Ch45 Test File-Neurons and Nervous Systems

Test File
to accompany
Life: The Science of Biology, Ninth Edition
Sadava • Hillis • Heller • Berenbaum
Chapter 45: Neurons and Nervous Systems
TEST FILE QUESTIONS

(By Paul Nolan)
Multiple Choice
1. Which of the following behaviors might result from an injury to the amygdala?
a. Walking in the middle of a busy highway
b. Perceiving the color red as blue
c. Misinterpreting the sound of a siren as music
d. Mistaking a person for a hat
e. Sleeping incessantly
Answer: a
Textbook Reference: 45.0 Fear and survival in the brain
Page: 943
Bloom’s Category: 3. Applying
2. The brain center called the amygdala is responsible for

a. coordinating information between both hemispheres of the brain.
b. the emotion and memory of fear.
c. night vision.
d. interpretation of music.
e. long-term memory
Answer: b
Page: 943
Bloom’s Category: 1. Remembering
3. The fear response that is triggered by a potentially dangerous situation results from
activation of the
a. geniculate nucleus.
b. hippocampus.
c. amygdala.
d. frontal lobe.
e. cortex.
Answer: c
Page: 943
Bloom’s Category: 2. Understanding
4. Some organisms, such as earthworms and squid, have clusters of neurons called
a. the spinal cord.
b. the central nervous system.
c. the peripheral nervous system.
d. ganglia.
e. None of the above
Answer: d
Textbook Reference: 45.1 What Cells Are Unique to the Nervous System?
Page: 944
5. The two primary cell types of the nervous system are _______ and _______.
a. fibroblasts; chondrocytes
b. neurons; glial cells
c. epithelial cells; glandular cells
d. neurons; epithelial cells
e. neuromuscular cells; epithelial cells
Answer: b
Page: 944
6. Which of the following is not one of the functions of glial cells?

a. Supporting neurons during embryonic development
b. Supplying nutrients
c. Conducting nerve impulses
d. Consuming foreign particles
e. Insulating nerve tissue
Answer: c
Page: 944
7. What is the difference between a nerve and a neuron?

a. A nerve includes parts of multiple neurons.
b. A neuron is only the soma, or body, of a nerve.
c. Nerves carry information away from the brain, whereas neurons carry information to
the brain.
d. Nerves are cells that nourish and support the neurons.
e. None of the above; there is no difference between these terms.
Answer: a
Page: 944
8. What is the difference between glia and neurons?
a. Glia include parts of multiple neurons.
b. A neuron is only the soma, or body, of a glial cell.
c. Glia carry information away from the brain, whereas neurons carry information to the
brain.
d. Glia are cells that nourish and support the neurons.
e. None of the above; there is no difference between these terms.
Answer: d
Page: 944
9. When you decide to mark a particular answer to this question, and your nervous
system sends the command to your hand to do so, the command is carried by
a. afferent neurons.
b. efferent neurons.
c. nodes.
d. glial cells.
Answer: b
Page: 944
10. When you read this question and your nervous system sends the information from
your eyes to your brain, the information is carried by
c. nodes.
d. glial cells.
Answer: a
Page: 944
11. While you read this question, your neurons are busy sending information to and from
your brain; meanwhile, the metabolic needs of those neurons are met by
c. interneurons.
d. glial cells.
Answer: d
Page: 944
12. When you read this question and eventually mark an answer, your neurons busily
send information to and from your brain, and compare it against what you learned in
class. Coordination of these processes is supplied by
c. interneurons.
d. glial cells.
Answer: c
Page: 944
13. When you touch a hot stove a nerve impulse travels up your arm, passes briefly
through your central nervous system, and a response is sent down your arm to move your
hand. The system described here
a. would also rely on an effector.
b. has evolved only in humans.
c. constitutes a neural network.
d. does not involve the peripheral nervous system.
e. Both a and c
Answer: e
Page: 944
14. Neurons that transmit information from sensory cells to the central nervous system
are part of the
a. brain.
b. peripheral nervous system.
c. central nervous system.
d. spinal cord.
e. nerve net.
Answer: b
Page: 945
15. There are about _______ neurons in the human brain.

a. 100,000
b. 1 million
c. 100 million
d. 1 billion
e. 100 billion
Answer: e
Page: 945
16. Neurons
a. have a uniform shape throughout the nervous system.
b. are more numerous than glial cells in the nervous system.
c. are found in mammals and birds only.
d. communicate with other cells at synapses.
e. All of the above
Answer: d
Page: 945
17. Ganglia frequently come in pairs

a. with one ganglion at each end of an animal.
b. with one ganglion controlling afferent neurons and the other controlling efferent
neurons.
c. in animals that show bilateral symmetry.
d. with one ganglion controlling sensory neurons and the other controlling effectors.
Answer: c
Page: 945
18. The area where two neurons come into close contact with each other and pass along
information
a. is nearly always in a ganglion.
b. differs with different types of neurons.
c. is called a synapse.
d. is at the node of Ranvier.
e. is located in the middle of the neurons.
Answer: c
Page: 945
19. At the anterior ends of animals, some ganglia become enlarged or even fuse together
a. in a continuous process as the animals get older.
b. as one moves from simple to more complex animals.
c. at sexual maturity.
d. in animals showing radial symmetry.
e. when glial cells are damaged.
Answer: b
Page: 945
20. The human capacity to learn, process information, carry out complex tasks, and
experience emotions
a. diminishes with age.
b. is due to the human brain’s lack of synapses, which allows for increased speed of
signal transmission.
c. is due to the weakness of the human sensory system, relative to other animals, which
allows the human brain to focus on higher cognitive functions and emotional responses.
d. is due to the capacity of synapses to change their number and size and become more or
less sensitive.
Answer: d
Page: 945
21. Which of the following differs the least among species?

