1. Which system represents the part of the autonomic nervous system that decreases breathing and heart rate?
A. Sympathetic nervous system
B. Somatic nervous system
C. Parasympathetic nervous system Correct
D. Central nervous system
Explanation
The parasympathetic nervous system is the 'rest and digest' branch of the autonomic nervous system, promoting relaxation by slowing heart rate, decreasing respiration, and conserving energy. The sympathetic system ('fight or flight') increases these functions, the somatic controls voluntary muscles, and the central nervous system encompasses brain and spinal cord.
2. What is the nervous system component that communicates with all muscles but those in the head?
A. Nucleus
B. White matter
C. Spinal cord Correct
D. Ganglion
Explanation
The spinal cord carries motor commands via spinal nerves to all skeletal muscles except cranial muscles (controlled by cranial nerves from the brainstem). Nuclei are cell clusters, white matter is myelinated tracts, ganglia are peripheral neuron clusters.
3. Which part of the brain significantly contributes to the control of movement?
A. Hippocampus
B. Nucleus basalis
C. Cerebellum Correct
D. Thalamus
Explanation
The cerebellum coordinates voluntary movements, fine-tunes motor activity, maintains posture/balance, and corrects errors. Hippocampus for memory, nucleus basalis cholinergic input, thalamus relays sensory/motor signals.
4. Which lobe of the cerebral cortex is the primary target for auditory information?
A. Occipital
B. Frontal
C. Temporal Correct
D. Parietal
Explanation
The temporal lobe houses primary auditory cortex (Heschl's gyrus) for processing sound. Occipital is vision, frontal executive/motor, parietal somatosensory/spatial.
5. A person suddenly smells smoke while sleeping and wakes up to evacuate the house. Which part of the brain is first to process the smell, leading to the awakening?
A. Pons
B. Olfactory bulb Correct
C. Hypothalamus
D. Cerebellum
Explanation
The olfactory bulb directly receives input from olfactory receptors and is the first central processing station for smell, bypassing thalamus (unlike other senses), allowing rapid arousal. Pons regulates sleep/wake, hypothalamus homeostasis, cerebellum movement.