Central Nervous System: Structure and Function Quizzes

Question 1

Which of the following is the primary function of the neurotransmitter serotonin?

Accepted Answer

Mood regulation

Answer

Memory processing

Answer

Muscle contraction

Answer

Pain perception

Question 2

Which of the following is NOT a protective mechanism of the central nervous system?

Accepted Answer

Axonal transport

Answer

Blood-brain barrier

Answer

Cranial bones

Answer

Meninges

Question 3

Which characteristic is unique to the somatic nervous system?

Accepted Answer

Controls voluntary movements of skeletal muscles.

Answer

Regulates involuntary functions like digestion and heart rate.

Answer

Transmits sensory information from the brain to sensory receptors.

Question 4

Which brain region serves as the primary relay center for sensory information from the body to the cerebral cortex?

Accepted Answer

Thalamus

Answer

Cerebral cortex

Answer

Cerebellum

Answer

Hypothalamus

Question 5

Which spinal cord tract is responsible for transmitting motor commands from the brain to muscles?

Accepted Answer

Corticospinal tract

Answer

Dorsal column pathway

Answer

Spinothalamic tract

Answer

Vestibulospinal tract

Question 6

What is the primary function of the myelin sheath that surrounds nerve fibers?

Accepted Answer

Increases the speed of electrical impulse conduction

Answer

Protects the nerve from damage

Answer

Transmits neurotransmitters

Answer

Regulates ion balance

Question 7

Which neurotransmitter is primarily involved in inhibitory neurotransmission in the CNS?

Accepted Answer

GABA

Answer

Glutamate

Answer

Dopamine

Answer

Serotonin

Question 8

What is the primary function of the hypothalamus in the CNS?

Accepted Answer

Regulates body temperature, hormone secretion, and other homeostatic functions

Answer

Processes sensory information from the spinal cord

Answer

Coordinates voluntary movement

Answer

Controls sleep-wake cycles

Question 9

Which division of the autonomic nervous system is responsible for activating the "fight-or-flight" response?

Accepted Answer

Sympathetic

Answer

Parasympathetic

Answer

Enteric

Answer

Somatic

Question 10

Which lobe of the cerebrum is primarily responsible for higher-order cognitive functions, such as language, memory, and reasoning?

Accepted Answer

Frontal lobe

Answer

Parietal lobe

Answer

Temporal lobe

Answer

Occipital lobe

Question 11

Which neurological disorder is characterized by uncontrolled muscle movements and tremors?

Accepted Answer

Parkinson's disease

Answer

Multiple sclerosis

Answer

Stroke

Answer

Epilepsy

Question 12

How do the meninges and blood supply work together to protect and maintain the central nervous system?

Accepted Answer

Meninges act as a physical barrier against injury, while the blood supply provides oxygen and nutrients.

Answer

Cerebrospinal fluid is the primary defense against infections in the CNS.

Answer

The CNS blood supply operates independently from the rest of the body.

Answer

Meninges and blood supply have no role in the CNS immune response.

Question 13

Which of the following neural pathways carries sensory information from the body to the brain?

Accepted Answer

Ascending tracts

Answer

Interneurons

Answer

Descending tracts

Answer

Motor neurons

Question 14

Which region of the cerebral cortex is predominantly responsible for processing visual information?

Accepted Answer

Occipital lobe

Answer

Frontal lobe

Answer

Temporal lobe

Answer

Parietal lobe

Question 15

The chemical messenger released at the neuromuscular junction to trigger muscle contraction is:

Accepted Answer

Acetylcholine

Answer

Serotonin

Answer

GABA

Answer

Epinephrine

Question 16

Which of the following is a primary function of the cerebellum?

Accepted Answer

Coordination of movement and balance

Answer

Language comprehension

Answer

Storage of long-term memories

Answer

Emotional regulation

Question 17

The protective mechanism that limits the entry of potentially harmful substances into the brain is known as the:

Accepted Answer

Blood-brain barrier

Answer

Cerebrospinal fluid

Answer

Meninges

Question 18

Which type of neuroglia plays a crucial role in myelin formation in the central nervous system?

Accepted Answer

Oligodendrocytes

Answer

Astrocytes

Answer

Ependymal cells

Answer

Microglia

Question 19

In which lobe of the cerebrum is the primary motor cortex located?

Accepted Answer

Frontal lobe

Answer

Occipital lobe

Answer

Temporal lobe

Answer

Parietal lobe

Question 20

Which of the following symptoms is characteristic of Parkinson's disease?

Accepted Answer

Bradykinesia

Answer

Aphasia

Answer

Dysphagia

Answer

Ataxia

Question 21

The protective layers of connective tissue that surround the brain and spinal cord are collectively referred to as the:

Accepted Answer

Meninges

Answer

Choroid plexus

Answer

Arachnoid villi

Answer

Ventricles

Question 22

Which component of the brainstem is responsible for regulating vital functions such as heart rate and respiration?

Accepted Answer

Medulla oblongata

Answer

Thalamus

Answer

Midbrain

Answer

Pons

Question 23

Which lobe of the cerebral cortex is primarily responsible for visual processing?

Accepted Answer

Occipital lobe

Answer

Parietal lobe

Answer

Temporal lobe

Answer

Frontal lobe

Question 24

Which of the following is a unique function of the cerebellum?

Accepted Answer

Coordination of voluntary movement

Answer

Processing of tactile information

Answer

Speech production

Answer

Regulation of blood pressure

Question 25

Which cranial nerve is responsible for transmitting chemosensory information?

