Description

Human Anatomy and Physiology 7th Edition Marieb Hoehn Test Bank

ISBN-13: 978-0132197991

ISBN-10: 0132197995

 

 

 

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Chapter 12. The Central Nervous System
SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question.
Figure 12.1
Using Figure 12.1, match the following:
1)
Afferent impulses from all senses and all parts of the body converge here and synapse with at least one of its
nuclei.
Answer:
D
2)
Putamen.
Answer:
C
3)
Anterior horn of lateral ventricle.
Answer:
A
4)
Inferior horn of lateral ventricle.
Answer:
E
1
5)
Part of the basal nuclei.
Answer:
B
6)
Thalamus.
Answer:
D
Figure 12.2
Using Figure 12.2, match the following:
7)
Pons.
Answer:
E
8)
Corpus callosum.
Answer:
A
9)
Caudate nucleus.
Answer:
B
10)
Globus pallidus.
Answer:
C
2
11)
Thalamus.
Answer:
D
Figure 12.3
Using Figure 12.3, match the following:
12)
Site of efferent soma.
Answer:
C
13)
Site of axons and afferent neurons.
Answer:
B
14)
Site of sensory soma.
Answer:
E
15)
Gray commissure.
Answer:
A
16)
Horn usually containing interneurons.
Answer:
B
3
17)
Site containing central canal.
Answer:
A
18)
Multipolar neurons are common here.
Answer:
C
MATCHING. Choose the item in column 2 that best matches each item in column 1.
Match the following:
19)
Auditory area.
A)
Parietal lobe
Answer:
D
B)
Frontal lobe
20)
Primary sensory cortex.
C)
Occipital lobe
Answer:
A
21)
Somatic motor cortex.
D)
Temporal lobe
Answer:
B
E)
Insula
22)
Motor speech area.
Answer:
B
23)
Premotor area.
Answer:
B
24)
Visual area.
Answer:
C
25)
Language/speech comprehension
area.
Answer:
D
26)
Taste (gustatory) area.
Answer:
E
27)
Seat of intelligence, abstract reasoning.
Answer:
B
4
Match the following:
28)
A major relay station for sensory
A)
Thalamus
information ascending to primary
sensory areas of the cerebral cortex.
B)
Primary motor cortex
Contains many specialized nuclei.
Answer:
A
C)
Hypothalamus
29)
This brain area associates experiences
necessary for the production of
D)
Prefrontal area
abstract ideas, judgment, and
conscience.
Answer:
D
30)
The axons from this area form the
major pyramidal tracts.
Answer:
B
31)
This area is the main visceral control
center of the body.
Answer:
C
Match the following stages of sleep with their descriptions:
32)
The stage when vital signs (blood
A)
Stage 1
pressure, heart rate, and body
temperature) reach their lowest
B)
Stage 4
normal levels.
Answer:
B
C)
REM
33)
Indicated by movement of the eyes
under the lids; dreaming occurs.
D)
Stage 3
Answer:
C
34)
Theta and delta waves begin to
appear.
Answer:
D
35)
Very easy to awaken; EEG shows
alpha waves; may even deny being
asleep.
Answer:
A
5
36)
Typified by sleep spindles.
A)
Stage 2
Answer:
A
B)
REM
37)
Begins about 90 minutes after the
onset of sleep.
Answer:
B
38)
Necessary for emotional health; may
be neural “debugging.”
Answer:
B
TRUE/FALSE. Write ‘T’ if the statement is true and ‘F’ if the statement is false.
39)
NREM sleep normally exhibits four distinct stages, which appear to alternate.
Answer:
True
False
40)
Petit mal seizures found in children generally go away with age.
Answer:
True
False
41)
NREM sleep episodes are frequently associated with erection of the penis.
Answer:
True
False
42)
A flat EEG is a good indication of deep sleep.
Answer:
True
False
43)
Theta waves are a brain wave pattern that can be seen during deep sleep and during anesthesia.
Answer:
True
False
44)
One disorder of the substantia nigra is Parkinson’s disease.
Answer:
True
False
45)
Cell bodies of the somatic motor neurons of the spinal nerves are located in the ventral horn of the spinal cord.
Answer:
True
False
46)
Meningitis is the most accurate term for inflammation of neurons.