a. Brainstem
b. Olfactory lobe
c. Cerebrum
d. Cerebellum
e. These all vary equally among species.
Answer: a
Page: 946
22. Which of the following brain areas integrates sensory and motor information?
a. Brain stem
b. Olfactory lobe
c. Cerebrum
d. Cerebellum
Answer: d
Page: 946
23. Which of the following structures is not a part of most neurons?

a. Nodes
b. Cell body
c. Axon terminal
d. Dendrite
e. Axon
Answer: a
Page: 946
24. Which of the following is not a type of glial cell?

a. Oligodendrocytes
b. Neural crest cells
c. Astrocytes
d. Microglial cells
e. Schwann cells
Answer: b
Page: 946
25. The blood–brain barrier protects the brain

a. mostly during fetal development.
b. from toxic chemicals.
c. by maintaining a blood supply for the brain that is separate from the rest of the body.
d. through the action of microglial cells that reduce the permeability of small blood
vessels.
e. Both b and d
Answer: e
Page: 946
26. Many parts of the nervous system are glistening white in appearance because
a. of the actions of astrocytes.
b. they are coated in a matrix similar to that of bone.
c. they are coated with myelin.
d. they co-occur with fatty adipose tissue.
Answer: c
Page: 947
27. The myelin sheath that surrounds some axons in the peripheral nervous system is
formed by
a. neurons.
b. Schwann cells.
c. bacteria that have invaded the nervous system.
d. synapses.
Answer: b
Page: 947
28. Which of the following statements about the nervous system is false?
a. It is the most complex system of the human body.
b. Oligodendrocytes cover the axons of neurons in the peripheral nervous system.
c. Effectors are muscles or glands.
d. Sensory cells transduce information into electric signals that can be transmitted by
neurons.
e. Thousands of synapses impinge on most neurons.
Answer: b
Page: 947
29. Anesthetics and alcohol can permeate the blood–brain barrier because
a. they are small molecules.
b. they are water-soluble.
c. they are fat-soluble.
d. they pass through gated channels.
e. there are receptors for them on blood vessels.
Answer: c
Page: 947
30. Most synapses

a. in vertebrates are chemical synapses.
b. cover a space about 25 nanometers wide.
c. are crossed by neurotransmitters.
d. are about 1/2000th the width of a human hair.
e. All of the above
Answer: e
Page: 947
31. Which of the following describes the resting potential of the neuronal cell membrane?
a. The inside is 60 millivolts more positive than the outside.
b. The outside is 60 millivolts more positive than the inside.
c. The inside is 30 millivolts more positive than the outside.
d. The outside is 30 millivolts more positive than the inside.
e. The inside has about the same charge as the outside.
Answer: b
Textbook Reference: 45.2 How Do Neurons Generate and Transmit Electrical Signals?
Page: 948
32. Voltage is to the flow of electrically charged particles as

a. pressure is to the flow of water.
b. width is to a pond.
c. altitude is to air particles.
d. primary structure is to an amino acid.
Answer: a
Page: 948
33. Action potentials are also called

a. potential energy.
b. resting potentials.
c. nerve impulses.
d. neural potentials.
e. leak currents.
Answer: c
Page: 948
34. The resting potential across the neuronal membrane is generally maintained by the
a. sodium–potassium pump.
b. action potential.
c. resting potential.
d. voltage-gated channels.
e. negative ion pump.
Answer: a
Page: 948
35. The resting potential of a neuron is produced by

a. voltage-gated channels in the membrane.
b. chemically gated channels in the membrane.
c. potassium channels in the membrane that are permanently open.
d. the concentration difference in Na+ across the membrane.
e. blockage of the sodium–potassium pump.
Answer: c
Page: 948
36. Which of the following can carry electric charges across the cell membrane?
a. Electrons
b. Protons
c. Water
d. Ions
e. Proteins
Answer: d
Page: 948–949
37. The sodium–potassium pump is a(n) _______ membrane protein.

a. uniport
b. antiport
c. symport
d. biport
e. ionoport
Answer: b
Page: 949
38. The sodium–potassium pump

a. needs energy to work.
b. moves potassium ions to the inside of a neuron and sodium ions to the outside.
c. works against a concentration gradient.
d. All of the above
Answer: d
Page: 949
39. Hodgkin and Huxley’s studies of the electrical properties of axonal membranes were
performed on the very large neurons of
a. the African elephant.
b. the blue whale.
c. redwood trees.
d. squids.
e. the short-tailed shrew.
Answer: d
Page: 951
40. Patch clamping

a. fixes a break in a cell membrane.
b. records electrical activity inside a cell.
c. records ion movements through a single channel.
d. records ion movements through the entire neuron.
e. records an action potential through a single channel.
Answer: c
Page: 951
41. The action potential

a. travels along all axons at the same speed.
b. is slowed down in myelinated nerve cells.
c. is blocked at the nodes of Ranvier.
d. causes a brief depolarization of the membrane potential.
e. triggers a simultaneous change in potential along the entire axon.
Answer: d
Page: 951–952
42. Which of the following statements about voltage-gated channel proteins is true?
a. If the membrane voltage reaches threshold potential, ions are pumped through the
membrane.
b. If the membrane voltage reaches threshold potential, ions can diffuse through the
membrane.
c. Ions can move through the membrane only if the overall membrane voltage stays the
same.
d. Ions are pumped through the membrane in order to maintain existing membrane
voltage.
e. When the gates close, membrane voltage does not change.
Answer: b
Page: 952
43. Action potentials

a. are initiated by the membrane’s increased permeability to potassium.
b. return to resting when the sodium channels open.
c. can be triggered in very rapid succession, with no delay.
d. involve voltage-gated channels in the membrane.
e. are propagated only because chloride ions move through the membrane.
Answer: d
Page: 952
44. If Na+ channels open and sodium ions diffuse into the cell,
a. the cell will become hyperpolarized.
b. other sodium ions will move out of the cell.
c. voltage-gated channels will remain closed.
d. the charge across the nearby membrane will change.
e. action potentials will be triggered.
Answer: d
Page: 953
45. Nerves _______ have the most rapid action potentials.

