MN551 PRACTICE EXAM 2026 FULL
QUESTIONS AND DETAILED SOLUTIONS
● A 51-year-old has been admitted to a rehabilitation center after
hospital treatment for an ischemic stroke. Which of the following
aspects of the patient's history would not be considered to have
contributed to his stroke? (Points : 0.4)
A. He was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes eight years ago
B. Elevated cholesterol
C. Blood pressure that is normally 120/80
D. The patient is an African American Male
E. History of sickle cell anemia. Answer: C. Blood pressure that is
normally 120/80
● Following a spinal cord injury suffered in a motor vehicle accident, a
22-year-old male has lost fine motor function of his finger and thumb,
but is still able to perform gross motor movements of his hand and arm.
Which of the following components of his white matter has most likely
been damaged? (Points : 0.4)
,A. The inner layer (archilayer)
B. The middle layer (paleolayer)
C. The outer layer (neolayer)
D. The reticular formation. Answer: C. The outer layer (neolayer)
Fine manipulation skills are the domain of the outer layer, or neolayer, of
tract systems. The inner and
middle layers and the reticular formation are not noted to be responsible
for these functions.
● A 44-year-old female has been diagnosed with major depression.
Which of the following neuroimaging findings is most congruent with
the woman's diagnosis? (Points 0.4)
A. Decreased brain activity in the pons and brain stem
B. Reduced activity and gray matter volume in the prefrontal cortex
C. Atrophy and decreased blood flow in the amygdala
,D. Enlargement of the lateral and third ventricles and reduction in frontal
and temporal volumes. Answer: B. Reduced activity and gray matter
volume in the prefrontal cortex
● A 22-year-old female college student is shocked to receive a diagnosis
of myasthenia gravis. What are the etiology and most likely treatment
for her health problem?
A. Excess acetylcholinesterase production; treatment with thymectomy
B. Cerebellar lesions; surgical and immunosuppressive treatment
C. A shortage of acetylcholine receptors; treatment with corticosteroids
and intravenous immunoglobulins
D. Autoimmune destruction of skeletal muscle cells; treatment with
intensive physical therapy and anabolic steroids. Answer: C. A shortage
of acetylcholine receptors; treatment with corticosteroids and
intravenous immunoglobulins
● Which of the following statements most accurately characterizes an
aspect of the neurobiology of sleep?
, A. Input from the retinas is interpreted by the cerebellum and contributes
to maintenance of the circadian rhythm.
B. The reticular formation, thalamus, and cerebral cortex interact to
integrate the sleep-wake cycle.
C. The pituitary releases melatonin at predictable points in the circadian
rhythm in order to facilitate sleep.
D. The hypothalamus stimulates the anterior and posterior pituitary to
modulate sleeping-waking cycles.. Answer: B. The reticular formation,
thalamus, and cerebral cortex interact to integrate the sleep-wake cycle.
● After surviving an ischemic stroke, a 79-year-old male has
demonstrated significant changes in his emotional behavior, with his
family noting that he now experiences wide mood swings and
exaggerated responses of empathy, anger, and sadness to situations. His
care team would most likely attribute these responses to ischemic
changes in which of the following brain structures?
A. The components of the patient's limbic system
B. The man's parietal lobe
C. The patient's temporal lobe in general and
QUESTIONS AND DETAILED SOLUTIONS
● A 51-year-old has been admitted to a rehabilitation center after
hospital treatment for an ischemic stroke. Which of the following
aspects of the patient's history would not be considered to have
contributed to his stroke? (Points : 0.4)
A. He was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes eight years ago
B. Elevated cholesterol
C. Blood pressure that is normally 120/80
D. The patient is an African American Male
E. History of sickle cell anemia. Answer: C. Blood pressure that is
normally 120/80
● Following a spinal cord injury suffered in a motor vehicle accident, a
22-year-old male has lost fine motor function of his finger and thumb,
but is still able to perform gross motor movements of his hand and arm.
Which of the following components of his white matter has most likely
been damaged? (Points : 0.4)
,A. The inner layer (archilayer)
B. The middle layer (paleolayer)
C. The outer layer (neolayer)
D. The reticular formation. Answer: C. The outer layer (neolayer)
Fine manipulation skills are the domain of the outer layer, or neolayer, of
tract systems. The inner and
middle layers and the reticular formation are not noted to be responsible
for these functions.
● A 44-year-old female has been diagnosed with major depression.
Which of the following neuroimaging findings is most congruent with
the woman's diagnosis? (Points 0.4)
A. Decreased brain activity in the pons and brain stem
B. Reduced activity and gray matter volume in the prefrontal cortex
C. Atrophy and decreased blood flow in the amygdala
,D. Enlargement of the lateral and third ventricles and reduction in frontal
and temporal volumes. Answer: B. Reduced activity and gray matter
volume in the prefrontal cortex
● A 22-year-old female college student is shocked to receive a diagnosis
of myasthenia gravis. What are the etiology and most likely treatment
for her health problem?
A. Excess acetylcholinesterase production; treatment with thymectomy
B. Cerebellar lesions; surgical and immunosuppressive treatment
C. A shortage of acetylcholine receptors; treatment with corticosteroids
and intravenous immunoglobulins
D. Autoimmune destruction of skeletal muscle cells; treatment with
intensive physical therapy and anabolic steroids. Answer: C. A shortage
of acetylcholine receptors; treatment with corticosteroids and
intravenous immunoglobulins
● Which of the following statements most accurately characterizes an
aspect of the neurobiology of sleep?
, A. Input from the retinas is interpreted by the cerebellum and contributes
to maintenance of the circadian rhythm.
B. The reticular formation, thalamus, and cerebral cortex interact to
integrate the sleep-wake cycle.
C. The pituitary releases melatonin at predictable points in the circadian
rhythm in order to facilitate sleep.
D. The hypothalamus stimulates the anterior and posterior pituitary to
modulate sleeping-waking cycles.. Answer: B. The reticular formation,
thalamus, and cerebral cortex interact to integrate the sleep-wake cycle.
● After surviving an ischemic stroke, a 79-year-old male has
demonstrated significant changes in his emotional behavior, with his
family noting that he now experiences wide mood swings and
exaggerated responses of empathy, anger, and sadness to situations. His
care team would most likely attribute these responses to ischemic
changes in which of the following brain structures?
A. The components of the patient's limbic system
B. The man's parietal lobe
C. The patient's temporal lobe in general and
