,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience Instructor Answer Guide
Multiple Choice
1.1 Building a Nervous System
1. Which of the following molecules does the work in cells?
a. DNA
b. mRNA
c. Proteins
d. Golgi
Answer: c
2. Neurons:
a. come in many shapes and sizes.
b. all have one axon and many dendrites.
c. all have one dendrite and many axons.
d. all have multiple axons and multiple dendrites.
Answer: a
3. The part of the neuron that is specialized for receiving information is:
a. the axon.
b. the cell body.
c. the dendrites.
d. the axon hillock.
Answer: c
4. Which are the primary myelinating cells of the central nervous system?
a. Astrocytes
b. Microglia
c. Oligodendrocytes
d. Schwann cells
Answer: c
5. Which cell type is most important for helping to form the blood-brain barrier?
a. Astrocytes
b. Microglia
c. Oligodendrocytes
d. Schwann cells
2 Updated Oct 2024
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience Instructor Answer Guide
Answer: a
6. Which cell type is most important for helping to clear debris from injury in the central
nervous system?
a. Astrocytes
b. Microglia
c. Oligodendrocytes
d. Schwann cells
Answer: b
1.2 Organization of the Nervous System
7. Which feature is consistent across all organisms that have a nervous system?
a. Ganglia
b. Neural nets
c. Bilateral symmetry
d. None of these
Answer: d
8. The property of a nervous system describing an organization where neurons are consol-
idated into specific areas of integration rather than just being randomly arranged through-
out the body is called what?
a. Cephalization
b. Centralization
c. Symmetry
d. Concentration
Answer: b
9. Where in the central nervous system would you find cerebral spinal fluid?
a. In the dura mater
b. In the subarachnoid space
c. In the pia mater
d. In the nerves
Answer: b
10. Cerebral spinal fluid:
a. sloshes back and forth in the ventricular system.
b. flows in one direction through the ventricles, into to central canal and subarachnoid
space.
3 Updated Oct 2024
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience Instructor Answer Guide
c. flows in one direction from the subarachnoid space into the ventricles and then into
to central canal.
d. is still, like a lake or pool.
Answer: b
11. The human connectome:
a. is well understood.
b. is relatively simple.
c. is still being mapped and incredibly complex.
d. is very similar to that of the roundworm C. elegans.
Answer: c
12. The brain requires large amounts of blood to maintain its functions. This blood derives
from 2 main arteries. The more ventral artery is called ________ while the more dorsal artery
is ________.
a. carotid artery / vertebral artery
b. cerebral arteries / vertebral artery
c. ventral cerebral artery / dorsal cerebral artery
d. vertebral artery / carotid artery
Answer: a
1.3 The Central Nervous System: CNS
13. My left hand is ________ to my right hand.
a. medial
b. lateral
c. contralateral
d. ipsilateral
Answer: c
14. Divisions of the central nervous system:
a. begin early in development.
b. only emerge in adulthood.
c. are composed only of brain vs spinal cord.
d. are defined as neural tube and spinal cord.
Answer: a
15. Which embryonic brain region becomes the cerebral hemispheres?
a. Telencephalon
4 Updated Oct 2024
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience Instructor Answer Guide
b. Diencephalon
c. Mesencephalon
d. Metencephalon
Answer: a
16. Sensory neurons enter the spinal cord from the ________ side.
a. lateral
b. medial
c. ventral
d. dorsal
Answer: d
17. Which kind of pathways bring information from the periphery to the brain?
a. Descending
b. Ascending
c. Peripheral
d. Lateral
Answer: b
1.4 The Brain: Structure and Function
18. Which lobe of the cortex is most important for decision making and problem solving?
a. Frontal
b. Temporal
c. Parietal
d. Occipital
Answer: a
19. Which lobe of the cortex is important for language, memory, and hearing?
a. Frontal
b. Temporal
c. Parietal
d. Occipital
Answer: b
20. The ________ lobe of the cortex is most important for vision.
a. frontal
b. temporal
c. parietal
5 Updated Oct 2024
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience Instructor Answer Guide
d. occipital
Answer: d
21. Brain regions important for motor control are found:
a. in the frontal lobe.
b. in the subcortical nuclei.
c. in the brainstem.
d. in all of these.
Answer: d
22. Which brain function shows strong lateralization?
a. Memory
b. Sensory integration
c. Vision
d. Language
Answer: d
23. Cranial nerves carry what kind of information?
a. Sensory
b. Motor
c. Sensory and motor
d. Neither sensory or motor
Answer: c
24. The part of the peripheral nervous system that helps the body relax and digest is:
a. the sympathetic nervous system.
b. the parasympathetic nervous system.
c. the hypothalamus.
d. the somatic nervous system.