a. with the thinnest axon diameters
b. with myelin sheaths
c. of invertebrate animals
d. with the greatest membrane potential
e. with the most ion channels
Answer: b
Page: 953
46. Which of the following ions is most responsible for generating an action potential?
a. Na+
b. K+
c. Cl–
d. H+
e. OH–
Answer: a
Page: 953–954
47. Following depolarization, the neural membrane potential is restored in some neurons
when
a. Na+ ions rush outward through the membrane.
b. K+ ions rush outward through the membrane.
c. Cl– ions rush inward through the membrane.
d. a pump moves ions to their original concentrations.
e. the membrane becomes freely permeable to many ions.
Answer: b
Page: 953–954
48. The frequency at which a single neuron can “fire” action potentials is limited by the
a. number of synapses that the neuron forms.
b. number of other cells that the neuron contacts.
c. refractory period for the neuron’s Na+ channel.
d. length of the axon of the neuron.
e. number of dendrites on the neuron.
Answer: c
Page: 954
49. Saltatory conduction results when

a. continuous propagation of the nerve impulse speeds up.
b. a nerve impulse jumps from one neuron to another.
c. the threshold for an action potential is suddenly increased.
d. action potentials spread from node to node down the axon.
e. the direction of an action potential suddenly changes.
Answer: d
Page: 955–956
50. When an action potential arrives at an axon terminal, it causes the opening of
_______ channels, which triggers fusion of neurotransmitter vesicles with the cell
membrane.
a. calcium
b. sodium
c. potassium
d. chloride
e. acetylcholine
Answer: a
Textbook Reference: 45.3 How Do Neurons Communicate with Other Cells?
Page: 956
51. Electrical synapses

a. do not integrate information well.
b. contain gap junctions.
c. cannot be inhibitory.
d. are a rapid means of signal transmission.
e. All of the above
Answer: e
Page: 956
52. Which of the following statements about acetylcholine is false?

a. Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter.
b. Acetylcholine is found at mammalian neuromuscular junctions.
c. Both smooth muscles and skeletal muscles respond to acetylcholine.
d. Acetylcholine is degraded by acetylcholinesterase.
e. Acetylcholine increases contractility of the heart.
Answer: e
Page: 956
53. When an action potential arrives at the axon terminal, the voltage-gated calcium
channels at the terminal
a. release calcium into the synaptic cleft.
b. actively transport neurotransmitter into the synaptic cleft.
c. open; the influx of calcium causes the vesicles to fuse with the presynaptic membrane
and release a neurotransmitter into the synaptic cleft.
d. depolarize the membrane at the axon terminal.
e. cause the membrane receptors to bind the neurotransmitter.
Answer: c
Page: 956–957
54. Most nerve cells communicate with others by means of

a. electric signals that pass across synapses.
b. chemical signals that pass across synapses.
c. bursts of pressure that “bump” the postsynaptic cell membrane.
d. Na+ ions as they are released from one cell and enter the next.
Answer: b
Page: 956–957
55. Which of the following is involved in the sequence of events that triggers synaptic
transmission?
a. The action potential
b. The opening of Ca2+ channels at the synaptic terminal
c. The entry of Ca2+ into the presynaptic terminal
d. Fusion of synaptic vesicles with the presynaptic membrane
e. All of the above
Answer: e
Page: 957–958
56. When the neurotransmitter diffuses across the synaptic cleft,

a. it automatically causes depolarization of the postsynaptic membrane.
b. it can be excitatory or inhibitory, depending on the type of postsynaptic membrane.
c. a single molecule is sufficient to trigger activation of the postsynaptic membrane.
d. only a few molecules make it to the postsynaptic membrane.
e. it must move through nodes in the myelin sheath.
Answer: b
Page: 957–958
57. Which of the following statements about neurons is true?

a. They fire action potentials only on the basis of the number of excitatory inputs they
receive.
b. They sum excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic potentials.
c. The “decision” to fire is made in the dendrites.
d. They make spatial, but not temporal, summations.
e. Both a and c
Answer: b
Page: 958
58. A postsynaptic cell’s processing of information from synapses at different sites is

called
a. excitatory postsynaptic potential.
b. inhibitory postsynaptic potential.
c. spatial summation.
d. temporal summation.
e. action potential.
Answer: c
Page: 958
59. The most critical area in a neuron for “decision making” is the
a. axon hillock.
b. presynaptic terminal.
c. postsynaptic terminal.
d. cell body.
e. synapse.
Answer: a
Page: 958
60. Neurons communicate with each other at electrical synapses by means of

a. a myelin sheath.
b. ionotropic receptors.
c. metabotropic receptors.
d. gap junctions.
e. tight junctions.
Answer: d
Page: 959
61. Neurotransmitters
a. have multiple types of receptors.
b. may be excitatory or inhibitory.
c. may have different effects in different tissues.
d. include dopamine and serotonin, which are monoamines.
e. All of the above
Answer: e
Page: 959
62. Which of the following neurotransmitters is used by neurons as an intercellular

messenger?
a. Glycine
b. Norepinephrine
c. Nitric oxide
d. Adenosine
Answer: c
Page: 959
63. Muscarinic receptors of acetylcholine

a. are found in heart muscle.
b. tend to be inhibitory.
c. are an example of a metabotropic receptor.
d. Both a and b
e. All of the above
Answer: e
Page: 959
64. Which of the following statements about dopamine is true?

