Fundamentals of Behavioral Neurobiology

PSYC 355

MIDTERM PRACTICE EXAM

WITH ANSWERS

SECTION I. MULTIPLE CHOICE

1) What structure surrounds some axons to allow for saltatory conduction?

a. Nodes of Ranvier
b. Soma
c. Myelin sheath
d. Dendrites

2) Where do action potentials originate?

a. Axon hillock
b. Soma
c. Dendrites
d. Cell nucleus

3) Neuron A has an axonal width of 5µm. Neuron B has a width of 10µm. If all other
characteristics and conditions are the same, the Neuron B will:
a. Propagate the electrical signal faster
b. Propagate the electrical signal slower
c. Generate more electrical signals
d. Generate less electrical signals

4) Where on a neuron is an electrical signal transformed into a chemical signal?

a. The axon hillock
b. The dendrites
c. The terminal bouton
d. The soma
 Fundamentals of Behavioral Neurobiology
PSYC 355
SECTION II. VERY SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS

5) Identify and write the correct name of the structures on the diagram of a neuron (as
indicated by letters) using the list of terms offered below. (6 points)
Label Answer List of possible terms
A Dendrites Node of Ranvier Axon hillock
6) B nucleus Schwann Cell Lipid bilayer
C soma Presynaptic bouton Dendrite
D Axon hillock Soma Terminal segment
E Node de ranvier Vesicle Nucleus
F Presynaptic bouton Ribosome Neurites
Use the lists of terms below each question to fill in the blanks

Strong scientific evidence for the localization of brain function was provided by
_________broca__, when he examined the brain of a man who could understand
language, but not speak, and by _______hitzig___ and __fritscg________ , who saw
specific types of movement in dogs when they stimulated areas of their motor cortex.

Choose from the following list: Marie-Jean-Pierre Flourens; Franz Joseph Gall;
Phillippe Auguste; Gustav Fritsch; Paul Broca; Phineas Gage; Eduard Hitzig

7) It takes an action potential approximately __2msec____from the beginning of the

rising phase to the end of the undershoot. Choose the correct option from this list:
100 nanoseconds, 1 msec, 2 msec, 5 msec, 10 msec, 60 msec

SECTION III. SHORT ANSWERS. Please write your answers in the spaces provided
 Fundamentals of Behavioral Neurobiology
PSYC 355
8) “Without the sodium/potassium pump, there would be no action potential”. Offer
one explanation that explains why this statement is true in terms of ions and ion
channels.

The sodium pump permits the depolarization of the axon which leads to it
attaining the threshold. Then the action potential fires. The potassium pump
permits the neuron to hyperpolarize and return to it’s initial state which is -
65mV.

They build a chemical and electrical gradient that are used to generate action
potentials.

9) What is the “neuron doctrine” and its principle tenets?

The neurvous system is made of many discting features/cells such as

neurons and glia cells.

10) What channels near the active zones of the synaptic terminal open when the
membrane depolarizes and causes the release of synaptic vesicles?

Voltage gated calcium channel