Answer: b
6 Updated Oct 2024
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience Instructor Answer Guide
Fill in the Blank
1.1 Building a Nervous System
1. The two major cell types of the brain are ________ and ________.
neurons / glia
2. The four major types of glia in the nervous system are ________, ________, ________, and
________.
astrocytes, microglia, oligodendrocytes, Schwann cells
1.2 Organization of the Nervous System
3. Axon bundles in the central nervous system are called ________ and in the peripheral ner-
vous system are called ________.
tracts / nerves
1.3 The Central Nervous System: CNS
4. The three planes for sectioning the brain for anatomical analysis are ________, ________, and
________.
coronal / sagittal / horizontal
1.4 The Brain: Structure and Function
5. The group of specialized brain areas under the cerebral cortex that are part of the telen-
cephalon are called ________.
subcortical nuclei (or subcortical structures)
6. The ________ nerves are a part of the peripheral nervous system and emerge directly from
the brain.
cranial
This file is copyright 2024, Rice University. All Rights Reserved.
7 Updated Oct 2024
, Multiple Choice
2.1 Neural Communication
1. All of the following are involved with synaptic transmission at chemical synapses except:
a. postsynaptic neurons.
b. presynaptic neurons.
c. gap junctions.
d. neurotransmitters.
Answer: c
2. Chemical messages released at synapses lead to different types of responses in postsy-
naptic neurons. Which type of response changes the patterns of growth, connectivity, or
signaling for the post-synaptic neuron?
a. Excitatory postsynaptic potentials
b. Inhibitory postsynaptic potentials
c. Neuromodulation
d. None of the above
Answer: c
3. Which is a brief electrical change in the postsynaptic neuron that excites the neuron and
pushes it towards threshold?
a. EPSP
b. IPSP
c. Action potential
d. Resting potential
Answer: a
4. Which event occurs last in the process of chemical synaptic transmission?
a. Released neurotransmitter is broken down or removed from the cleft
b. The presynaptic neuron stores transmitter in vesicles
c. The released neurotransmitter binds to postsynaptic receptors
d. An action potential arrives at the presynaptic terminal leading to release of neuro-
transmitter
Answer: a
5. All of the following are involved with synaptic transmission at electrical synapses except:
a. gap junctions.
1 Updated October 2024
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience Instructor Answer Guide
b. synaptic vesicles.
c. presynaptic neurons.
d. postsynaptic neurons.
Answer: b
2.2 Neural Circuits
6. Imagine a sensory neuron that does not fire unless stimulated. With light touch the neu-
ron generates an action potential. What would happen with strong touch?
a. Action potentials would occur more frequently
b. Action potentials would not occur
c. There would be no change in the frequency of action potentials, but the magnitude
of each spike would increase
d. Action potential frequency and magnitude would increase
Answer: a
7. If neural networks use parallel processing it means that:
a. they display rhythmic or cyclical activity.
b. information spreads along multiple pathways at the same time.
c. they are highly efficient.
d. a neuron influences the activity it will later receive.
Answer: b
8. Which subfield of neuroscience is involved with developing mathematical models of neu-
rons and neural networks?
a. Cognitive neuroscience
b. Systems neuroscience
c. Computational neuroscience
d. Cellular and molecular neuroscience
Answer: c
9. Researchers have developed devices that have the potential to replace or repair a part of
the nervous system using a computer model that can simulate the processing in that brain
region. This is an example of:
a. neurofeedback.
b. optogenetics.
c. deep brain stimulation.
d. a neural prosthetic.
Answer: d
2
, Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience Instructor Answer Guide
2.3 Principles of Bioelectricity
10. What determines the movement of ions?
a. Forces from both diffusion and electrical charge
b. Forces from both the sun and the wind
c. Forces from both ATP and GTP
d. Forces from both dynein and kinesin
Answer: a
11. In diffusion, molecules move:
a. down a concentration gradient.
b. up a concentration gradient.
c. down a voltage gradient.
d. up a voltage gradient.
Answer: a
12. Which is the best definition for electrical potential?
a. The flow of charge
b. The ease with which charge flows
c. The pressure for charge to flow
d. All of the above
Answer: c
13. Which is the best description for conductance?
a. The flow of charge
b. The ease with which charge flows
c. The pressure for charge to flow
d. None of the above
Answer: b
2.4 Mechanisms of Neural Signaling
14. What is a resting potential?
a. A wave of positive electrical potential that sweeps through a neuron
b. An overall positive electrical potential neurons maintain while at rest
c. An overall negative electrical potential neurons maintain while at rest
d. A small, local change in potential caused when transmitter is received from a part-
ner neuron
Answer: c
3
Multiple Choice
1.1 Building a Nervous System
1. Which of the following molecules does the work in cells?
a. DNA
b. mRNA
c. Proteins
d. Golgi
Answer: c
2. Neurons:
a. come in many shapes and sizes.
b. all have one axon and many dendrites.
c. all have one dendrite and many axons.
d. all have multiple axons and multiple dendrites.