a. It is a derivative of tyrosine.
b. It is a neurotransmitter of the central nervous system.
c. It is a monoamine.
d. All of the above
Answer: d
Page: 959
65. Narcotic drugs such as opium activate _______ receptors.

a. GABA
b. endorphin
c. enkephalin
d. Both b and c
e. All of the above
Answer: d
Page: 959
66. Mice with modified NMDA receptors

a. run through mazes more slowly than normal mice do.
b. remember the routes in mazes for longer periods of time than normal mice do.
c. fail to learn tasks.
d. remember the routes in mazes for shorter periods of time than normal mice do.
e. a, c, and d
Answer: b
Page: 960
67. Synaptic clefts can be cleansed of neurotransmitters by means of

a. enzymatic degradation.
b. simple diffusion.
c. active transport.
d. Both a and c
e. All of the above
Answer: e
Page: 960
68. Which of the following neurotransmitters is a peptide?

a. Acetylcholine
b. Norepinephrine
c. Serotonin
d. Glycine
e. Endorphin
Answer: e
Page: 961
69. Long-term potentiation

a. was discovered by neurobiologists working with brain slice preparations.
b. involves an enhanced postsynaptic response.
c. results from repeated stimulation of a presynaptic cell.
d. involves activation of the NMDA receptor.
e. All of the above
Answer: e
Page: 961
70. Long-term potentiation

a. may be involved in learning and memory.
b. involves a decreased postsynaptic response.
c. involves AMPA receptors only.
d. results from low frequency of stimulation.
Answer: a
Page: 961
71. Which of the following would result from the inhibition of acetylcholinesterase?
a. Release of neurotransmitter from the presynaptic membrane would be inhibited.
b. Synthesis of neurotransmitter in cells would be inhibited.
c. Breakdown of neurotransmitter in the synapse would be inhibited.
d. Stimulation of the postsynaptic membrane would be inhibited.
e. Cholinergic receptors would be inhibited.
Answer: c
Page: 961
72. Some medications that elevate mood and relieve anxiety
a. enhance the activity of serotonin at the synapse.
b. slow the reuptake of serotonin.
c. increase endorphins.
d. Both a and b
e. All of the above
Answer: d
Page: 961
Fill in the Blank
1. In simple organisms such as the sea anemone, the nervous system consists of a
_______.
Answer: nerve net
Page: 944
2. Sound is translated into action potentials by _______ neurons.

Answer: sensory
Page: 944
3. When a neuron contacts another neuron, a muscle, or a gland, special junctions called
_______ transmit the message carried by the incoming neuron.
Answer: synapses
Page: 945
4. A neuron found entirely within the human arm is part of the _______ nervous system.
Answer: peripheral
Page: 945
5. The part of the neuron specialized for receiving impulses is the _______.
Answer: dendrite
Page: 946
6. Special glial cells, called _______, surround the smallest, most permeable blood
vessels in the brain, thereby participating in the formation of the blood–brain barrier.
Answer: astrocytes
Page: 947
7. In myelinated axons of vertebrate neurons, breaks in the insulation occur at points

called the _______.
Answer: nodes of Ranvier
Page: 947
8. The initial membrane event of an action potential is the flow of _______ ions across
the membrane.
Answer: sodium
Page: 948
9. Voltage is to the flow of electrically charged particles as _______ is to the flow of

water.
Answer: pressure
Page: 948
10. Sodium–potassium ATPase is also known as the _______.

Answer: sodium–potassium pump
Page: 949
11. The value of the potassium equilibrium potential can be calculated using the _______
equation.
Answer: Nernst
Page: 951
12. Following an action potential, a neuron has a _______ during which it cannot be
stimulated.
Answer: refractory period
Page: 954
13. The depolarization of a neuron must rise above the _______ before an action
potential is achieved.
Answer: threshold
Page: 954
14. The information that flows through the nervous system moves from cell to cell by
means of chemical or _______ synapses.
Answer: electrical
Page: 956
15. Neurotransmitters that depolarize the postsynaptic membrane bring about a(n)
_______ postsynaptic potential.
Answer: excitatory
Page: 958
16. The nicotinic receptors of acetylcholine are not metabotropic receptors but rather
_______ receptors.
Answer: ionotropic
Page: 958–959
17. The gas _______ is used as an intercellular messenger by neurons.

Answer: nitric oxide
Page: 959
18. In vertebrates, the two most common inhibitory neurotransmitters are _______ and
_______.
Answer: GABA; glycine
Page: 959
19. In order for neuronal responses to be turned off, synapses must be cleared of
_______.
Answer: neurotransmitter
Page: 960
20. Deadly nerve gases inhibit the enzyme _______.

