Which cerebellar peduncle(s) convey outputs from the cerebellum? Select all that apply.

1. Superior Cerebellar Peduncle

2. Inferior Cerebellar Peduncle

3. Middle Cerebellar Peduncle

1. Superior Cerebellar Peduncle

Which cerebellar peduncle is Efferent?
Which cerebellar peduncle is Afferent?

1. superior cerebellar peduncle

2. Middle Cerebellar Peduncle

Which cerebellar peduncle primarily conveys afferent fibers from the pontine nuclei to the cerebellum?

Middle Cerebellar Peduncle

The cerebellum is composed of Purkinje cells. Purkinje cells are ______ (think of the neurotransmitter released).

GABAergic

Which region of the ventral horn primarily contains lower motor neurons that govern posture?

1. Medial Ventral Horn

2. Lateral Ventral Horn

3. Superior Ventral Horn

4. Inferior Ventral Horn

1. Medial Ventral Horn

Types of ventral horns and their functions:

1. Lateral Ventral Horn

2. Superior Ventral Horn

3. Inferior Ventral Horn

1. Lateral = regulate autonomic functions and visceral activities

2. Superior = coordinating motor functions related to the upper limbs

3. Inferior = ontrolling motor functions related to the lower limbs

Where do you find mirror motor neurons?

Ventrolateral premotor cortex

(more important to know they are in the premotor cortex)

Extra Credit: in what century was the first drawing of the hippocampus made? Who made it?

1500s; Eustachi

Extra Credit: what brain region is arguably the easiest to identify in a neuroanatomy lab?

Pons

Complete the following table using information about eye movement:

Muscle	Direction of Movement	Cranial Nerve Involved
Lateral Rectus
Medial Rectus
Superior Rectus
Inferior Rectus
Superior Oblique
Inferior Oblique

Muscle	Direction of Movement	Cranial Nerve Involved
Lateral Rectus	Abduction	Abducens
Medial Rectus	Adduction	Oculomotor
Superior Rectus	Elevation	Oculomotor
Inferior Rectus	Depression	Oculomotor
Superior Oblique	Depression	Trochlear
Inferior Oblique	Elevation	Oculomotor

list all of the cranial nerves and whether they are sensory, motor, or both:

1	Olfactory	S
2	Optic	S
3	Oculomotor	M
4	Trochlear	M
5	Trigeminal	B
6	Abducens	M
7	Facial	B
8	Vestibulocochlear	S
9	Glossopharyngeal	B
10	Vagus	B
11	Spinal Accessory	M
12	Hypoglossal	M

Identify the parts of the Basal Ganglia

Which cranial nerves are involved in the sensory transduction of tastant information?

Facial, Glossopharyngeal, Vagus

What cells are the direct synaptic connection of ORNs?

1. Tufted Cells

2. Mitral Cells

3. Glomerular Cells

4. Granule Cells

2. Mitral Cells

True or False: a glomerulus contains the dendritic bush of many mitral cells and many ORNs

False

What is the association cortex for taste and olfactory information?

1. Pyriform Cortex

2. Entorhinal Cortex

3. Orbitofrontal Cortex

4. Insular Cortex

3. Orbitofrontal Cortex

Which brain region is involved in smell aversion?

1. Pyriform Cortex

2. Amygdala

3. Entorhinal Cortex

4. Insular Cortex

2. Amygdala

Which brain region is involved in odor discrimination?

1. Pyriform Cortex

2. Amygdala

3. Entorhinal Cortex

4. Insular Cortex

3. Entorhinal Cortex

Which brain region does all olfactory information converge on?

Olfactory bulb

True or False: all sensory information synapses on the thalamus before being conveyed to their primary sensory cortical area

False

Select which tastant receptors are GPCRs:

1. Sweet

2. Salt

3. Sour

4. Bitter

5. Umami

Sweet

Bitter

Umami

Which taste is carried by the movement of hydronium ions?

1. Sweet

2. Salt

3. Sour

4. Bitter

5. Umami

Sour

Which nucleus is the primary source of convergence for all three cranial nerves involved in the transduction of taste?

Solitary Tract Nucleus/Solitary Nucleus/Nucleus Solitarius 

Which thalamic nuclei receives taste information?

1. Ventral posterior medial

2. Ventral posterior lateral

3. Dorsal posterior medial

4. Dorsal posterior lateral

1. Ventral posterior medial

The following fibers carry which type of touch information?

1. Aβ Fiber →

2. Aδ Fiber →

3. C Fiber →

1. Aβ Fiber → touch

2. Aδ Fiber → fast pain

3. C Fiber → slow pain

Which of the following are slow-adapting?

1. Merkel

2. Ruffini

3. Paccinian

4. Meissner’s

1. Merkel

2. Ruffini

Which of the following are rapidly-adapting?

