Neuroscience

Question 1

With chronic alcohol exposure GABA receptors become ___. Higher concentrations of alcohol are thus required to achieve the same level of neuronal depression (i.e, tolerance). Alcohol ___ NDMA receptors; therefore, with chronic alcohol use, there is an upregulation of NMDA receptors.

Answer 1

less responsive; antagonizes

Question 2

The ___ is the generator and modulator of EEG rhythms, including the alpha rhythm. Childhood absence epilepsy is believed to originate from this region

Answer 2

thalamus

Question 3

Reduction of grey matter in the ___ has been seen in conduct disorder

Answer 3

amygdala

Question 4

An increase in the size of the ___ has been implicated in the severity of symptoms in OCD

Answer 4

basal ganglia

Question 5

Brain structures most vulnerable to thiamine deficiency

Answer 5

mammillary bodies

Question 6

In depressed patients, the ___ is stimulated in TMS

Answer 6

left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex

Question 7

Stroke in the ___ have been associated with obsessive compulsive disorder symptoms.

Answer 7

basal ganglia such as the caudate and the putamen

Question 8

Dopamine is released (particularly in areas such as the ___ and ___) by rewarding experiences such as food, sex, drugs, and neutral stimuli that become associated with them

Answer 8

nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex

Question 9

Genes in cannabis-induced psychosis or even coexistence of schizophrenia and cannabis use

Answer 9

AKT1 (more consistent data), also COMT (Val/Val and Val/Met/ Val158Met) in homozygous and heterozygous genetic set ups

Question 10

What endogenous ligand binding with endocannabinoid receptors best explains these effects on the brain (executing effects like the reward, addiction, anxiety, coordination, appetite, learning, sleep, and cognition)?

Answer 10

Full agonist activity of 2-AG at CB receptor 1

2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) is an endocannabinoid, an endogenous agonist of the CB1 receptor and the primary endogenous ligand for the CB2 receptor.

Question 11

Panic disorder with agoraphobia has a complex genetic component. Of the complex genetic component, variation in ___ has been implicated in this disorder. In particular, the long alleles of the ___ have been associated with panic disorder with agoraphobia. It is implicated in fear conditioning

Answer 11

monoamine oxidase A (MAOA); MAOA-uVNTR promoter polymorphism

Question 12

Polymorphisms in contactin-associated protein-like 2-gene (CNTNAP2) have been detected in ___

Answer 12

selective mutism and in social anxiety.

Question 13

Lesions in the ___ cause patients to appear profane, irritable, and irresponsible

Answer 13

Orbitofrontal lobe

Question 14

Lesions in the ___ cause apathy, characterized by limited spontaneous movement, gesture, and speech

Answer 14

Medial frontal lobe

Question 15

Lesions in the ___ can cause depression

Answer 15

Left frontal lobe

Since the frontal lobe governs memory, emotion, judgment, executive functions, and behavior, a lesion of this lobe is the most common cause of depression or other mood disorders

Question 16

Lesions in the ___ can cause mania

Answer 16

Right frontal lobe

Question 17

Brain autopsy for someone with Wernicke’s encephalopathy would show ___

Answer 17

hemorrhages in the ependyma of the 3rd ventricle and superior vermis

Question 18

___ results in depigmentation of the pars compacta of the substantia nigra in the midbrain

Answer 18

Parkinson’s disease

Question 19

___ is the major excitatory neurotransmitter and is the precursor to ___

Answer 19

Glutamate; precursor to GABA

Question 20

The major inhibitor neurotransmitters are ___ and ___

Answer 20

GABA, glycine

Question 21

Left prefrontal cortex: if activated –> ___; if there is a lesion –>

Answer 21

activated = mood lifted; lesion = depression

Question 22

Right prefrontal cortex: if activated –>__; if there is a lesion –>

Answer 22

activated = mood depressed; lesion = euphoria and laughter

Question 23

The ___ of the brain stem, predominantly in the pons, are the major sites of serotonergic cell bodies

Answer 23

raphe nuclei

Question 24

What pathway, starting at the ventral tegmental area and projecting to the nucleus accumbens, is thought to be highly involved in the sense of reward one gets from cocaine use and is a major mediator of cocaine’s effects?

