PHY 503: EXAM 2 PRACTICE TEST QUESTIONS WITH
ACCURATE SOLUTIONS
1) The fibers of the corticospinal tract pass through which structure?
A) medial lemniscus
B) medullary pyramid
C) posterior funiculus
D) medial longitudinal fasciculus
E) anterior roots -- Correct Answer ✔✔ B) medullary pyramid
2) Which term applies to the combination of a motor neuron and all the skeletal
muscle fibers contacted by that motor neuron?
A) Golgi tendon organ
B) motor unit
C) propriospinal neurons
D) skeletal muscle fibers -- Correct Answer ✔✔ B) motor unit
3) Cells of the adrenal medulla receive synaptic input from which type of neuron?
A) preganglionic sympathetic
B) postganglionic sympathetic
C) preganglionic parasympathetic
D) postsynaptic parasympathetic
E) presynaptic parasympathetic -- Correct Answer ✔✔ A) preganglionic
sympathetic
, Preganglionic sympathetic axons synapse on cells in the adrenal medulla that
function as postganglionic sympathetic neurons.
4) In a muscle spindle receptor, which type of muscle fiber is responsible for the
dynamic response?
A) extrafusal muscle fiber
B) static nuclear bag fiber
C) nuclear chain fiber
D) dynamic nuclear bag fiber
E) smooth muscle fiber -- Correct Answer ✔✔ D) dynamic nuclear bag
fiber
The dynamic nuclear bag fiber responds to the rate of change of length of the
muscle spindle receptor. This fiber is responsible for the dynamic response of the
muscle spindle.
5) The sweat glands and piloerector muscles of hairy skin are innervated by which type
of fibers?
A) cholinergic postganglionic parasympathetic
B) cholinergic postganglionic sympathetic
C) adrenergic preganglionic parasympathetic
D) adrenergic postganglionic sympathetic
E) adrenergic preganglionic sympathetic -- Correct Answer ✔✔ B)
cholinergic postganglionic sympathetic
6) Which cells receive direct synaptic input from Golgi tendon organs?
A) type Ia inhibitory interneurons
B) dynamic gamma motor neurons
C) alpha motor neurons
D) type Ib inhibitory interneurons
, E) type II excitatory interneurons -- Correct Answer ✔✔ D) type Ib
inhibitory interneurons
GTOs provide direct synaptic input to type Ib inhibitory interneurons. Type Ia
interneurons and alpha motor neurons receive input from muscle spindle
afferents, while dynamic gamma motor neurons and excitatory interneurons
receive their input from supraspinal systems.
7) The excitatory or inhibitory effect of a postganglionic sympathetic fiber is
determined by which feature or structure?
A) function of the postsynaptic receptor to which it binds
B) specific organ innervated
C) ganglion where the postganglionic fiber originates
D) ganglion containing the preganglionic fiber -- Correct Answer ✔✔ A)
function of the postsynaptic receptor to which it binds
8) Fine motor movement of the index finger can be elicited by stimulation of which
brain area?
A) primary motor cortex
B) lateral cerebellar hemisphere
C) premotor cortex
D) supplemental motor area
E) red nucleus -- Correct Answer ✔✔ A) primary motor cortex
A large area of the PMC is dedicated to activating the muscles that control the
movements of the fingers. Stimulation of the PMC usually results in very discrete
contractions of small groups of muscles. Stimulation of the premotor cortex
results in the contraction of large groups of muscles, and stimulation of the SMA
results in bilateral movements.
, 9) Which type of cholinergic receptor is found at synapses between preganglionic and
postganglionic neurons of the SNS?
A) muscarinic
B) nicotinic
C) alpha
D) beta-1
E) beta-2 -- Correct Answer ✔✔ B) nicotinic
10) Damage to the primary motor cortex (area 4) is thought to cause hypotonia in the
affected muscles. However, most cortical lesions, particularly those caused by
vascular infarcts, generally involve the primary motor cortex in addition to
surrounding areas of cortex or cortical efferent axons. The latter type of cortical
lesion will cause which of the following?
A) spastic muscle paralysis
B) flaccid muscle paralysis
C) no paralysis, only jerky and fast movements
D) complete blindness in the contralateral eye
E) loss of sensation in the contralateral foot -- Correct Answer ✔✔ A)
spastic muscle paralysis
Lesions to the PMC and surrounding motor cortical areas lead to spastic paralysis
in affected muscles.
11) Which substance activates adrenergic alpha and beta receptors equally well?