Answer:
True
False
47)
The spinal cord ends between L
and L
.
1
2
Answer:
True
False
6
48)
Cerebrospinal fluid circulates within the ventricles of the brain and in the subarachnoid space outside the
brain.
Answer:
True
False
49)
The terms
fainting
and
syncope
describe the same thing.
Answer:
True
False
50)
The RAS is comprised of specific pathways primarily in the limbic system.
Answer:
True
False
51)
Nondeclarative memories preserve the circumstances in which they are learned.
Answer:
True
False
52)
The first obvious sign that the nervous system is forming in the embryo is the thickening of the surface
ectoderm to form the neural plate.
Answer:
True
False
53)
The left cerebral hemisphere is usually dominant.
Answer:
True
False
54)
The limbic system acts as our emotional, or affective, brain.
Answer:
True
False
55)
The canal connecting the third and fourth ventricles and running through the midbrain is the foramen of
Monro.
Answer:
True
False
56)
Commissural fibers form the corpus striatum.
Answer:
True
False
57)
A disturbance of posture, muscle tremors at rest, and uncontrolled muscle contraction are all symptoms of
damage to the basal nuclei.
Answer:
True
False
58)
Projection fibers in the brain mainly connect the right and left hemispheres.
Answer:
True
False
59)
Most of the ascending and descending pathways to and from the brain cross over from one side of the body to
the other.
Answer:
True
False
7
60)
The primary visual cortex contains a map of visual space.
Answer:
True
False
61)
One functional center found within the medulla oblongata is a respiratory center involved in the control of the
rate and depth of breathing.
Answer:
True
False
62)
Sorting of sensory information and relaying it to the appropriate cerebral sensory area occurs in the
hypothalamus.
Answer:
True
False
63)
Sensory areas of the cortex for the genitals are located deep in the postcentral gyrus.
Answer:
True
False
64)
Embryonic damage to the mesencephalon could result in improper formation of the midbrain.
Answer:
True
False
MULTIPLE CHOICE. Choose the one alternative that best completes the statement or answers the question.
65)
The nonspecific ascending pathways ________.
A)
receive inputs from a single type of sensory receptor
B)
are evolutionarily newer than the specific pathways
C)
are involved in the emotional aspects of perception
D)
are also called the lemniscal system
Answer:
C
66)
The suprachiasmatic nucleus is found in the ________.
A)
medulla
B)
hypothalamus
C)
thalamus
D)
pons
Answer:
B
67)
Nuclei of cranial nerves V, VI, and VII are found in the ________.
A)
cerebrum
B)
midbrain
C)
medulla
D)
pons
Answer:
D
8
68)
The arbor vitae refers to ________.
A)
flocculonodular nodes
B)
the pleatlike convolutions of the cerebellum
C)
cerebellar gray matter
D)
cerebellar white matter
Answer:
D
69)
The brain stem consists of the ________.
A)
pons, medulla, cerebellum, and midbrain
B)
cerebrum, pons, midbrain, and medulla
C)
midbrain, medulla, and pons
D)
midbrain only
Answer:
C
70)
The primary auditory cortex is located in the ________.
A)
frontal lobe
B)
parietal lobe
C)
prefrontal lobe
D)
temporal lobe
Answer:
D
71)
Spinocerebellar tracts ________.
A)
give rise to conscious experience of perception
B)
carry proprioceptive inputs to the cerebellum
C)
are found in the dorsal columns of the spinal cord
D)
terminate in the spinal cord
Answer:
B
72)
The spinal cord has gray matter on the ________.
A)
outside, white matter on the inside, and a ventral motor root
B)
inside, white matter on the outside, and a dorsal motor root
C)
inside, white matter on the outside, and a ventral motor root
D)
outside, white matter on the inside, and a dorsal motor root
Answer:
C
9
73)
The subarachnoid space lies between what two layers of meninges?
A)
arachnoid and epidura
B)
arachnoid and dura
C)
arachnoid and pia
D)
dura and epidura
Answer:
C
74)
The vital centers for the control of heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure are located in the ________.
A)
midbrain
B)
medulla
C)
pons
D)
cerebrum
Answer:
B
75)
Cell bodies of the sensory neurons of the spinal nerves are located in ________.