Answer: acetylcholinesterase
Page: 961
Diagram
1.–2. Refer to the graph below, showing the course of an action potential.
1. In the action potential shown, which of the following cellular events is mispaired with
the position at which it occurs?
a. Position 1 – Voltage-gated sodium channels are closed
b. Position 2 – Activation gates of some sodium channels open
c. Position 3 – Voltage-gated potassium channels close
d. Position 4 – Inactivation gates of sodium channels close
e. Position 5 – Inactivation gates of sodium channels reopen
Answer: c
Page: 953–954
Bloom’s Category: 4. Analyzing
2. In the action potential shown, the x-axis should be labeled _______, and the y-axis
should be labeled _______.
a. distance (mm); current (mA)
b. time (msec); voltage (mV)
c. distance (mm); voltage (mV)
d. time (msec); current (mA)
e. current (mA); voltage (mV)
Answer: b
Page: 953
3. Refer to the diagram below of a neuromuscular junction. Which cellular event is

correctly paired with the location where it occurs?
a. Position 2 – Activated receptors open chemically gated cation channels.

b. Position 3 – Calcium triggers fusion of acetylcholine vesicles with the presynaptic
membrane.
c. Position 4 – Acetylcholine is broken down and the components are recycled.
d. Position 5 – Voltage-gated calcium channels open.
e. Position 7 – Acetylcholine molecules diffuse across the synaptic cleft.
Answer: e
Page: 956–957
Bloom’s Category: 4. Analyzing
STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS

(By Betty McGuire)
Knowledge and Synthesis
1. The extensions of postsynaptic neurons that provide the main receptive surface for
presynaptic neurons are the
a. nuclei.
b. somas.
c. axons.
d. dendrites.
e. glia.
Answer: d
Feedback: The neuron is composed of a cell body, an axon, and dendrites. The dendrites
form synapses with presynaptic cells to create the junction where information from one
neuron is transferred to another neuron.
Page: 946
2. The substance that wraps the axon of many neurons and provides for increased
conduction speed is
a. dendrase.
b. histamine.
c. acetylcholine.
d. myelin.
e. microglia.
Answer: d
Feedback: The glia that coat the axon of some neurons form myelin.
Page: 947
3. The long extension from the cell body of a neuron that provides the pathway for action
potentials to the synapse is the
a. dendrite.
b. Schwann cell.
c. axon.
d. presynaptic membrane.
e. nerve net.
Answer: c
Feedback: The neuron is composed of the cell body, the dendrite, and the axon. The axon
carries action potentials away from the cell body to the synapses.
Page: 946
4. The threshold of a neuron is the

a. amount of inhibitory neurotransmitter required to inhibit an action potential.
b. membrane voltage at which an axon potential will be suppressed.
c. amount of excitatory neurotransmitter required to elicit an action potential.
d. membrane voltage at which the membrane potential develops into an action potential.
e. closing of numerous sodium channels.
Answer: d
Feedback: For an action potential to occur in an axon, the membrane must be depolarized
above a certain level. This level is known as the threshold.
Page: 954
5. When a membrane is at the resting potential, the concentration of

a. sodium and potassium ions is higher on the inside of its membrane than on the outside.
b. sodium and potassium ions is higher on the outside of its membrane than on the inside.
c. sodium ions is higher on the inside of its membrane and of potassium ions is higher on
the outside.
d. sodium ions is higher on the outside of its membrane and of potassium ions is higher
on the inside.
e. sodium equals the concentration of potassium inside the cell.
Answer: d
Feedback: The resting potential of a neuron membrane occurs when the sodium ion
concentration is higher on the outside and the potassium ion concentration is higher on
the inside.
Page: 951–952
6. Glia are specialized to do all of the following except

a. receive neural impulses.
b. insulate axons.
c. supply neurons with nutrients.
d. help maintain a proper ionic environment for the neuron.
e. guide neurons to make proper contacts during development.
Answer: a
Feedback: Glia perform many functions in the nervous system, but they do not receive
neural impulses.
Page: 947
7. The cells that create the blood–brain barrier, keeping some toxic substances from
entering the brain, are _______ and belong to a type of neural tissue called _______.
a. endothelial cells; Schwann cells
b. astrocytes; glia
c. glial fibers; axons
d. dendrites; synapses
e. oligodendrocytes; glia
Answer: b
Feedback: The blood–brain barrier is formed by astrocytes that wrap around the blood
vessels traveling through the brain. Astrocytes are a special kind of glia.
Page: 947
8. A particular disease of the nervous system specifically involves the Ca2+ channels at
the chemical synapses of motor neurons where neurotransmitter is stored and released. In
other words, this disease affects the
a. axon terminals of the presynaptic cell and the release of acetylcholine.
b. axon terminals of the postsynaptic cell and the release of K+.
c. movement of Na+ out of the postsynaptic cell.
d. axon terminals of the presynaptic cell and the release of K+.
e. axon terminals of the postsynaptic cell and the release of Cl–.
Answer: a
Feedback: If the disease acts on a chemical synapse where the neurotransmitter is stored
and released, it is affecting the axon terminals of the presynaptic cell. Ca2+ channels are
involved in regulating the release of acetylcholine by allowing Ca2+ to enter the
presynaptic cell and promoting the fusing of acetylcholine-containing vesicles to the
membrane.
Page: 956–957
9. Which of the following statements about electrical synapses is false?

a. Connexons form molecular tunnels between two cells.
b. Electrical synapses cannot be inhibitory.
c. Electrical synapses do not allow for temporal summation.
d. Their transmission capacity is very slow.
e. They allow for transmission either toward or away from the cell.
Answer: d
Feedback: Electrical synapses join two cells with protein tunnels known as connexons.
These synapses provide for very fast transmission between cells.
Page: 959
10. Which of the following statements about neurotransmitter receptors is false?