A) ACh
B) norepinephrine
C) epinephrine
D) serotonin
E) dopamine -- Correct Answer ✔✔ C) epinephrine
ACCURATE SOLUTIONS
1) The fibers of the corticospinal tract pass through which structure?
A) medial lemniscus
B) medullary pyramid
C) posterior funiculus
D) medial longitudinal fasciculus
E) anterior roots -- Correct Answer ✔✔ B) medullary pyramid
2) Which term applies to the combination of a motor neuron and all the skeletal
muscle fibers contacted by that motor neuron?
A) Golgi tendon organ
B) motor unit
C) propriospinal neurons
D) skeletal muscle fibers -- Correct Answer ✔✔ B) motor unit
3) Cells of the adrenal medulla receive synaptic input from which type of neuron?
A) preganglionic sympathetic
B) postganglionic sympathetic
C) preganglionic parasympathetic
D) postsynaptic parasympathetic
E) presynaptic parasympathetic -- Correct Answer ✔✔ A) preganglionic
sympathetic
, Preganglionic sympathetic axons synapse on cells in the adrenal medulla that
function as postganglionic sympathetic neurons.
4) In a muscle spindle receptor, which type of muscle fiber is responsible for the
dynamic response?
A) extrafusal muscle fiber
B) static nuclear bag fiber
C) nuclear chain fiber
D) dynamic nuclear bag fiber
E) smooth muscle fiber -- Correct Answer ✔✔ D) dynamic nuclear bag
fiber
The dynamic nuclear bag fiber responds to the rate of change of length of the
muscle spindle receptor. This fiber is responsible for the dynamic response of the
muscle spindle.
5) The sweat glands and piloerector muscles of hairy skin are innervated by which type
of fibers?
A) cholinergic postganglionic parasympathetic
B) cholinergic postganglionic sympathetic
C) adrenergic preganglionic parasympathetic
D) adrenergic postganglionic sympathetic
E) adrenergic preganglionic sympathetic -- Correct Answer ✔✔ B)
cholinergic postganglionic sympathetic
6) Which cells receive direct synaptic input from Golgi tendon organs?
A) type Ia inhibitory interneurons
B) dynamic gamma motor neurons
C) alpha motor neurons
D) type Ib inhibitory interneurons
, E) type II excitatory interneurons -- Correct Answer ✔✔ D) type Ib
inhibitory interneurons
GTOs provide direct synaptic input to type Ib inhibitory interneurons. Type Ia
interneurons and alpha motor neurons receive input from muscle spindle
afferents, while dynamic gamma motor neurons and excitatory interneurons
receive their input from supraspinal systems.
7) The excitatory or inhibitory effect of a postganglionic sympathetic fiber is
determined by which feature or structure?
A) function of the postsynaptic receptor to which it binds
B) specific organ innervated
C) ganglion where the postganglionic fiber originates
D) ganglion containing the preganglionic fiber -- Correct Answer ✔✔ A)
function of the postsynaptic receptor to which it binds
8) Fine motor movement of the index finger can be elicited by stimulation of which
brain area?
A) primary motor cortex
B) lateral cerebellar hemisphere
C) premotor cortex
D) supplemental motor area
E) red nucleus -- Correct Answer ✔✔ A) primary motor cortex
A large area of the PMC is dedicated to activating the muscles that control the
movements of the fingers. Stimulation of the PMC usually results in very discrete
contractions of small groups of muscles. Stimulation of the premotor cortex
results in the contraction of large groups of muscles, and stimulation of the SMA
results in bilateral movements.
, 9) Which type of cholinergic receptor is found at synapses between preganglionic and
postganglionic neurons of the SNS?
A) muscarinic
B) nicotinic
C) alpha
D) beta-1
E) beta-2 -- Correct Answer ✔✔ B) nicotinic
10) Damage to the primary motor cortex (area 4) is thought to cause hypotonia in the
affected muscles. However, most cortical lesions, particularly those caused by
vascular infarcts, generally involve the primary motor cortex in addition to
surrounding areas of cortex or cortical efferent axons. The latter type of cortical
lesion will cause which of the following?
A) spastic muscle paralysis
B) flaccid muscle paralysis
C) no paralysis, only jerky and fast movements
D) complete blindness in the contralateral eye
E) loss of sensation in the contralateral foot -- Correct Answer ✔✔ A)
spastic muscle paralysis
Lesions to the PMC and surrounding motor cortical areas lead to spastic paralysis
in affected muscles.
11) Which substance activates adrenergic alpha and beta receptors equally well?
A) ACh
B) norepinephrine
C) epinephrine
D) serotonin
E) dopamine -- Correct Answer ✔✔ C) epinephrine