Answer 24

mesolimbic pathway of dopaminergic neurons

Question 25

The ___ contains a high number of adrenergic neurons and mediates the effects of opiates and opioids

Answer 25

locus ceruleus

Question 26

In PTSD, there is increased norepinephrine turnover in the ___ region of the brain

Answer 26

locus ceruleus

Question 27

Norepinephrine is synthesized in the ___

Answer 27

locus ceruleus

Question 28

Dopamine is synthesized in the ___

Answer 28

substantia nigra

Question 29

Acetylcholine is made in the ___

Answer 29

nucleus basalis of Meynert

Question 30

___ receptor is associated with constipation, blurred vision, dry mouth, drowsiness

Answer 30

M1 (muscarinic ACH receptor)

Question 31

___ receptor is assocaited with weight gain and sedation

Answer 31

H1

Question 32

Melatonin is produced by the ___

Answer 32

pineal gland

Question 33

What neurotransmitter is associated w/ the nicotinic and muscarinic receptors?

Answer 33

acetylcholine

Question 34

Neurotransmitter synthesis and release are mediated by ___ influx into the cell

Answer 34

calcium

Question 35

Degradation of recycled neurotransmitters is done via MAOs, with MAO-A degrading ___ and MAO-B degrading ___

Answer 35

MAO-A: NE, serotonin; MAO-B: dopamine

Question 36

During an action potential, the first ion channel to open is the #1__ channel, allowing #1 to flow into the neuron. Next #2 channels open, allowing more positively charged ions to enter and contribute to the action potential. Once inside #2 ions act as second messagers involved in protein-protein interactions and gene regulation

Answer 36

1- Na+; #2- calcium

Question 37

Which dopaminergic tract is responsible for parkinsonian side effects of antipsychotics?

Answer 37

Nigrostriatal

Question 38

Dopaminergic neurons in the ___ have been linked with Tourette’s syndrome and the development of tics

Answer 38

Caudate

Question 39

Serotonin is made in the ___

Answer 39

dorsal raphe nuclei

Question 40

Neuroimaging studies in OCD demonstrate abnormalities in the ___

Answer 40

caudate, thalamus, and orbitofrontal cortex

Question 41

Acetylcholine is aassocaited with what receptors?

Answer 41

nicotinic, muscarinic

Question 42

Glutamate is associated with what receptors?

Answer 42

AMPA, kainate, NMDA

Question 43

___ is responsible for maintaining short-term memory, attention, executive functioning, and novelty-seeking, which are mediated through the nucleus basalis of Meynert

Answer 43

Acetylcholine

Question 44

What brain structure is critical for formation of memory

Answer 44

Hippocampus

Question 45

Neuroimaging finding associated with PTSD

Answer 45

decreased hippocampal volume, smaller anterior cingulate cortex volume

Question 46

TMS for MDD is applied to what brain region?

Answer 46

left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex

Question 47

___ pathway goes from the ventral tegmental area to the frontal cortex and is involved in the negative sx of schizophrenia

Answer 47

Mesocortical

Question 48

___ pathway goes from the ventral tegmental area to the nucleus accumbens and is involved in the positive psychotic symptoms

Answer 48

mesolimbic pathway of dopaminergic neurons

Question 49

___ pathway goes from the substantia nigra to the basal ganglia; is important in development of EPS sx

Answer 49

Nigrostriatal

Question 50

___ pathway goes from the hypothalamus to the anterior pituitary; important in regulation of prolactin secretion

Answer 50

Tuberoinfundibular

Question 51

Brain region most implicated in delirium ___

Answer 51

Reticular formation and dorsal tegmental pathway

Question 52

The GABA receptor is a ___ ion channel

Answer 52

chloride

Question 53

Inhibitory neurotransmitters open ___ that hyperpolarize the membrane and decrease the likelihood of an action potential being generated

Answer 53

chloride