A)
the thalamus
B)
the dorsal root ganglia of the spinal cord
C)
the ventral root ganglia of the spinal cord
D)
sympathetic ganglia
Answer:
B
76)
The fissure separating the cerebral hemispheres is the ________.
A)
lateral fissure
B)
central fissure
C)
longitudinal fissure
–
D)
parieto
occipital fissure
Answer:
C
77)
The limbic association area of the multimodal association areas provides our ________.
A)
recall and personality
B)
learning abilities
C)
emotional impact
D)
working memory
Answer:
C
10
78)
A shallow groove on the surface of the cortex is called a ________.
A)
fissure
B)
sulcus
C)
furrow
D)
gyrus
Answer:
B
79)
The cerebrospinal fluid ________.
A)
enters the four ventricles after filling and circulating through the subarachnoid space
B)
is secreted mostly by the neuroglia cells lining the brain ventricles
C)
is formed mostly by the choroid plexuses and modified by ependymal cells
D)
is secreted by the arachnoid villi
Answer:
C
80)
If the posterior portion of the neural tube failed to develop properly ________.
A)
the telencephalon would cease development
B)
the hindbrain would
not
be present
C)
the cranial nerves would not form
D)
the spinal cord may be affected
Answer:
D
81)
The central sulcus separates which lobes?
A)
frontal from temporal
B)
frontal from parietal
C)
temporal from parietal
D)
parietal from occipital
Answer:
B
82)
Neural tracts that convey life
–
saving information to the brain concerning burning pain would be ________.
A)
lateral spinothalamic
B)
posterior spinothalamic
C)
anterior spinothalamic
D)
reticulospinal
Answer:
A
11
83)
Which of these would you
not
find in the cerebral cortex?
A)
cell bodies
B)
dendrites
C)
fiber tracts
D)
unmyelinated axons
Answer:
C
84)
The hypothalamus ________.
A)
mediates sensations
B)
has the Pulvinar body as part of its structure
C)
is an important auditory and visual relay center
D)
is the thermostat of the body since it regulates temperature
Answer:
D
85)
The white matter of the spinal cord contains ________.
A)
soma that have both myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibers
B)
myelinated nerve fibers only
C)
unmyelinated nerve fibers only
D)
myelinated and unmyelinated nerve fibers
Answer:
D
86)
A lateral tract in the spinal cord would be ________.
A)
tectospinal
B)
rubrospinal
C)
pyramidal
D)
vestibulospinal
Answer:
B
87)
An individual accidentally transected the spinal cord between T
and L
. This would result in ________.
1
1
A)
spinal shock only
B)
quadriplegia
C)
hemiplegia
D)
paraplegia
Answer:
D
12
88)
Spastic paralysis suggests involvement of the ________.
A)
neuromotor junction
B)
upper motor neurons
C)
lower motor neurons
D)
spinal nerve roots
Answer:
B
89)
Ridges of tissue on the surface of the cerebral hemispheres are called ________.
A)
fissures
B)
sulci
C)
gyri
D)
ganglia
Answer:
C
90)
The frontal lobe is separated from the temporal lobe by the ________.
A)
longitudinal fissure
B)
cranial fossa
C)
lateral sulcus
D)
central sulcus
Answer:
C
91)
Brodmann’s numbering refers to ________.
A)
rates of neural division in embryogenesis
B)
counts of neurons per fiber bundle
C)
structurally distinct cortical areas
D)
molecular weight of types of neurons
Answer:
C
92)
Two terms for the massive motor tracts serving voluntary movement are ________.
A)
pyramidal and corticospinal
B)
segmental and nigrostriatal
C)
extrapyramidal and rubrospinal
D)
supplementary and cerebellar
–
pontine
Answer:
A
13
93)
An individual who could trace a picture of a bicycle with his or her finger but could
not
recognize it as a bicycle
is most likely to have sustained damage to the ________.
A)
lateral geniculate body
B)
primary visual area
C)
visual association area
D)
calcarine cortex
Answer:
C
94)
Broca’s area ________.
A)
is usually found in the right hemisphere
B)
corresponds to Brodmann’s area 8
C)
is considered a motor speech area
D)
serves the recognition of complex objects
Answer:
C
95)
The function of commissures is to connect ________.
