Practice Neuro Exam 2 2008 Questions

Front 1

A substantial direct projection to the medullary and pontine reticular formation arises from the:
a) dorsal columns
b) pain and temperature system
c) dorsal spinocerebellar pathway
d) rubrospinal pathway

Back 1

b) pain and temperature system

Front 2

Axons in the cuneate fasciculus have their cell bodies mainly in:
a) upper thoracic and cervical spinal cord
b) lower thoracic, lumbar and sacral spinal cord
c) cuneate nucleus
d) external cuneate nucleus
e) upper thoracic and cervical dorsal root ganglia
f) lower thoracic, lumbar and sacral dorsal root ganglia

Back 2

e) upper thoracic and cervical dorsal root ganglia

Front 3

Which pathway(s) does NOT travel through the internal capsule?
a) fine touch
b) pain and temperature
c) spinocerebellar
d) corticospinal
e) a and b
f) b and c

Back 3

c) spinocerebellar

Front 4

Intralaminar nuclei in the thalamus
a) convey proprioceptive information
b) project primarily to SI
c) contain secondary afferent cell bodies
d) respond better to vibration than to flutter
e) have small, well-defined receptive fields, like those of primary afferents
f) none of the above

Back 4

f) none of the above

Front 5

Choose the best answer
A. Medial To
B. Lateral To
C. Below
D. Above

1. The gracile nucleus is locate ___ the cuneate nucleus

2. Within the somatosensory nuclei of the thalamus, the representation of the face is located ____ the representation of the body

3. Primary axons conveying pain and temperature sensation enter ___ the primary axons conveying fine touch information

Back 5

1. A) Medial To
2. A) Medial To
3. B) Lateral To

Front 6

Compared to a slowly adapting receptor, a rapidly adapting receptor would be
more likely to:
a) carry information about high temperatures (versus low)
b) have a large receptive field (versus small)
c) recover more quickly from a metabolic insult
d) carry information about acceleration (versus velocity)
e) transduce red light (longer wavelength) rather than blue
light (shorter wavelength)

Back 6

d) carry information about acceleration (versus velocity)

Front 7

List four general ways in which somatosensory receptors differ from one another that are ‘general’ in that the same terms also apply to other sensory systems (thus, ‘pain vs. touch’ would not be a general difference)

Back 7

‘location'
'specificity' or 'modality'
'dynamics' or something about adaptation rate
'spatial range' or 'receptive field size'
'[axonal] conduction rate'
'molecular markers'

Front 8

Two point discrimination thresholds depend most closely on:
a) receptive field diameter
b) cell body diameter
c) maximum firing rate of the receptor
d) distance between adjacent receptive field centers

Back 8

d) distance between adjacent receptive field centers

Front 9

Choose the correct choice:
A. A-alpha
B. A-beta
C. C
D. A-delta

1. The smallest diameter fiber
2. The fiber with the most myelin
3. The fiber not present in cutaneous nerves
4. The least susceptible to damage from compression
5. Fast pain fibers

Back 9

1. C) C
2. A) A-alpha
3. A) A-alpha
4. C) C
5. D) A-delta

Front 10

The third lumbar spinal nerve lies just ABOVE which vertebra?

Back 10

L4

Front 11

Which of the following statements are true: (circle one)
a) Peripheral nerve distributions reflect dermatomes
b) Dermatomes for fine touch overlap more than dermatomes for pain and temperature
c) After a peripheral nerve lesion, the loss of pain and temperature sensation will almost always be incomplete
d) None of the above

Back 11

b) Dermatomes for fine touch overlap more than dermatomes for pain and temperature

Front 12

Circle the one best answer: Nucleus proprius
a) Is the origin of some anterolateral column axons
b) Receives both pain and temperature AND fine touch information
c) Projects to Clarke's nucleus
d) a and b
e) None of the above

Back 12

d) a and b

Front 13

Hemi-transection of the cord will result in:
a) Contralateral loss of vibration sense
b) Ipsilateral loss of temperature sensation, especially well below
the level of the lesion
c) No proprioceptive loss
d) Contralateral paresis (muscle weakness)

Back 13

d) Contralateral paresis (muscle weakness)

Front 14

List the following cortical areas in ascending order from simplest to most complex receptive field properties

Brodmann areas 2, 3b, 5

Back 14

3b 2 5

Front 15

Plasticity in the central nervous system is:
a) Almost always limited by the 'critical period'
b) Sometimes limited by a 'critical period'
c) Never limited by a 'critical period'

Back 15

b) Sometimes limited by a 'critical period'

