Biology

Nervous System Physiology

1,858 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

The cardiovascular regulation is under the control of

  1. tectum

  2. hypothalamus

  3. thalamus

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

The main function of hypothalamus is homeostasis. It also controls all the autonomic regulatory activities of the body such as temperature and cardiovascular regulation.

Multiple choice

Swallowing centre is situated in

  1. mid brain

  2. pons

  3. medulla

  4. cerebellum
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
C Correct answer
Explanation

The swallowing center is located in the medulla oblongata of the brainstem. This region contains central pattern generators that coordinate the complex sequence of muscle movements required for safe swallowing, protecting the airway.

Multiple choice

Brain stem contains

  1. cerebellum and medulla oblongata

  2. cerebellum, pons and medulla oblongata

  3. cerebellum and pons

  4. pons and medulla oblongata
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

The brain stem consists of three parts: midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata. The cerebellum is located at the back of the brain but is NOT part of the brain stem - it's a separate structure involved in coordination and balance.

Multiple choice

If an old man has difficulty in localising sound, but has no other hearing deficits, then a lesion may have occurred in which of the following parts of the brain?

  1. Medial geniculate

  2. Inferior colliculus

  3. Vestibular nuclei

  4. Superior olivary nucleus

  5. Inferior olivary nucleus
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Yes, it is correct. The superior olive is responsible for sound localisation based on the amount of time it takes the neural signals from the right and left ear to reach specific nuclei in the superior olivary complex.

Multiple choice

In the human central nervous system, there are typically three levels of motor control, namely strategy, tactics and execution. The tactical level of motor control utilises which of the following areas of the brain?

  1. Cerebellum

  2. Brainstem

  3. Prefrontal cortex

  4. Hypothalamus

  5. Amygdala
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
A Correct answer
Explanation

Yes, it is correct. The cerebellum and the motor cortical areas (areas 4 and 6) are involved in the tactical level of motor control.

Multiple choice

Michael J. Fox, a well famed Canadian pop singer, has a hypokinetic disorder of the basal ganglia, Parkinson's disease. This disease is due to loss of

  1. dopamine in the putamen

  2. dopamine in the caudate nucleus

  3. gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the caudate nucleus

  4. gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) in the putamen

  5. dopamine in the substantia nigra
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

Yes, it is correct. The loss of dopamine input from the substantia nigra to the striatum produces an imbalance in the indirect pathway versus the direct pathway of basal ganglia regulation. 

Multiple choice

Which of the following regions of the midbrain is involved in producing a decrease in the hearing acuity?

  1. Superior colliculus

  2. Inferior colliculus

  3. Red nucleus

  4. Medial lemniscus

  5. Substantia nigra
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

The inferior colliculus is a relay nucleus for hearing located in the tectum of the midbrain. The cochlear nuclei send axons through the lateral lemniscus to reach the inferior colliculus. Axons from the colliculus travel to the medial geniculate.

Multiple choice

A 67-years-old female has a stroke that impacts on her lateral thalamus and the adjacent white matter tract, the internal capsule. The loss of the internal capsule results in which of the following defects?

  1. Contralateral loss of vision

  2. Ipsilateral loss of hearing

  3. Contralateral loss of hearing

  4. Ipsilateral loss of descending skeletal motor control

  5. Contralateral loss of descending skeletal motor control
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
E Correct answer
Explanation

Yes, it is correct. The internal capsule contains contralateral descending upper motor axons from the cortex to the brainstem and spinal cord (corticospinal, corticobulbar and corticopontine tracts). It also contains contralateral third or fourth order sensory axons from the thalamus to the cortex that carry general sensation (fine touch, proprioception, pain and temperature). The internal capsule does not contain axons for the special sensations of vision or hearing.

Multiple choice

In which of the following nuclei of the brain are the second order cell bodies for taste sensation found?

  1. Nucleus ambiguous

  2. Nucleus solitarius

  3. Spinal trigeminal nucleus

  4. Nucleus gracilis

  5. Nucleus cuneatus
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
B Correct answer
Explanation

Yes, it is correct. The rostral nucleus solitarius (gustatory nucleus) contains the second order cell bodies for taste sensation from the facial nerve (VII) (chorda tympani), glossopharyngeal nerve (IX) and the vagus nerve (X).

Multiple choice

In a human brain, the emetic centre is a region outside the blood-brain barrier. It allows toxins in the blood to be sensed and vomiting can be induced. It is found in which of the following parts of the brain?

  1. Reticular formation

  2. Raphe nucleus

  3. Locus ceruleus

  4. Area postrema

  5. Inferior olive
Reveal answer Fill a bubble to check yourself
D Correct answer
Explanation

Yes, it is correct. The area postrema is found adjacent to the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus nerve in the posterior aspect of medulla oblongata next to the fourth ventricle. It functions as an emetic centre, sensing toxins and initiating vomiting to help remove the toxins from the gastrointestinal system.