a. Ionotropic receptors are ion channels.
b. The acetylcholine receptor of the motor end plate is a metabotropic receptor.
c. Metabotropic receptors are not ion channels.
d. Metabotropic receptors induce signaling cascades in the postsynaptic cell.
e. Responses in the postsynaptic cell mediated by metabotropic receptors are usually
slower than those mediated by ionotropic receptors.
Answer: b
Feedback: The acetylcholine receptor of the motor end plate is an ionotropic receptor.
Page: 959
11. The rapid depolarization of a neuron during the first half of an action potential is due
to the
a. exit of K+ ions from the cell through gated potassium channels.
b. rapid reversal of ion concentration caused by the action of the sodium–potassium
pump.
c. entry of Na+ ions into the cell through gated sodium channels.
d. movement of both Na+ and K+ ions through appropriate open channels.
e. closing of sodium channels.
Answer: c
Feedback: The first step in an action potential is the influx of Na+ leading to a
depolarization of the axon membrane. Na+ rushes into the cell due to the higher
concentration outside of the cell and the negative membrane potential.
Page: 953–954
12. The refractory period of a neuron

a. is the period when the sodium–potassium pump is nonfunctional.
b. results from activation of voltage-gated chloride channels.
c. results from closing of inactivated voltage-gated sodium channels.
d. occurs when the action potential reaches the synapse.
e. lasts about a minute.
Answer: c
Feedback: After the spike of the depolarization, the sodium voltage-gated channels close.
One of the properties of these channels is that they will open again only after a short
delay. This short delay (about 1–2 milliseconds) is known as the refractory period when
the sodium voltage-gated channels are inactive.
Page: 954
13. Which of the following statements about the process of summation in a neuron is
false?
a. Slight perturbations of the membrane potential spread across the postsynaptic cell
body.
b. Axons that terminate closer to the axon hillock have more influence on the summation
process than those that do not.
c. It is essentially a comparison of all the excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic inputs.
d. The concentration of voltage-gated sodium channels is highest in the dendrites of the
postsynaptic cell.
e. Spatial summation adds up the simultaneous influences of synapses at different
locations on the postsynaptic cell.
Answer: d
Feedback: Dendrites, and most of the cell body, have few gated sodium channels. These
channels mediate the action potentials that travel down the axon, where their levels are
high.
Page: 958–959
14. Which of the following statements about neurotransmitters is false?

a. Gases, such as nitric oxide, can act as neurotransmitters.
b. Each neurotransmitter has a single type of receptor.
c. Amino acids and their derivatives, monoamines, function as neurotransmitters.
d. Neurotransmitters have different effects in different tissues.
e. Some neurotransmitters are cleared from synapses by enzymes that destroy them.
Answer: b
Feedback: Each neurotransmitter has multiple types of receptors.
Page: 960–961
15. The electrical events labeled as EPSPs are the result of _______ of the _______
membrane.
a. hyperpolarization; postsynaptic
b. depolarization; postsynaptic
c. hyperpolarization; presynaptic
d. depolarization; presynaptic
e. repolarization; presynaptic
Answer: b
Feedback: Excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) make it easier for an action
potential to occur, so they depolarize the postsynaptic membrane.
Page: 958
Application
1. In order to determine the role of the potassium channels in a neuron, a researcher has
knocked out all the functional potassium channels and depolarized the membrane
potential. What will happen to the membrane potential after depolarization?
Answer: The potassium voltage-gated channels are responsible for setting up the resting
potential of a membrane. Potassium ions have a tendency to diffuse out of the cell,
leaving a negative charge inside. Knocking out the function of the potassium voltage-
gated channels would result in the cell’s being unable to maintain resting potential. If the
cell was depolarized by the opening of sodium voltage-gated channels, then it might not
repolarize because the potassium channels that help repolarize the membrane would not
be functioning.
Page: 948–954
2. The active ingredients in many nerve gases belong to a class of chemicals called
anticholinesterases (chemicals that block acetylcholinesterase). Suggest a possible
synaptic mechanism to explain how these chemicals can damage an animal’s nervous
system.
Answer: Acetylcholine is the neurotransmitter used by all neuromuscular synapses in
vertebrates. It transmits the action potential from a presynaptic cell to a postsynaptic cell.
The enzyme acetylcholinesterase is found in the synaptic cleft, and it cleaves
acetylcholine to help remove it from the synaptic cleft after an action potential. A nerve
gas with components that block the action of acetylcholinesterase would cause acetyl-
choline to build up in the synaptic cleft. This buildup would mean that the receptors on
the postsynaptic cell would remain bound with acetylcholine, resulting in prolonged
muscle contraction.
Page: 961
3. Clinical depression is thought to be due, in part, to insufficient levels of the

neurotransmitter serotonin. Drugs known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors
(SSRIs) can be used to treat depression. Taking the name of this class of drugs as a clue,
propose a mechanism by which they might act.
Answer: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors such as Paxil, Zoloft, and Prozac increase
the level of serotonin at the synapse by reducing its rate of removal.
Page: 961
4. Explain how an action potential travels more quickly down an axon wrapped in myelin
than it does down an unmyelinated axon.
Answer: The conduction of an action potential down a myelinated axon is called saltatory
conduction. The myelin acts to insulate areas of the axon, preventing depolarization. The
areas of the axon between the myelin sheaths are known as nodes of Ranvier.
Depolarization can occur only at these nodes. As the action potential moves down a
myelinated axon, the influx of sodium ions at one node diffuses down the axon. This
results in the depolarization of the next node of Ranvier. Depolarization can occur only in
the downstream nodes because the upstream nodes are in a refractory period. As a result,
the action potential moves quickly down the axon to the synapse.
Page: 955–956
5. Why do certain substances, such as anesthetics and alcohol, have rapid effects on the
brain, whereas others cannot reach the brain?
Answer: Astrocytes are glia that help form the blood–brain barrier by surrounding tiny,
very permeable blood vessels in the brain. However, because the barrier is made of
plasma membranes, lipid-soluble substances such as anesthetics and alcohol can pass
through it.
Page: 947
TEXTBOOK SELF-QUIZ
1. The rising phase of an action potential is due to the

a. closing of K+ channels.
b. opening of chemically gated Na+ channels.
c. closing of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels.
d. opening of voltage-gated Na+ channels.
e. spread of positive current along the plasma membrane.
Answer: d
2. The resting potential of a neuron is due mostly to

a. local current spread.
b. open Na+ channels.
c. synaptic summation.
d. open K+ channels.
e. open Cl– channels.
Answer: d
3. Which statement about synaptic transmission is not true?