A)
areas of cortex with lower centers
B)
adjacent areas of gray matter within a cerebral hemisphere
C)
corresponding areas of the two hemispheres
D)
pyramidal cells with corresponding cerebellar cells
Answer:
C
–
96)
The blood
brain barrier is effective against ________.
A)
metabolic waste such as urea
B)
nutrients such as glucose
C)
anesthetics
D)
alcohol
Answer:
A
97)
Which of the following is
not
part of the basal nuclei?
A)
lentiform nucleus
B)
putamen
C)
substantia nigra
D)
globus pallidus
Answer:
C
14
98)
All of the following are structures of the limbic system
except
the ________.
A)
caudate nucleus
B)
amygdaloid nucleus
C)
cingulate gyrus
D)
hippocampus
Answer:
A
99)
Which of the following is
not
a midbrain structure?
A)
red nucleus
B)
third ventricle
C)
corpora quadrigemina
D)
cerebral peduncles
Answer:
B
100)
The process of linking new facts with old facts already stored in the memory bank is called ________.
A)
rehearsal
B)
consolidation
C)
automatic memory
–
D)
long
term memory
Answer:
B
101)
An electroencephalogram ________.
A)
indicates a normal frequency range of 1
–
30 Hz
B)
can only detect abnormal electrical activity
C)
indicates an average amplitude of 20
–
100 V
D)
is a record of total body electrical activity
Answer:
A
102)
The brain area that regulates activities that control the state of wakefulness or alertness of the cerebral cortex is
the ________.
A)
limbic system
B)
reticular formation
C)
pyramids
D)
thalamus
Answer:
B
15
103)
Which of the following would you
not
find in normal cerebrospinal fluid?
A)
protein
B)
glucose
C)
potassium
D)
red blood cells
Answer:
D
104)
REM sleep is associated with ________.
A)
decreased activity of the brain, especially the cerebral cortex
B)
decreased oxygen use, especially in the cerebral cortex
C)
temporary skeletal muscle inhibition except for the extrinsic eye muscles
D)
decreased vital signs, such as heart rate and blood pressure
Answer:
C
105)
Mr. Hom was injured in an accident that completely severed his spinal cord at the level of T
. You would
12
expect to find all of the following
except
________.
A)
loss of sensation below the level of injury
B)
slurred speech
C)
paralysis of the lower extremities
D)
perspiration in the affected area
Answer:
B
106)
Injury to the hypothalamus may result in all of the following
except
________.
A)
loss of proprioception
B)
loss of body temperature control
C)
production of excessive quantities of urine
D)
pathologic sleep
Answer:
A
107)
White matter of the spinal cord ________.
A)
is composed of myelinated fibers only
B)
has afferent fibers carrying impulses from peripheral sensory receptors
C)
contains the anterior and posterior spinocerebellar tracts
D)
ascends to higher PNS centers
Answer:
C
16
108)
Which statement about aging is most accurate?
A)
Learning throughout the adult and aging years is supported primarily by glial proliferation.
B)
The brain reaches its maximum weight around the seventh decade of life.
C)
Despite some neuronal loss, changing synaptic connections support additional learning throughout life.
D)
Synaptic connections are too fixed to permit a great deal of learning after the age of 35.
Answer:
C
109)
Which association regarding the function and location of the cerebrum is most accurate?
–
A)
sensory
anterior
–
B)
motor
anterior
–
C)
motor
medial
–
D)
sensory
medial
Answer:
B
110)
Brain wave amplitude ________.
A)
results from subtraction of delta waves from theta waves
B)
is an average of about 1 V
C)
is the measure of activity of specific individual neurons
D)
reflects the number of neurons firing synchronously
Answer:
D
111)
Declarative memory is
not
stored in the ________.
A)
thalamus
B)
amygdala
C)
hippocampus
D)
mammillary body
Answer:
D
112)
Huntington’s disease ________.
A)
has symptoms that are the opposite of Parkinson’s disease
B)
begins to appear at ages 10 to 15
C)
usually subsides by ages 35 to 40
D)
may be a result of a defective 26th chromosome
Answer:
A
17
113)
The corpus striatum plays a special role in ________.
