Biology Test Neuroscience Fundamentals 2

Question 1

Which neurotransmitter is primarily responsible for the 'fight-or-flight' response and is released from the adrenal medulla?

Accepted Answer

Epinephrine

Answer

Epinephrine (adrenaline) is released from the adrenal medulla during stress, triggering the sympathetic fight-or-flight response.

Question 2

The blood-brain barrier is primarily formed by which cell type?

Accepted Answer

Astrocytes

Answer

Astrocyte end-feet wrap around brain capillaries and, together with tight junctions between endothelial cells, form the blood-brain barrier.

Question 3

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is most closely associated with which receptor type?

Accepted Answer

NMDA glutamate

Answer

NMDA receptors act as coincidence detectors and are essential for the synaptic strengthening that underlies LTP and memory formation.

Question 4

Which lobe of the cerebral cortex contains the primary somatosensory cortex?

Accepted Answer

Parietal lobe

Answer

The primary somatosensory cortex (S1) is located in the postcentral gyrus of the parietal lobe and processes touch, pressure, and pain.

Question 5

What is the approximate resting membrane potential of a typical neuron?

Accepted Answer

-70 mV

Answer

At rest, a neuron maintains approximately -70 mV inside relative to outside, maintained chiefly by the sodium-potassium ATPase pump.

Biology Practice Test