Biology

Nervous System Physiology

1,959 Questions

Enhance your knowledge of human neurobiology through questions on nervous system physiology. The topics cover brain anatomy, sensory modalities, and the neural mechanisms controlling speech and language. This resource is ideal for students preparing for medical and general science exams.

Brain anatomy and regionsNeural mechanismsLanguage processingSensory functions

Nervous System Physiology Questions

Multiple choice

Which of the four are collectively known as brain stem?

  1. Pons varolii, mid brain, medulla oblongata and diencephalon

  2. Pons varolli, mid brain, cerebellum and thalamus

  3. Medulla oblongata, cerebellum, pons varolii and cerebrum

  4. Hypothalamus, thalamus, mid brain and cerebellum
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

This option is correct because they all perform the major function of brain considered as brain stem.

Multiple choice

The convolutions present in cerebral hemisphere help in

  1. control and co-ordination

  2. sensation of light

  3. increase the surface area of the cortex

  4. perception of sensation
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

This option is correct because the convolutions/folds increase the surface area of cortex for accomodating more nerve cells in it.

Multiple choice

The important areas present in temporal lobe are

  1. broca's area and motor area

  2. visual areas

  3. premotor area and somesthetic

  4. olfactory, auditory and wernicke's area
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

This option is correct because temporal lobe has three important areas which have important functions in the sense of smell, hearing  and understanding. Speech and rest are the parts of other lobes.

Multiple choice

Hypothalamus is an important link between the

  1. nervous system and endocrine system

  2. endocrine system and exocrine system

  3. exocrine system and nervous system

  4. nervous system and circulation system
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

This option is correct because it contains centres for homeostasis by regulating body temperature. It is present in the brain which is a part of the nervous tissue and the hormones released by posterior pituitary gland (endocrine gland) are synthesized in hypothalamus.

Multiple choice

What is the other name of hindbrain?

  1. Prosencephalon

  2. Rhombencephalon

  3. Mesencephalon

  4. Telencephalon
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

This option is correct because hindbrain is also known as rhombencephalon.

Multiple choice

Directions: Read the following passage/information and answer the question that follows.

Many researchers believe that the presence of RNA in brain cells is the biochemical basis of memory, i.e. the presence of RNA enables us to remember. Because certain chemicals are known to inhibit the synthesis of RNA in the body, we can test this hypothesis. Animals that have learned particular responses can be injected with an RNA inhibitor and then tested for memory of the learned responses.

Which of the following test results would most seriously weaken the case for RNA as the basis of memory?

  1. After an injection of RNA inhibitor, a wide range of behaviours, in addition to the learned responses, were affected.

  2. After an injection of RNA inhibitor, animals that had not consistently been giving the learned responses were able to give them consistently.

  3. After injections of RNA inhibitor, some animals lost memory of the learned responses totally, but others lost it only partially.

  4. After a small injection of RNA inhibitor, animals responded well, but as the size of the injection increased, they gave fewer of the learned responses.

  5. After an injection of RNA inhibitor, animals exhibited variation in the learned responses over a period of time.
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The researchers believe that the presence of RNA enables us to remember. However, if, after an injection of RNA inhibitor, animals gave learned responses more consistently than before, it would appear that the absence of RNA facilitates memory. Therefore, the correct answer is 2.  1 is incorrect. These results would suggest that RNA is the basis of other abilities in addition to that of memory, but there is nothing in them that would weaken the case for RNA as the basis of memory. 3 is not correct. These results support the case that RNA is the basis of memory, although they suggest that the degree of effectiveness of either RNA or RNA inhibitor may vary. 4 is incorrect. These results would suggest that RNA must be strongly inhibited in order to impair memory, but still support the case for RNA as the basis of memory.  The last option is also incorrect. These results would suggest that RNA is necessary for new learning and as the learning would require memory, the results would support the case for RNA as the basis of memory.

Multiple choice

Direction: Complete the following sentence by selecting the correct option from the following.

In the majority of the cases, the left hemisphere of the brain is ______________.

PASSAGE 1

The human brain is spherical. It is divided into two halves, called the two hemispheres. Though two hemispheres are joined together, they seem to work independently. In the majority of the cases, the left hemisphere dominates over the right resulting in right handed people who are better at mathematics and languages than at music and sports. In 65 percentage of brains studied , it was found that left hemisphere was larger and more highly developed than the right, in 14 percentage of cases , the two hemispheres were more or less equal , while in 11 percentage , the right hemisphere was more developed than the left.

  1. larger and more highly developed than the right

  2. smaller but more highly developed than the right

  3. more or less equal to right

  4. less developed than the right
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

In the passage it is clearly mentioned that  ' it was found that left hemisphere was larger and more highly developed than the right '. So option 1 is the correct answer.