Front 16

Define neuropathic pain

Back 16

Pain originating from damage to the nervous system

Front 17

Mediators of inflammatory pain include all EXCEPT:
a) Hydrogen ions
b) Histamine
c) Bradykinin
d) Prostaglandin
e) Hemoglobin

Back 17

e) Hemoglobin

Front 18

Within the spinal cord, primary pain afferents primarily release (circle TWO):
a) GABA
b) glutamate
c) enkephalin
d) peptides
e) hydrogen ions

Back 18

b) gutamate
d) peptides

Front 19

Pathways that modulate pain sensitivity include:
a) periaqueductal grey -> nucleus raphe magnus -> dorsal horn
b) inferior colliculus -> lateral tegmental nucleus -> dorsal horn
c) interlaminar thalamic nuclei -> medullary reticular formation ->dorsal horn
d) interlaminar thalamic nuclei -> nucleus raphe magnus -> dorsal horn
e) none of the above

Back 19

a) periaqueductal grey -> nucleus raphe magnus -> dorsal horn

Front 20

Lesions to SI and SII generally:
a) exacerbate pain
b) have no effect on pain
c) reduce pain

Back 20

b) have no effect on pain

Front 21

Lissauer's tract carries:
a) Fine touch information from the contralateral side of the body
b) Taste information from the back of the tongue
c) Pain & temperature information from the ipsilateral side of the body
d) Conscious proprioceptive information primarily from the ipsilateral side of the body
e) None of the above

Back 21

c) Pain & temperature information from the ipsilateral side of the body

Front 22

Match the receptor to the action
a. Primary annulospiral muscle spindle receptor
b. Secondary flower spray muscle spindle receptor
c. Golgi tendon organ receptor

1. Triggers contraction phase of clonus _______
2. Signals velocity of muscle stretch and confers viscous-damping property to muscle stretch _____
3. Signals length of muscle stretch and confers spring-like property to muscle stretch ______
4. Triggers relaxation phase of clonus and clasp knife reaction _____
5. Signals force (active or passive) of muscle stretch and causes muscle to relax when stretched ______
6. Triggers contraction phase of clasp-knife reaction ________

Back 22

1. A
2. A
3. B
4. C
5. C
6. B

Front 23

Match the action to the statement (1 pt each)
a. go down
b. go up


1. In normal human adult, a somtosensory stimulus to lateral sole of foot causes big toe to ___
2. In infants up to 6 months and in adults with injury of the corticospinal tract, stimulus to lateral sole of foot causes big toe to ____
3. In normals and especially in adults with CST injury, noxious stimulus to skin of lateral sole of foot causes that leg to ____ and opposite leg to ____ (resulting from movements at ankle, knee, and hip)

Back 23

1. A
2. B
3. B, A

Front 24

a. Vestibulospinal tract
b. Crossed corticospinal tract
c. Reticulospinal tract
d. Uncrossed corticospinal tract
e. Tectospinal tract
f. Rubrospinal tract

1. Lateral Column
2. Ventral Column

Back 24

1. b, f
2. d, c, e, a

Front 25

In the clinical condition of so-called “decerebrate posture” (actually a transient movement), pressure on the brow or pinching skin over the sternum causes the head & neck, arms and legs to (flex or extend)

Back 25

Extend

Front 26

In the clinical condition of so-called “decorticate posture”, passive flexion of head and neck will cause arms to 1.___ and legs to 2.____, while passive extnsion of head and neck will cause arms to 3.___ and legs to 4. ____.

Back 26

1. FLex
2. Extend
3. Extend
4. Flex

Front 27

A specific and sensitive test for normal function of motor cortex and the crossed corticospinal tract is the voluntary ability to (choose one)

__a. move many joints in a coordinated synergy (e.g. finger-nose-finger, head-knee-shin)
__b. move a single joint (e.g. distal joint of thumb, big toe).

Back 27

I would say B) not sure yet

Front 28

Choose from the box
a. Stretch of the muscle one wishes to contract
b. “Gegenhalten” = “hold against” an involuntary contraction of the muscle
c. Parietal cortex
d. Supplementary motor cortex
e. Upgoing toe
f. Grasp reflex, an involuntary flexion of the fingers (or toes).