Answer: a
3. The part of the neuron that is specialized for receiving information is:
a. the axon.
b. the cell body.
c. the dendrites.
d. the axon hillock.
Answer: c
4. Which are the primary myelinating cells of the central nervous system?
a. Astrocytes
b. Microglia
c. Oligodendrocytes
d. Schwann cells
Answer: c
5. Which cell type is most important for helping to form the blood-brain barrier?
a. Astrocytes
b. Microglia
c. Oligodendrocytes
d. Schwann cells
2 Updated Oct 2024
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience Instructor Answer Guide
Answer: a
6. Which cell type is most important for helping to clear debris from injury in the central
nervous system?
a. Astrocytes
b. Microglia
c. Oligodendrocytes
d. Schwann cells
Answer: b
1.2 Organization of the Nervous System
7. Which feature is consistent across all organisms that have a nervous system?
a. Ganglia
b. Neural nets
c. Bilateral symmetry
d. None of these
Answer: d
8. The property of a nervous system describing an organization where neurons are consol-
idated into specific areas of integration rather than just being randomly arranged through-
out the body is called what?
a. Cephalization
b. Centralization
c. Symmetry
d. Concentration
Answer: b
9. Where in the central nervous system would you find cerebral spinal fluid?
a. In the dura mater
b. In the subarachnoid space
c. In the pia mater
d. In the nerves
Answer: b
10. Cerebral spinal fluid:
a. sloshes back and forth in the ventricular system.
b. flows in one direction through the ventricles, into to central canal and subarachnoid
space.
3 Updated Oct 2024
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience Instructor Answer Guide
c. flows in one direction from the subarachnoid space into the ventricles and then into
to central canal.
d. is still, like a lake or pool.
Answer: b
11. The human connectome:
a. is well understood.
b. is relatively simple.
c. is still being mapped and incredibly complex.
d. is very similar to that of the roundworm C. elegans.
Answer: c
12. The brain requires large amounts of blood to maintain its functions. This blood derives
from 2 main arteries. The more ventral artery is called ________ while the more dorsal artery
is ________.
a. carotid artery / vertebral artery
b. cerebral arteries / vertebral artery
c. ventral cerebral artery / dorsal cerebral artery
d. vertebral artery / carotid artery
Answer: a
1.3 The Central Nervous System: CNS
13. My left hand is ________ to my right hand.
a. medial
b. lateral
c. contralateral
d. ipsilateral
Answer: c
14. Divisions of the central nervous system:
a. begin early in development.
b. only emerge in adulthood.
c. are composed only of brain vs spinal cord.
d. are defined as neural tube and spinal cord.
Answer: a
15. Which embryonic brain region becomes the cerebral hemispheres?
a. Telencephalon
4 Updated Oct 2024
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience Instructor Answer Guide
b. Diencephalon
c. Mesencephalon
d. Metencephalon
Answer: a
16. Sensory neurons enter the spinal cord from the ________ side.
a. lateral
b. medial
c. ventral
d. dorsal
Answer: d
17. Which kind of pathways bring information from the periphery to the brain?
a. Descending
b. Ascending
c. Peripheral
d. Lateral
Answer: b
1.4 The Brain: Structure and Function
18. Which lobe of the cortex is most important for decision making and problem solving?
a. Frontal
b. Temporal
c. Parietal
d. Occipital
Answer: a
19. Which lobe of the cortex is important for language, memory, and hearing?
a. Frontal
b. Temporal
c. Parietal
d. Occipital
Answer: b
20. The ________ lobe of the cortex is most important for vision.
a. frontal
b. temporal
c. parietal
5 Updated Oct 2024
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience Instructor Answer Guide
d. occipital
Answer: d
21. Brain regions important for motor control are found:
a. in the frontal lobe.
b. in the subcortical nuclei.
c. in the brainstem.
d. in all of these.
Answer: d
22. Which brain function shows strong lateralization?
a. Memory
b. Sensory integration
c. Vision
d. Language
Answer: d
23. Cranial nerves carry what kind of information?
a. Sensory
b. Motor
c. Sensory and motor
d. Neither sensory or motor
Answer: c
24. The part of the peripheral nervous system that helps the body relax and digest is:
a. the sympathetic nervous system.
b. the parasympathetic nervous system.
c. the hypothalamus.
d. the somatic nervous system.