A)
spatial learning
B)
face recognition
C)
skill learning
D)
fact learning
Answer:
C
114)
Storing information in long
–
term memory ________.
A)
is interfered with by emotional arousal
B)
is facilitated by the release of norepinephrine
C)
is always dependent on the formation of conscious impressions
D)
depends on the remaining capacity of long
–
term memory
Answer:
B
115)
Important nuclei of the indirect (multineural) system that receive impulses from the equilibrium apparatus of
the inner ear and help to maintain balance by varying muscle tone of postural muscles are the ________.
A)
red nuclei
B)
reticular nuclei
C)
superior colliculi
D)
vestibular nuclei
Answer:
D
116)
Which of the following structures is probably
not
directly involved in memory?
A)
amygdala
B)
prefrontal cortex
C)
medulla
D)
hippocampus
Answer:
C
117)
The area of the cortex that is responsible for sensations of the full bladder and the feeling that your lungs will
burst when you hold your breath too long is the ________.
A)
visceral sensory area
B)
gusatory cortex
C)
vestibular cortex
D)
olfactory cortex
Answer:
A
18
118)
Which statement about coma is true?
A)
Coma is neurologically identical to syncope.
B)
Coma is rarely caused by damage to brain stem structures.
C)
Coma is defined as total unresponsiveness to stimuli for a long period of time.
D)
During coma, brain oxygen consumption resembles that of a waking state.
Answer:
C
119)
Tremor at rest, shuffling gait, stooped posture, and expressionless face are characteristics of ________.
A)
spinal cord disease
B)
Parkinson’s disease
C)
cerebellar disease
D)
Huntington’s disease
Answer:
B
120)
Which is the mildest consequence of traumatic brain injury?
A)
hemorrhage
B)
concussion
C)
swelling
D)
contusion
Answer:
B
121)
Declarative memory ________.
A)
is hard to unlearn when learned once
B)
is the ability to learn specific information
C)
is best remembered in the doing
D)
usually involves motor skills
Answer:
B
122)
Which of the following is/are involved with motor activity (either initiation or coordination)?
A)
postcentral gyrus
B)
red nuclei
C)
gustatory cortex
D)
Wernicke’s area
Answer:
B
19
123)
Which statement is
not
true?
A)
Half of infant sleep is composed of REM sleep.
B)
Stage 4 sleep increases in old age.
–
–
C)
Ten
year
olds are in REM sleep about 1.5
–
2 hours per night.
D)
Sleep requirements decline from infancy to early adulthood, level off, then decline again in old age.
Answer:
B
124)
Which statement about epilepsy is most accurate?
A)
During seizures, sensory messages are processed normally but responses are blocked.
B)
Petit mal epilepsy typically begins in adolescence and is often severely disabling.
C)
The aura in grand mal epilepsy typically occurs as the patient regains consciousness.
D)
Epilepsy is often genetically induced but also frequently caused by head trauma, stroke, infection, and
tumor.
Answer:
D
125)
White matter (myelinated fibers) is found in all of the following locations, with the exception of the ________.
A)
outer portion of the spinal cord
B)
cerebral cortex
C)
corticospinal tracts
D)
corpus callosum
Answer:
B
–
126)
Second
order neurons of both the specific and nonspecific ascending pathways terminate in the ________.
A)
spinal cord
B)
thalamus
C)
medulla
D)
somatosensory cortex
Answer:
B
127)
Loss of ability to perform skilled motor activities such as piano playing, with
no
paralysis or weakness in
specific muscles, might suggest damage to the ________.
A)
primary motor cortex
B)
spinal cord
C)
rubrospinal tracts
D)
premotor cortex
Answer:
D
20
128)
________ waves are
not
normal for awake adults but are common for children.
A)
Theta
B)
Delta
C)
Beta
D)
Alpha
Answer:
A
SHORT ANSWER. Write the word or phrase that best completes each statement or answers the question.
129)
The fourth ventricle is continuous with the ________ of the spinal cord.
Answer:
central canal
130)
The large commissure that connects the right and left sides of the brain is called the ________.
Answer:
corpus callosum
131)
The ________ is a conduction pathway between higher and lower brain centers and houses nuclei for cranial
–
nerves V
VII.