1. The transcortical reflex (aka long loop reflex) is "Set” by intent-related maintained discharge of neurons in ____
2. The transcortical reflex is “Triggered” by a stimulus consisting of ____
3. Frontal lobe lesions cause____ when a muscle is passively stretched
4. Frontal lobe lesions cause____ when the fingers are passively extended or the skin of the palm (or sole) is touched

Back 28

1. D
2. A
3. B
4. F

Front 29

. Choose from the box (answers may be used more than once)


a. GABA
b. dopamine
c. putamen
d. caudate nucleus
e. superior colliculus
f. disinhibiting
g. inhibiting
h. PPPA
i. substantia nigra pars compacta
j. VA nucleus of thalamus

25. Basal ganglia normally control movement by ___ intended motor programs and ___ unintended motor programs. (½ pt each=1)
26. Outputs targets of axons from GPi/SNpr include __ and __. (½ pt. each=1)
27. Parkinson’s Disease is caused by loss of cells in the ___ whose normal function is to release ___ onto neurons of the ___ and ___ (½ pt each =2)
28. Parkinson Syndrome may be caused by antipsychotic drugs which block ___ receptors (1 pt).
29. Chorea may be caused by giving drugs which increase the release of (or sensitivity of receptors to) ___ (1 pt).

Back 29

25. f,g
26. e or h or j
27. i, b,c,d
28. b
29. b

Front 30

A specific and sensitive test of damage of the cerebellum is the inability to (choose one)
___a. move many joints in a coordinated synergy (e.g. finger-nose-finger, head-knee-shin)
__b. move a single joint (e.g. distal joint of thumb, big toe).

Back 30

A

Front 31

Choose from the box the specific symptoms and signs
of damage and match them to 30-33 (1 pt. ea)
a. End-point tremor in moving arm or leg to target
b. Falling to the side of the lesion
c. Over-shoot in reaching to target and clumsy
finger movements.

1. Interposed (globose/emboliform) nucleus
2. Fastigial nucleus
3. Dentate nucleus

Back 31

1. A
2. B
3. C

Front 32

Choose from the box (1 pt each blank)
a. multi-joint movement combinations
b. sensorimotor and cognitive operations from many parts of the nervous system
c. performance errors to be used as means for correcting old and learning new motor programs.



1. Mossy fibers carry information about
2. Climbing fibers carry information about

Back 32

1. b
2. c

Front 33

Which neurons are excitatory and which inhibitory? (indicate E or I)
1. climbing fiber (1/2 point)
2. stellate (1/2 point)
3. basket (1/2 point)
4. Purkinje (1/2 point)
5. Deep nuclear (1/2 point)
6. Golgi (1/2 point)
7. granule
8. mossy fiber

Back 33

1. E
2. I
3. I
4. I
5. E
6. I
7. E
8. E

Front 34

Choose from the box (1 pt ea)
a. vestibular sense
b. vision
c. somesthesis (muscle spindle information)
d. all of the above, concurrently
e. any one of a, b or c.



37. A person may use ___ to keep a sense of equilibrium and prevent falling
38. Learning different calibrations for eye-hand coordination requires ___ and ___. (1/2 pt each blank)
39. A person cannot maintain an upright stance and gait if he/she is impaired in ___
40. A person uses what information to judge position of a joint or limb segment in space ____

Back 34

37. E
38. B,C
39. D
40. C

Front 35

Choose from the box 4 kinds of codes that can be associated with the processing of words:
A. symmetry (or figural) codes
B. visual ( or orthographic) codes
C. auditory (or phonological) codes
D. gustatory (or apprehension) codes
E. semantic (or meaning) codes
F. syntactic (or grammatical) codes

Back 35

B,C,E,F

Front 36

Receptive aphasias are commonly associated with ______ and _________

A. left frontal lesion
B. right frontal lesions.
C. right posterior lesions
D left posterior lesions
E. “fluent speech” and comprehension difficulties
F. difficulties in speech and grammatical difficulties

Back 36

D,E

Front 37

Productive aphasias are commonly associated with ______ and _____

A. left frontal lesion
B. right frontal lesions.
C. right posterior lesions
D left posterior lesions
E. “fluent speech” and comprehension difficulties
F. difficulties in speech and grammatical difficulties

Back 37

A,F

Front 38

Back 38

12. In the tonic neck reflex in normal infants, (½ pt each blank = 2 points)
Stimulus Effect on legs Effect on arms
Head flexed on trunk _b__ _a__
Head extended on trunk _a__ _b__

13. In the vestibulospinal reflex in normal infants, (½ pt each blank= 2 points)
Stimulus Effect on legs Effect on arms
Head tilted down from horizontal _a__ _b__
Head tilted up from horizontal _b__ __a__

14. In the tonic neck reflex in normal infants, (½ pt each blank = 1 point)
Stimulus Arm and leg Arm and leg
“looked at” “looked away from”
Head turned to one side _b__ _a__