Question 1

Which of the following protects the soft tissues of the brain?

Accepted Answer

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), the meninges, and the cranium all play crucial roles in protecting the soft tissues of the brain. CSF acts as a cushion, absorbing shocks and reducing the impact of injuries. The meninges are membranes that envelop the brain and spinal cord, providing another layer of protection. The cranium, or skull, provides a hard, bony enclosure to protect the brain from external injuries.

Question 2

Alzheimer's disease is caused by the loss of ______neurons in certain brain areas and replacement of the lost neurons with scar tissue called ______.

Accepted Answer

Alzheimer's disease is characterized by the loss of cholinergic neurons in certain areas of the brain, and the areas where neurons are lost are often replaced with amyloid plaques, not scar tissue. However, the term "plaques" is closely associated with Alzheimer's pathology, making option A the best choice given the options provided.

Question 3

What type of glial cell is necessary for normal development of the blood -brain barrier?

Accepted Answer

Astrocytes are crucial for the development and maintenance of the blood-brain barrier. They provide support to the endothelial cells that form the barrier, influencing their properties and functions to ensure the barrier's integrity and selective permeability.

Question 4

What type of glial cells plays a critical role in maintaining extracellular potassium levels?

Accepted Answer

Astrocytes are responsible for maintaining extracellular potassium levels by taking up excess potassium ions from the synaptic cleft, helping to regulate the ionic environment of neurons.

Question 5

What type of glial cell is a phagocyte?

Accepted Answer

Microglia are the primary immune defense in the central nervous system and act as phagocytes, engulfing and digesting cellular debris, foreign substances, and pathogens.

Question 6

What are the fibers that connect the cortical regions on one side of the brain with the corresponding cortical region on the other side of the brain?

Accepted Answer

Commissural fibers, such as the corpus callosum, are responsible for connecting cortical regions on one side of the brain with their counterparts on the other side.

Question 7

What is the function of gray matter in the CNS?

Accepted Answer

Gray matter in the CNS is primarily involved in neural integration and synaptic communication, processing information.

Question 8

What symptom of stroke distinguishes it from other neurological disorders?

Accepted Answer

The sudden onset of symptoms is a key distinguishing feature of a stroke compared to other neurological disorders, which might develop symptoms more gradually.

Question 9

Through physical examination, neurologists can easily determine which spinal nerve has been damaged and at what level in the spinal cord an injury has occurred due to mapping out the various sensory regions called

Accepted Answer

Dermatomes are specific areas of skin that are innervated by sensory fibers from a single spinal nerve root. Neurologists use the concept of dermatomes to determine the level of spinal cord injuries or nerve damage by identifying areas of sensory loss or change.

Question 10

Which nerves innervate the anterior thigh?

Accepted Answer

The anterior thigh is primarily innervated by the femoral nerve, which originates from the lumbar plexus (L2-L4). This makes the lumbar nerves responsible for innervation of the anterior thigh.

Question 11

Which of the following would consist of white matter?

Accepted Answer

White matter consists of myelinated axons, which are present in the dorsal columns of the spinal cord.

Question 12

Which of the following substances requires mediated transport to cross the blood -brain barrier?

Accepted Answer

Glucose requires mediated transport to cross the blood-brain barrier, as it cannot pass through the barrier via simple diffusion due to its size and polarity. Specialized transport proteins facilitate its movement into the brain.

Question 13

What type of glucose transporter is located in the endothelial cells of the blood -brain barrier?

Accepted Answer

GLUT-1 is the type of glucose transporter located in the endothelial cells of the blood-brain barrier, facilitating the transport of glucose from the blood into the brain.

Question 14

Physicians administer drugs or do spinal taps in the lumbar region of the spine. Which statement best describes why the lumbar region of the spine is used for such procedures?

Accepted Answer

The lumbar region is chosen for procedures like spinal taps because the spinal cord ends above this region, giving way to the cauda equina, a bundle of nerve roots. This reduces the risk of damaging the spinal cord during the procedure.

Question 15

Tight junctions between capillary endothelial cells in the central nervous system create the blood -brain barrier, thereby restricting what type of movement of molecules into the brain?

Accepted Answer

Tight junctions in the blood-brain barrier restrict the diffusion of hydrophilic molecules into the brain, as these molecules cannot easily pass through the lipid bilayer of cell membranes without specific transport mechanisms.

Question 16

Insulin is known to cross the blood -brain barrier and attach to receptors in the brain. Which statement best describes the function of insulin in the brain?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Insulin is known to cross the blood...

Question 17

The face is innervated by what type of nerves?

Accepted Answer

The face is innervated by cranial nerves, which are part of the peripheral nervous system that originates from the brainstem. These include the trigeminal nerve (CN V) for sensory innervation and the facial nerve (CN VII) for motor innervation, among others.

Question 18

Which spinal nerves originate in the neck region?

Accepted Answer

Cervical nerves originate in the neck region.

Question 19

In order for ions to move across the capillary endothelial cells of the blood -brain barrier, they must

Accepted Answer

Ions cannot freely pass through the blood-brain barrier due to its selective permeability. They require specific transport mechanisms to be transported across endothelial cells.

Question 20

Which statement best describes why the brain requires an uninterrupted supply of blood?

Accepted Answer

The brain requires an uninterrupted supply of blood because it has limited glycogen stores for energy, cannot utilize fatty acids directly for energy, and has a limited capacity for anaerobic metabolism. This makes it highly dependent on a continuous supply of oxygen and glucose from the blood.

Quiz 9: The Nervous System: Central Nervous System