Answer: b
6 Updated Oct 2024
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience Instructor Answer Guide
Fill in the Blank
1.1 Building a Nervous System
1. The two major cell types of the brain are ________ and ________.
neurons / glia
2. The four major types of glia in the nervous system are ________, ________, ________, and
________.
astrocytes, microglia, oligodendrocytes, Schwann cells
1.2 Organization of the Nervous System
3. Axon bundles in the central nervous system are called ________ and in the peripheral ner-
vous system are called ________.
tracts / nerves
1.3 The Central Nervous System: CNS
4. The three planes for sectioning the brain for anatomical analysis are ________, ________, and
________.
coronal / sagittal / horizontal
1.4 The Brain: Structure and Function
5. The group of specialized brain areas under the cerebral cortex that are part of the telen-
cephalon are called ________.
subcortical nuclei (or subcortical structures)
6. The ________ nerves are a part of the peripheral nervous system and emerge directly from
the brain.
cranial
This file is copyright 2024, Rice University. All Rights Reserved.
7 Updated Oct 2024
, Multiple Choice
2.1 Neural Communication
1. All of the following are involved with synaptic transmission at chemical synapses except:
a. postsynaptic neurons.
b. presynaptic neurons.
c. gap junctions.
d. neurotransmitters.
Answer: c
2. Chemical messages released at synapses lead to different types of responses in postsy-
naptic neurons. Which type of response changes the patterns of growth, connectivity, or
signaling for the post-synaptic neuron?
a. Excitatory postsynaptic potentials
b. Inhibitory postsynaptic potentials
c. Neuromodulation
d. None of the above
Answer: c
3. Which is a brief electrical change in the postsynaptic neuron that excites the neuron and
pushes it towards threshold?
a. EPSP
b. IPSP
c. Action potential
d. Resting potential
Answer: a
4. Which event occurs last in the process of chemical synaptic transmission?
a. Released neurotransmitter is broken down or removed from the cleft
b. The presynaptic neuron stores transmitter in vesicles
c. The released neurotransmitter binds to postsynaptic receptors
d. An action potential arrives at the presynaptic terminal leading to release of neuro-
transmitter
Answer: a
5. All of the following are involved with synaptic transmission at electrical synapses except:
a. gap junctions.
1 Updated October 2024
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience Instructor Answer Guide
b. synaptic vesicles.
c. presynaptic neurons.
d. postsynaptic neurons.
Answer: b
2.2 Neural Circuits
6. Imagine a sensory neuron that does not fire unless stimulated. With light touch the neu-
ron generates an action potential. What would happen with strong touch?
a. Action potentials would occur more frequently
b. Action potentials would not occur
c. There would be no change in the frequency of action potentials, but the magnitude
of each spike would increase
d. Action potential frequency and magnitude would increase
Answer: a
7. If neural networks use parallel processing it means that:
a. they display rhythmic or cyclical activity.
b. information spreads along multiple pathways at the same time.
c. they are highly efficient.
d. a neuron influences the activity it will later receive.
Answer: b
8. Which subfield of neuroscience is involved with developing mathematical models of neu-
rons and neural networks?
a. Cognitive neuroscience
b. Systems neuroscience
c. Computational neuroscience
d. Cellular and molecular neuroscience
Answer: c
9. Researchers have developed devices that have the potential to replace or repair a part of
the nervous system using a computer model that can simulate the processing in that brain
region. This is an example of:
a. neurofeedback.
b. optogenetics.
c. deep brain stimulation.
d. a neural prosthetic.
Answer: d
2
, Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience Instructor Answer Guide
2.3 Principles of Bioelectricity
10. What determines the movement of ions?
a. Forces from both diffusion and electrical charge
b. Forces from both the sun and the wind
c. Forces from both ATP and GTP
d. Forces from both dynein and kinesin
Answer: a
11. In diffusion, molecules move:
a. down a concentration gradient.
b. up a concentration gradient.
c. down a voltage gradient.
d. up a voltage gradient.
Answer: a
12. Which is the best definition for electrical potential?
a. The flow of charge
b. The ease with which charge flows
c. The pressure for charge to flow
d. All of the above
Answer: c
13. Which is the best description for conductance?
a. The flow of charge
b. The ease with which charge flows
c. The pressure for charge to flow
d. None of the above
Answer: b
2.4 Mechanisms of Neural Signaling
14. What is a resting potential?
a. A wave of positive electrical potential that sweeps through a neuron
b. An overall positive electrical potential neurons maintain while at rest
c. An overall negative electrical potential neurons maintain while at rest
d. A small, local change in potential caused when transmitter is received from a part-
ner neuron
Answer: c
3