Answer:
pons
132)
The infundibulum connects the hypothalamus to the ________.
Answer:
pituitary gland
133)
The ________ are valvelike and protrude externally through the dura mater to absorb cerebrospinal fluid into
venous blood.
Answer:
arachnoid villi
134)
Sensory neurons enter the spinal cord via the ________ horn.
Answer:
dorsal
135)
________ memory requires practice, and is remembered by doing.
Answer:
Procedural (
Skill)
136)
The ________ includes the thalamus, hypothalamus, and epithalamus.
Answer:
diencephalon
137)
The two longitudinal ridges on the medulla oblongata where many descending fibers cross over are called the
________.
Answer:
pyramids
21
138)
The largest nuclear mass in the midbrain is the ________.
Answer:
substantia nigra
139)
In stage 3 sleep, ________ and ________ waves appear.
Answer:
theta; delta
140)
The ________ is the main switch station for memory; if the right and left areas are damaged, the past is lost.
Answer:
amygdala
141)
________ rhythm is a 24
–
hour cycle of sleep and wakefulness.
Answer:
Circadian
142)
________ is a temporary cessation of breathing during sleep found most commonly in the elderly.
Answer:
Sleep apnea
143)
Describe the cause of hydrocephalus and explain why this condition is much more serious in adults than in
newborns.
Answer:
Hydrocephaly refers to a blockage of the normal circulation and drainage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
throughout the meninges and ventricles. If CSF is allowed to accumulate, excessive pressure could be
exerted on the brain. In newborns, the fontanels allow the skull to enlarge, while in adults, the cranial
bones are fused and no expansion is possible. This disorder is treated by insertion of a shunt to drain
excess fluid into a vein.
144)
Which brain areas lack a blood
–
brain barrier, and what purpose does this absence serve?
–
Answer:
The blood
brain barrier is absent around the vomiting center of the brain stem, so that it can monitor the
blood for poisonous substances. It is also absent around the hypothalamus, so that it can monitor the
chemical composition of the blood and adjust water balance and other factors.
145)
What is the importance of the fact that the outer portion of the cerebral hemispheres is convoluted?
Answer:
The cerebral cortex is only 2
–
4 mm thick; however, the convolutions effectively triple the cortical surface
area. As a result, the cortex accounts for 40% of the total brain mass and functions in all conscious
activity, including movement, sensory perception, thinking, and memory.
146)
What is the cauda equina and why is it given this name?
Answer:
The cauda equina is a collection of nerve roots at the inferior end of the vertebral canal and is given this
name because of its resemblance to a horse’s tail. This arrangement reflects the different rates of growth
between the vertebral column and spinal cord. Because the column grows more rapidly than the cord,
the lower nerves must “chase” their exit points inferiorly, thus forming the cauda equina.
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147)
Describe the role of the reticular activating system in cortical arousal and stimulation.
Answer:
The reticular activating system (RAS) appears to mediate the alertness state of the cerebral cortex. The
thalamus, hypothalamus, and other areas such as the brain stem appear to be interconnected with the
RAS. The hypothalamus seems to be the structure responsible for the actual timing of the sleep
–
wake
cycle. The primary neurotransmitter involved is serotonin.
–
–
148)
Six
year
old Jimmy is confined to a wheelchair. He frequently drools and his limbs hang limply in strange
angular positions. His diagnosis is cerebral palsy. Name several (possible) causes of cerebral palsy.
Answer:
Cerebral palsy may be due to a lack of oxygen at birth, or to a viral infection, excessive smoking by the
mother, radiation, drugs, or alcohol. The disorder is a neuromuscular disability in which the voluntary
muscles are poorly controlled or paralyzed.
149)
Describe the main ideas of the holistic processing school of thought, relative to consciousness.
Answer:
Holistic processing involves many lines of reasoning that suppose that: (1) consciousness involves
simultaneous activity of large areas of the cerebral cortex; (2) consciousness is superimposed on other
types of neural activity; and (3) consciousness is totally interconnected.
150)
Differentiate clearly between short
–
–
term and long
term memory.
–
Answer:
Short
term memory (STM) is a fleeting memory of events that one is continuously exposed to, and
seems to be limited to 7 or 8 chunks of information at a time. Long
–
term memory (LTM) is
semipermanent storage of information that involves the transfer of data from STM banks to LTM banks
based on several factors such as rehearsal, emotional state, and association.