a. The synapses between neurons and skeletal muscle cells use ACh as their
neurotransmitter.
b. A single vesicle of neurotransmitter can cause a muscle cell to contract.
c. The release of neurotransmitter at the neuromuscular junction causes the motor end
plate to depolarize.
d. In vertebrates, the synapses between motor neurons and muscle fibers are always
excitatory.
e. Inhibitory synapses cause the resting potential of the postsynaptic membrane to
become more negative.
Answer: c
4. Which statement accurately describes an action potential?

a. Its magnitude increases along the axon.
b. Its magnitude decreases along the axon.
c. All action potentials in a single neuron are of the same magnitude.
d. During an action potential, the membrane potential of a neuron remains constant.
e. An action potential permanently shifts a neuron’s membrane potential away from its
resting value.
Answer: c
5. A neuron that has just fired an action potential cannot be immediately restimulated to
fire a second action potential. The short interval of time during which restimulation is not
possible is called
a. hyperpolarization.
b. the resting potential.
c. depolarization.
d. repolarization.
e. the refractory period.
Answer: e
6. Graded membrane potentials

a. can be more negative than resting potential.
b. can be less negative than resting potentials.
c. integrate the many synaptic inputs to a cell.
d. are important means of summing sensory inputs.
e. are all of the above.
Answer: e
7. The binding of an inhibitory neurotransmitter to the postsynaptic receptors results in

a. depolarization of the membrane.
b. generation of an action potential.
c. hyperpolarization of the membrane.
d. increased permeability of the membrane to sodium ions.
e. increased permeability of the membrane to calcium ions.
Answer: c
8. The difference between slow and fast synapses is

a. the width of the synaptic cleft.
b. the size of the synapse.
c. whether or not the neurotransmitter acts directly on ion channels.
d. the density of receptors on the postsynaptic membrane.
e. the amount of neurotransmitter that is released.
Answer: c
9. Whether a synapse is excitatory or inhibitory depends on the

a. type of neurotransmitter.
b. presynaptic axon terminal.
c. size of the synapse.
d. nature of the postsynaptic receptors.
e. concentration of neurotransmitter in the synaptic space.
Answer: d
10. Which of the following is a likely mechanism for long-term potentiation?

a. When glutamate binds to postsynaptic AMPA receptors, it activates intracellular
changes.
b. When glutamate binds to NMDA receptors, it allows magnesium ions to enter the cell,
which initiate intracellular changes.
c. When sufficient glutamate is released by the presynaptic neuron, it dislodges Mg2+
from the AMPA receptors and allows Ca2+ to leave the cell.
d. When sufficient glutamate is released, both AMPA and NMDA receptors are activated,
and NMDA receptors allow Ca2+ as well as Na+ to enter the cell, thus initiating
intracellular changes.
e. When both glutamate and ACh are released together, they create a long-lasting
depolarization of the postsynaptic cell.
Answer: d
BIOPORTAL DIAGNOSTIC QUIZ (Personalized Study Plan Quiz)

(By Teri Shors)
1. If a brain tumor was pressing against your amygdala, causing it to be activated

continuously, you would feel
a. angry.
b. depressed.
c. very fearful.
d. happy and full of laughter.
Answer: c
Page: 943–944
Bloom’s Category: 5. Evaluating
2. Nervous systems are composed of two types of cells, neurons and

a. effectors.
b. axons.
c. glia.
d. ganglia.
e. synapses.
Answer: c
Page: 944
3. Cells of the nervous system that process and transmit information are called
a. neurons.
b. nerves.
c. hormones.
d. glial cells.
e. axons.
Answer: a
Page: 944
4. Neurons generally transmit information via their

a. cell bodies.
b. nerves.
c. dendrites.
d. glial cells.
e. axons.
Answer: e
Page: 946–947
5. Neurons generally receive information via their

a. cell bodies.
b. nerves.
c. dendrites.
d. glial cells.
e. axons.
Answer: c
Page: 946–947
6. The resting membrane potential is created by

a. proton pumps.
b. osmosis.
c. ion pumps.
d. calcium.
e. amino acids.
Answer: c
Page: 949
7. The sodium–potassium pump

a. maintains a positive charge difference across the plasma membrane.
b. allows potassium to diffuse out of the neuron.
c. perturbs the resting potential by allowing ion channels to open.
d. concentrates potassium ions on the inside of the neuron and sodium ions on the
outside.
e. concentrates sodium ions on the inside of the neuron and potassium ions on the outside
of the neuron.
Answer: d
Page: 949
8. Which equation is used to calculate membrane potential when only one type of ion can
cross a membrane that separates solutions with different concentrations of that ion?
a. Nernst
b. Avogadro’s
c. Poisson distribution
d. Goldman
e. Fokker–Planck
Answer: a
Page: 950
9. _______ allow(s) the study of single ion channels.

a. Patch clamping
b. Micro sensors
c. Micro clamping
d. The electron microscope
e. Electron sensors
Answer: a
Page: 951–952
10. Action potentials travel faster in _______ axons.