Accepted Answer

Olfactory nerve (CN I)

Answer

Trigeminal nerve (CN V)

Answer

Facial nerve (CN VII)

Answer

Glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)

Question 26

Which neuron type conducts impulses from the periphery to the central nervous system?

Accepted Answer

Afferent neuron

Answer

Interneuron

Answer

Ascending neuron

Answer

Efferent neuron

Question 27

Which neurotransmitter is primarily responsible for facilitating inhibitory neurotransmission within the CNS?

Accepted Answer

γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)

Answer

Glutamate

Answer

Dopamine

Answer

Serotonin

Question 28

Which protective layer consists of three connective tissue membranes that envelop the CNS?

Accepted Answer

Meninges

Answer

Pia mater

Answer

Arachnoid mater

Answer

Dura mater

Question 29

Which region of the spinal cord's gray matter contains motor neurons innervating the lower limbs?

Accepted Answer

Ventral gray horn

Answer

Dorsal gray horn

Answer

Lateral gray horn

Question 30

Which of the following is NOT a major spinal cord blood vessel?

Accepted Answer

Ventral artery

Answer

Radicular arteries

Answer

Anterior spinal artery

Answer

Posterior spinal arteries

Question 31

Which type of glial cell is primarily involved in providing myelin insulation for axons in the CNS?

Accepted Answer

Oligodendrocytes

Answer

Microglia

Answer

Astrocytes

Answer

Schwann cells

Question 32

Which of the following is a potential motor deficit resulting from thoracic spinal cord injury?

Accepted Answer

Paraplegia

Answer

Hemiplegia

Answer

Quadriplegia

Answer

Monoplegia

Question 33

Which structure is **not** part of the brainstem?

Accepted Answer

Cerebellum

Answer

Pons

Answer

Medulla oblongata

Answer

Midbrain

Question 34

What is the primary function of the spinal cord?

Accepted Answer

To transmit sensory and motor signals between the brain and the body.

Answer

To regulate body temperature

Answer

To store long-term memories

Question 35

Which neurotransmitter is associated with reward and pleasure?

Accepted Answer

Dopamine

Answer

Acetylcholine

Answer

Serotonin

Answer

Epinephrine

Question 36

What membrane system surrounds the brain and spinal cord?

Accepted Answer

Meninges

Answer

Choroid plexus

Answer

Ependymal lining

Answer

Blood-brain barrier

Question 37

Which area of the cerebral cortex processes sensory information from the body?

Accepted Answer

Somatosensory cortex

Answer

Visual cortex

Answer

Auditory cortex

Answer

Motor cortex

Question 38

What is the fundamental unit of the nervous system?

Accepted Answer

Neuron

Answer

Neurotransmitter

Answer

Glia

Answer

Synapse

Question 39

Which cell type is **not** a glial cell?

Accepted Answer

Neuron

Answer

Microglia

Answer

Astrocyte

Answer

Oligodendrocyte

Question 40

What is the purpose of the blood-brain barrier?

Accepted Answer

To selectively regulate the passage of substances into and out of the brain.

Answer

To facilitate neurogenesis

Answer

To produce cerebrospinal fluid

Question 41

Which lobe of the brain is primarily responsible for executive functions and personality traits?

Accepted Answer

Frontal lobe

Answer

Temporal lobe

Answer

Occipital lobe

Answer

Parietal lobe

Question 42

What are the fluid-filled cavities within the brain called?

Accepted Answer

Ventricles

Answer

Subarachnoid space

Answer

Cisterns

Answer

Choroid plexus

Question 43

Which neurotransmitter is chiefly involved in mediating reward and pleasure in the brain?

Accepted Answer

Dopamine

Answer

Acetylcholine

Answer

Serotonin

Answer

Norepinephrine

Question 44

What is the principal function of the corpus callosum?

Accepted Answer

Facilitating communication between the brain's hemispheres

Answer

Regulating the body's temperature

Answer

Shielding the brain from impact

Question 45

Which region of the brain is dedicated to processing visual information?

Accepted Answer

Occipital lobe

Answer

Frontal lobe

Answer

Parietal lobe

Answer

Temporal lobe

Question 46

What is the primary role of the cerebellum in motor coordination?

Accepted Answer

Refining and coordinating movements

Answer

Initiating voluntary movements

Answer

Processing sensory data

Answer

Storing long-term memories

Question 47

Which structure provides protective layers around the central nervous system?

Accepted Answer

Meninges

Answer

Myelin sheath

Answer

Dorsal root ganglia

Answer

Blood-brain barrier

Question 48

What is the primary function of sensory neurons in the peripheral nervous system?

Accepted Answer

Transmitting sensory signals to the central nervous system

Answer

Initiating motor responses

Answer

Controlling blood pressure

Answer

Secreting hormones

Question 49

Which neurodegenerative disorder is characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra?

Accepted Answer

Parkinson's disease

Answer

Alzheimer's disease

Answer

Huntington's disease

Answer

Multiple sclerosis

Question 50

What is the key function of the spinal cord?

Accepted Answer

Transmit signals between the brain and the body

Answer

Protect the brain

Answer

Produce hormones

Question 51

Which of the following is NOT a component of the autonomic nervous system?

Accepted Answer

Somatic nervous system

Answer

Sympathetic nervous system

Answer

Parasympathetic nervous system

Answer

Enteric nervous system

Question 52

What is the primary function of the blood-brain barrier (BBB)?

Accepted Answer

Protecting the brain from potentially harmful substances

Answer

Initiating immune responses

Answer

Generating cerebrospinal fluid

Answer

Facilitating nutrient entry into the brain