Exam Sample Questions Flashcards
The Greek philosopher Aristotle believed that the brain was the seat of intelligence
True of False
FALSE
It was Hippocrates
The subarachnoid space contains cerebrospinal fluid
True or False?
TRUE
Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are normally found in the developing nervous system
True or False?
FALSE
They are generated directly from adult cells
An axodendritic synapse involves communication between the dendrite of the presynaptic neuron and the cell body of the postsynaptic neuron
True or False?
FALSE
It involves communication between the axon of the presynaptic neuron and the dendrites of the post synaptic neuron
Glutamate is mainly synthesised from glucose in glial cells in the brain
True or False?
FALSE
It is synthesised from Glutamine via phosphate activated glutaminase
Vasopressin is released by neurons of the hypothalamus and has the physiological effect of decreasing the amount of urine released from the body
True or False?
TRUE
Vasopressin is also known as Anti-Diuretic Hormone (ADH)
Patients with bilateral lesions of the amygdala are unable to recognise fear in facial expressions
True or False?
TRUE
Olfactory neurons are concerned with the sensation of smell
True or False?
TRUE
The third interstitial nuclei of the anterior hypothalamus (INAH) is larger in women than in men
True or False?
FALSE
Long term effects of ecstasy increase the activity of noradrenergic neurons
True or False?
FALSE
Increases levels of Serotonin, Dopamine and Noradrenaline
MRI has shown that the hypothalamus is associated with the ability to perceive and synchronise with a musical beat
True or False?
FALSE
Cerebellum
Benzodiazepine drugs reduce anxiety by inducing structural changes in the brain slowly over a period of weeks
True or False?
FALSE
They act immediately.
Long term use can lead to dependance and reduced effectiveness of the drug
Mania is characterised by an increased need for sleep
True or False?
FALSE
Characterised by a decreased need for sleep
Retrograde amnesia is an inability to form new memories following brain trauma
True or False?
FALSE
It’s the ability to recall memories prior to trauma
In Alzheimer’s disease brains, neuritic plaques contain the protein β-amyloid
True or False?
TRUE
What are Neurological Disorders?
Disorders that affect the brain, nerves and spinal cord
What are Psychiatric Disorders?
Disorders of thought, mood or behaviour that causes distress or impaired functioning
What are the symptoms of a Panic Disorder (Anxiety Disorder)?
Reoccurring, unprovoked panic attacks, and a persistent worry of having further attacks
What are the symptoms of Agoraphobia (Anxiety Disorder)?
- Severe anxiety
- Avoidance of social situations
What are the symptoms of a Generalised Anxiety Disorder (Anxiety Disorder)?
- Persistent and excessive anxiety
- Restlessness
- Sense of dread
- Feeling “on edge”
- Difficulty concentrating
- Irritability
- Muscle tension
- Disturbed sleep
What are the symptoms of Specific Phobias (Anxiety Disorder)?
Avoidance behviour due to severe anxiety
What are the symptoms of Social Phobias (Anxiety Disorder)?
Avoidance behaviour due to significant anxiety
What are the symptoms of Major Depression (Affective Disorder)?
- Lowered mood
- Decreased interest or pleasure in all activities (anhedonia)
What are the symptoms of Bipolar Disorder (Affective Disorder)?
- Mania
- Depression
What are the symptoms of Mania?
- Abnormally and persitent elevated mood
- Inflated self-esteem or grandiosity
- Decreased need for sleep
- Increased talking or feelings of pressure to keep talking
- Racing thoughts
- Distractability
- Increased goal-directed activity
- Impaired judgement
What are the POSITIVE symptoms of Schizophrenia?
- Delusions
- Hallucinations
- Disorganised speech
- Grossly disorganised or catatonic behaviour
What are the NEGATIVE symptoms of Schizophrenia?
- Reduced expression of emotion / lack of pleasure
- Poverty of speech (ALOGIA)
- Difficulty initiating goal-directed behaviour
- Lack of motivation (AVOLITION)
- Memory and attention impairments
What is the hypothesis for the biological basis of Anxiety Disorders?
- Genetic predispositions but no single gene
- Gene x Environment interactions
- Fear evoked by threatening stimulus initiates stress response
- Stimulus response relationship strengthened (or weakened) by experience
What is the Monoamine Hypothesis for the biological basis of Depression?
Deficit in the central diffuse monoamine modulatory systems (Serotonin, 5-HT; Noradrenaline, NE)
What is the Diathesis-Stress Hypothesis for the biological basis of Depression?
Genetic predisposition (DIATHESIS) interacts with stressful life experiences increasing risk for depression
What is the Anterior Cingulate Cortex Dysfunction Hypothesis for the biological basis of Depression?
Resting-state metabolic activity in the anterior cingulate cortex increased in depression
What is the Gene-Environment Interactions Hypothesis for the biological basis of Schizophrenia?
Strong genetic basis
What brain structure alterations indicate Schizophrenia?
- Enlarged ventricles
- Defects in myelin sheaths
- Reduced cortical thickness
What is the Dopamine Hypothesis of Schizophrenia?
Psychotic episodes triggered by activation of dopamine receptors
What is the Glutamate Hypothesis of Schizophrenia?
Diminished activation of NMDA receptors (a type of Glutamate receptor)
What are the THREE treatments for Anxiety Disorders?
