HSP Anatomy & Physiology Fundamentals 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which lobe of the cerebral cortex is primarily responsible for processing somatosensory information such as touch and pain?
- Frontal lobe
- Parietal lobe (Correct answer)
- Occipital lobe
- Temporal lobe
Correct answer: Parietal lobe
The parietal lobe houses the primary somatosensory cortex, which processes touch, pressure, temperature, and pain signals from the body.
Question 2: The autonomic nervous system's parasympathetic division primarily uses which neurotransmitter at its target organs?
- Norepinephrine
- Dopamine
- Acetylcholine (Correct answer)
- Serotonin
Correct answer: Acetylcholine
Parasympathetic postganglionic neurons release acetylcholine at target organs, producing rest-and-digest responses.
Question 3: Which brain structure is most directly involved in converting short-term memories into long-term memories?
- Amygdala
- Hippocampus (Correct answer)
- Cerebellum
- Thalamus
Correct answer: Hippocampus
The hippocampus plays a critical role in memory consolidation, transferring information from short-term to long-term storage.
Question 4: During the stress response, cortisol is released from which gland?
- Anterior pituitary
- Thyroid gland
- Adrenal cortex (Correct answer)
- Adrenal medulla
Correct answer: Adrenal cortex
Cortisol is a glucocorticoid secreted by the adrenal cortex in response to ACTH stimulation during the stress response.
Question 5: Which neurotransmitter system is most strongly implicated in the reward pathway and motivation, relevant to understanding addiction?
- Serotonergic system
- Dopaminergic system (Correct answer)
- GABAergic system
- Cholinergic system
Correct answer: Dopaminergic system
The mesolimbic dopamine pathway, particularly projections from the ventral tegmental area to the nucleus accumbens, is central to reward and addiction.
Question 6: The blood-brain barrier is primarily formed by which cells?
- Microglia
- Oligodendrocytes
- Astrocytes (Correct answer)
- Ependymal cells
Correct answer: Astrocytes
Astrocyte end-feet wrap around cerebral capillaries and induce tight junction formation in endothelial cells, forming the blood-brain barrier.
Question 7: Which division of the peripheral nervous system carries sensory information from the body to the central nervous system?
- Efferent division
- Motor division
- Afferent division (Correct answer)
- Somatic motor division
Correct answer: Afferent division
The afferent (sensory) division carries impulses from sensory receptors toward the CNS, providing information about internal and external environments.
HSP Anatomy & Physiology Fundamentals 2
Which lobe of the cerebral cortex is primarily responsible for processing somatosensory information such as touch and pain?