151)
How do scientists hope the discovery of drugs such as NMDA antagonists and calcium channel blockers will
improve the outlook for stroke patients?
Answer:
After a stroke, neurons deprived of oxygen release large amounts of glutamate. This acts as an
excitotoxin on receptors, causing (among other things) calcium influx. These changes result in damage to
surrounding healthy cells, which then release additional glutamate. Scientists hope that rapid
administration of NMDA antagonists or calcium channel blockers will stop the chain reaction and result
in the destruction of much less tissue.
152)
What seven areas of the body is the hypothalamus in control of?
Answer:
1.
ANS.
2.
Center of emotional responses.
3.
Body temperature regulation.
4.
Regulation of food intake.
5.
Regulation of water balance and thirst.
6.
Regulation of the sleep
–
wake cycles.
7.
Control of the endocrine functions.
153)
What is the limbic system?
Answer:
This is an area of the brain that is in control of our emotions, such as fear, anger, love, hate, etc. It can be
acted upon by smell (the smell of a gas, perfume, dead animals), memories, taste, sight, and self
–
will.
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ESSAY. Write your answer in the space provided or on a separate sheet of paper.
154)
Mrs. Sagalov has recently been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. What clinical symptoms is she likely to
show, and what would probably be seen if her brain were examined?
Answer:
Mrs. Sagalov is likely to show increasing cognitive deficits, including difficulties with memory and
attention, and personality changes such as irritability, moodiness, and confusion. Her brain, particularly
in the cerebral cortex and hippocampus, is likely to show senile plaques (clumps of cells and fibers
around a protein core) and neurofibrillary tangles (twisted fibers within neuron cell bodies).
155)
A patient was admitted to the rehabilitation unit five days after having a stroke. The nurse assesses his muscle
strength and determines that he has right
–
sided weakness. Based on this assessment data, what part of the
brain was injured?
Answer:
Damage to localized areas of the primary motor cortex paralyzes the body muscles controlled by these
areas. If the stroke is in the left hemisphere, the right side of the body will be weak or paralyzed.
156)
A patient was admitted to the medical/surgical unit with a stroke that affected the motor neurons in the
pyramidal pathway. This affected the loss of voluntary movement to his left side. What other problems would
the patient experience?
Answer:
The patient may have difficulty swallowing because of weakness to the mouth or throat muscles. The
patient may also experience problems with urinary incontinence.
157)
Death from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis usually results from respiratory infection secondary to compromised
respiratory function. Explain why.
Answer:
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a rare neuromuscular disease that involves
progressive destruction of the ventral horn motor neurons and fibers of the pyramidal tract. As the
disease progresses, the sufferer loses the ability to speak, swallow, and breathe. Because the lungs have
difficulty fully expanding, secretions may develop, causing respiratory infection.
158)
Explain why heparin is used as an anticoagulant in the treatment of thrombotic strokes but contraindicated in a
subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Answer:
The most common cause of a stroke is a blockage of a cerebral artery by a clot. Heparin would keep
more clots from forming. It would be contraindicated in a subarachnoid hemorrhage because it would
not be effective in treating the bleeding from ruptured vessels.
–
–
159)
An 86
year
old patient with Alzheimer’s disease was admitted to the hospital with dehydration. Her
daughter states that her mother has been very confused and combative lately. Explain why the patient
developed dehydration.
Answer:
One of the simplest mechanisms for maintaining fluid balance is the thirst mechanism. Normally, when
a person is thirsty, he or she drinks because the thirst center in the hypothalamus is stimulated. In this
patient’s confused and combative state, she is probably refusing or forgetting to eat or drink, thereby
developing dehydration.
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160)
The location and arrangement of the arteries supplying the hippocampus make it particularly vulnerable to
injury. How would memory be affected if the hippocampus suffered deterioration?
Answer:
The hippocampus oversees the circuitry for learning and remembering spatial relationships. In other
words, it acts as a switchboard, receiving and sorting information, helping to turn that information into a
memory, and forwarding it to other parts of the brain. Without the help of the hippocampus we might
learn, but we wouldn’t remember.
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