1. Merkel

2. Ruffini

3. Pacinian

4. Meissner’s

3. Pacinian

4. Meissner’s

Where does the tactile pathway cross the midline?

Brainstem

Where does the pain pathway cross the midline?

Dorsal horn of the spinal cord

What structure allows for the detection of muscle tension?

1. Muscle spindles

2. Joint capsule receptors

3. Golgi tendon organs

3. Golgi tendon organs

Which thalamic nuclei relays tactile information from the body’s extremities?

1. Ventral posterior medial

2. Ventral posterior lateral

3. Dorsal posterior medial

4. Dorsal posterior lateral

2. Ventral posterior lateral

Which thalamic nuclei relays tactile information from the face?

1. Ventral posterior medial

2. Ventral posterior lateral

3. Dorsal posterior medial

4. Dorsal posterior lateral

1. Ventral posterior medial

Through what pathway is tactile information from the face carried by the thalamus by?

1. Mammillotegental pathway

2. Anterior thalamic pathway

3. Trigeminothalamic pathway

4. Medial lemniscus pathway 

3. Trigeminothalamic pathway

Where do the cell bodies of the previously mentioned pathway lie?

Trigeminal ganglia

Where do the cell bodies of proprioceptors of the face lie?

Mesencephalic trigeminal nucleus

What fiber is involved in sharp pain?

1. Aβ Fiber 

2. Aδ Fiber 

3. C Fiber 

??????

_______ acts as the neurotransmitter of the pain system while ______ acts as the neuromodulator of pain

• Glutamate

• Substance P

Where are enkephalins produced?

PAG

Name the two regions that enkephalins can act upon to suppress pain?

• PAG

• Spinal cord

Which region(s) of the cochlea have the highest sodium levels?

1. Scala media

2. Scala vestibuli

3. Scala tympani

2. Scala vestibuli

3. Scala tympani

What nucleus of the brainstem retrieves all auditory information?

Cochlear nucleus

After synapsing on the previously mentioned nucleus, projections to the ____ measures interaural time differences while projections to the _____ measure sound intensity differences

• MSO

• LSO

Which nucleus is important for sound localization?

Medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB)

A photoreceptor ______ (IPSP or EPSP) in response to light

Hyperpolarizes (IPSP)

The part of the thalamus that relays visual information to the occipital lobe:

Lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN)

The part of the thalamus that relays auditory information to the temporal lobe:

Medial geniculate nucleus (MGN)

Name the three ossicles:

Stapes, Incus, Malleus

Myopia is characterized by:

1. Corneal surface that is too curved which results in an inability to see close objects

2. Corneal surface that is too curved that results in an inability to see far objects

3. Corneal surface that is too flat which results in an inability to see close objects

4. Corneal surface that is too flat which results in an inability to see far objects

2. Corneal surface that is too curved that results in an inability to see far objects

Presbyopia is characterized by:

1. Corneal surface that is too curved which results in an inability to see close objects

2. Corneal surface that is too curved that results in an inability to see far objects

3. Corneal surface that is too flat which results in an inability to see close objects

4. Corneal surface that is too flat which results in an inability to see far objects

3. Corneal surface that is too flat which results in an inability to see close objects

The peripheral portion of your visual field is detected by the…

1. Temporal hemiretina

2. Nasal hemiretina

3. All of the above

4. None of the above

2. Nasal hemiretina

Which cells are responsible for giving rise to new ORNs?

1. Basal cells

2. Ensheathing cells

3. Mitral cells

4. Periglomerular cells

1. Basal cells

Which of the following are direct targets of the olfactory bulb?

1. Orbitofrontal cortex

2. Thalamus

3. Pyriform cortex

4. Olfactory tubercle

5. Hypothalamus

6. Amygdala

7. Hippocampus

8. Entorhinal cortex

3. Pyriform cortex

4. Olfactory tubercle

6. Amygdala

8. Entorhinal cortex

Which mechanoreceptor of the body detects pressure, tension, and joint movement?

1. Muscle spindle

2. Joint capsule receptor

3. Golgi tendon organs

2. Joint capsule receptor

I reached under my desk and accidentally touched a piece of gum stuck to the bottom of it. Which nucleus conveys the sticky information that my hand just felt?

1. Gracile nucleus

2. Cuneate nucleus

2. Cuneate nucleus

Which subdivision of the anterolateral pathway conveys temperature?

1. Lateral spinothalamic tract

2. Anterior spinothalamic tract

1. Lateral spinothalamic tract

What allows for the peripheral sensitization of pain?

Sensitizing soup

Name the major purpose of peripheral sensitization:

Protect the damaged area until it is fully healed

Extra credit: what is different about the pyriform cortex in reference to other cortical areas?

It is composed of three layers rather than six!

According to the reference point, what are the locations of the following letters?

A =

B =

C =

A = Dorsal

B = Inferior

C = Anterior