a. myelinated
b. unmyelinated
c. small diameter
d. Both a and c
e. Both b and c
Answer: a
Page: 953
11. At the end of the rising phase of an action potential,

a. a vast majority of the voltage-gated sodium channels begin to close.
b. the membrane potential shifts back toward the resting membrane potential.
c. the voltage-gated sodium channels enter a refractory period.
d. many more potassium channels begin to close.
e. a, b, and c
Answer: e
Page: 954
12. Which of the following occurs when a stimulus depolarizes a neuron’s membrane?
a. Na+ diffuses out of the cell.
b. The action potential approaches zero.
c. The membrane potential changes from the resting potential to a voltage closer to the
threshold potential.
d. It stops the action potential from spreading to the next dendrite.
e. The inside of the cell becomes more negative in charge relative to the outside of the
cell.
Answer: c
Page: 954
13. The depolarization of the presynaptic membrane of an axon terminal most directly
causes
a. voltage-gated calcium channels in the membrane to open.
b. synaptic vesicles to fuse with the membrane.
c. an action potential in the postsynaptic cell.
d. the opening of chemically sensitive gates that allow neurotransmitter to spill into the
synaptic cleft.
e. neurotransmitter to bind to receptors on the postsynaptic membrane.
Answer: a
Page: 957–958
14. Which of the following statements about synapses is false?

a. Electrical synapses allow electrical signals to pass between cells without the use of
neurotransmitters.
b. There are many different neurotransmitters and even more types of receptors.
c. Some poisons and drugs act by increasing the rate of clearance of transmitter for the
synapse.
d. The action of a neurotransmitter depends on the receptor to which it binds.
e. With repeated stimulation, a neuron can become more sensitive to its inputs.
Answer: c
Page: 957–960
15. What determines when an individual neuron will fire an action potential?
a. Resting membrane potential
b. Inhibitory inputs
c. When the sum of all the inputs reaches threshold
d. Excitatory stimulation
e. When it receives at least 1,000 synaptic inputs
Answer: c
Page: 958
16. Synapses between neurons can be all of the following except

a. excitatory.
b. inhibitory.
c. glial cells.
d. gap junctions.
e. chemical.
Answer: c
Page: 958
17. Ionotropic receptors

a. are ion channels.
b. are a type of metabotropic receptor.
c. are only found in mammals.
d. are G protein-linked receptors.
e. enable slow and long-lived postsynaptic cell responses.
Answer: a
Page: 958–959
18. Metabotropic receptors

a. are ion channels.
b. are a type of ionotropic receptor.
c. are only found in mammals.
d. are G protein-linked receptors.
e. enable fast and short-lived postsynaptic cell responses.
Answer: d
Page: 959
19. Electrical synapses are different from chemical synapses because they
a. transmit in only one direction.
b. contain only one gap junction.
c. have connexons that link the two neurons by forming pores.
d. integrate information well.
e. can be either excitatory or inhibitory.
Answer: c
Page: 959
20. Morphine is an agonist at the endorphin receptors; a patient medicated with morphine
will have
a. less panic attacks.
b. less jerky movements (motor problems).
c. no pain.
d. less depression.
e. no anxiety.
Answer: c
Page: 961

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Chapter 45: Neurons and Nervous Systems

TEST FILE QUESTIONS

2. The brain center called the amygdala is responsible for

6. Which of the following is not one of the functions of glial cells?

7. What is the difference between a nerve and a neuron?

15. There are about _______ neurons in the human brain.

17. Ganglia frequently come in pairs

21. Which of the following differs the least among species?

23. Which of the following structures is not a part of most neurons?

24. Which of the following is not a type of glial cell?

25. The blood–brain barrier protects the brain

30. Most synapses

32. Voltage is to the flow of electrically charged particles as

33. Action potentials are also called

35. The resting potential of a neuron is produced by

37. The sodium–potassium pump is a(n) _______ membrane protein.

38. The sodium–potassium pump

40. Patch clamping

41. The action potential

43. Action potentials

45. Nerves _______ have the most rapid action potentials.

49. Saltatory conduction results when

51. Electrical synapses

52. Which of the following statements about acetylcholine is false?

54. Most nerve cells communicate with others by means of

56. When the neurotransmitter diffuses across the synaptic cleft,

57. Which of the following statements about neurons is true?

58. A postsynaptic cell’s processing of information from synapses at different sites is

60. Neurons communicate with each other at electrical synapses by means of

62. Which of the following neurotransmitters is used by neurons as an intercellular

63. Muscarinic receptors of acetylcholine

64. Which of the following statements about dopamine is true?

65. Narcotic drugs such as opium activate _______ receptors.

66. Mice with modified NMDA receptors

67. Synaptic clefts can be cleansed of neurotransmitters by means of

68. Which of the following neurotransmitters is a peptide?

69. Long-term potentiation

70. Long-term potentiation

Fill in the Blank

2. Sound is translated into action potentials by _______ neurons.

7. In myelinated axons of vertebrate neurons, breaks in the insulation occur at points

9. Voltage is to the flow of electrically charged particles as _______ is to the flow of

10. Sodium–potassium ATPase is also known as the _______.

17. The gas _______ is used as an intercellular messenger by neurons.

20. Deadly nerve gases inhibit the enzyme _______.

3. Refer to the diagram below of a neuromuscular junction. Which cellular event is

a. Position 2 – Activated receptors open chemically gated cation channels.

STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS

Knowledge and Synthesis

4. The threshold of a neuron is the

5. When a membrane is at the resting potential, the concentration of

6. Glia are specialized to do all of the following except

9. Which of the following statements about electrical synapses is false?

10. Which of the following statements about neurotransmitter receptors is false?

12. The refractory period of a neuron

14. Which of the following statements about neurotransmitters is false?

3. Clinical depression is thought to be due, in part, to insufficient levels of the

1. The rising phase of an action potential is due to the

2. The resting potential of a neuron is due mostly to

3. Which statement about synaptic transmission is not true?

4. Which statement accurately describes an action potential?

6. Graded membrane potentials