- Psychotherapy
- Benzodiazepines
- Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs)
What is the mechanism of action of Benzodiazepines?
Binds GABA receptors making it more effective at opening the receptor channel and thus increasing inhibition
What is the mechanism of action of SSRIs?
Increase synaptic concentrations of serotonin by inhibiting its reuptake from the synaptic cleft
Good for treating OCD and GAD
What is the treatment for Major Depression?
SSRIs
What is the treatment and mechanism of action for Bipolar Disorder?
Lithium
Mood stabiliser drug that treats mania and reduces cycling between mania and depression
What is the treatment for Schizophrenia?
Antipsychotic drugs treat positive symptoms but not negative or cognitive symptoms
What nerve types make up the Sensory Nervous System?
Somatic Sensory and Visceral Sensory
What nerve types make up the Motor Nervous System?
Somatic Motor and Autonomic Motor
What is Brodmanns Cytoarchitectural map?
A map of the cerebral cortex based on the organisation of neurons
What is the function of the Frontal lobe?
Executive function and personality
What is the function of the Parietal lobe?
Muscle movement and Sensory processing
What is the function of the Temporal lobe?
Language, Communication, Learning and Memory
What is the function of the Occipital lobe?
Vision
What is the Limbic System?
Emotional centre of the brain
What behaviours are controlled by the Limbic System?
Movitaved and Emotional behaviours
* Anxiety
* Sexual behaviour
* Aggression
* Food intake
* Thirst
* Memory
What are the structures of the Limbic System?
- Septum
- Cingulate Gyrus
- Fornix
- Hippocampus
- Mammilliary Body
- Amygdala
- Hypothalamus
- Olfactory Bulb
What structures make up the Diencephalon?
Thalamus and Hypothalamus
What is the function of the Thalamus?
Relays sensory and motor signals
What is the function of the Hypothalamus?
Controls the endocrine system (temperature, hunger, thirst, sleep-wake cycle)
What are the 12 Cranial Nerves?
Only One Of The Two Athletes Felt Very Good Victorious And Healthy
1. Olfactory (I)
2. Optic (II)
3. Occulomotor (III)
4. Trochlear (IV)
5. Trigeminal (V)
6. Abducens (VI)
7. Facial (VII)
8. Vestibulocochlear (VIII)
9. Glossopharyngeal (IX)
10. Vagus (X)
11. Accessory (XI)
12. Hypoglossal (XII)
What part of the spinal nerve receives Sensory information?
Dorsal root
What part of the spinal nerve sends information to the Muscles?
Ventral root
What part of the spinal nerve has ganglia?
Dorsal root
What are the structures of the Meninges?
- Dura Mater
- Arachnoid Mater
- Subarachnoid space
- Pia Mater
Where is CSF produced?
Choroid Plexus
What stain is used to highlight Neurons in light microscopy?
βIII-Tubulin
(GREEN)
What stain is used to highlight the Nuclear Body in light microscopy?
Bisbenzamide
(BLUE)
What are the features of an Electrical Synapse?
- Occur at gap junctions
- Direct transfer of ionic current
- Bidirectional
- Very fast transmission
- Results in postsynaptic potential (PSP)
What are the protein pores on gap junctions called?
Hexameric complexes are formed from proteins called Connexons
What is an Ionotropic receptor?
- Rapid, phasic response
- NT binding alters the state of the ion channel
- Receptor composed of multiple subunits
What is a Metabotropic receptor?
- Long-lasting response
- NT binding initiates G-protein binding and activation
- Activation of enzyme cascades in postsynaptic cell
- Receptor contains 7 trasmembrane domains
What are the mechanisms for removing neurotransmitters from the synaptic cleft?
- Enzymatic inactivation
- Reuptake into presynaptic terminal
- Glial cells
- Uptake into the postsynaptic terminal
- Diffusion out of the synaptic cleft
What are the FOUR classes of neurotransmitters?
- Acetylcholine
- Monoamines
- Amino Acids
- Neuropeptides
What are the Monoamine neurotransmitters?
- Catecholamines (Dopamine, Noradrenaline, Adrenaline)
- Serotonin
- Histamine
What are the Amino Acid neurotransmitters?
- Glutamate
- Aspartate
- Glycine
- GABA
What enzyme is involved in synthesising Acetylcholine (ACh)?
Choline Acetyltransferase (ChAT)
What protein transports ACh into storage vesicles?
Vesicular Cholinergic Transporter Protein
What enzyme is involved in metabolising Acetylcholine?
Acetylcholinesterase (AChE)
What are the two Cholinergic receptors?
- Muscarinic (Protein)
- Nicotinic (Ion Channel)
What enzyme converts Tyrosine to L-DOPA?
Tyrosine Hydroxylase
What enzyme converts L-DOPA into Dopamine?
DOPA Decarboxylase
What protein transports Dopamine to storage vesicles?
VMAT-2
What enzyme converts Dopamine to Noradrenaline?
Dopamine-β-Hydroxylase (DBH)
What enzyme converts Noradrenaline to Adrenaline?
Phenylethanolamine-N-Methyltransferase (PNMT)
Which enzymes metabolise Catecholamines after neurotransmission?
- Monoamine Oxidase (MAO)
- Catechol-O-Methyltransferase (COMT)