Which effect is produced by parasympathetic stimulation?

Release of glucose by the liver

Hydrocephalus can follow overproduction or blocked flow of CSF. Where in the brain is this fluid mainly formed?

Choroid plexuses of the ventricles

Anatomy and physiology: nervous, sense organs and musculoskeletal

20 Kerala PSC Staff Nurse Gr II practice questions on Anatomy and physiology: nervous, sense organs and musculoskeletal, part of Anatomy, Physiology and Microbiology. The first 20 are below; the first 5 with answers and explanations (tap Show answer after you have chosen), the rest in Learn with a free account.

Question 1 · Medium
Which effect is produced by parasympathetic stimulation?
1. AConstriction of the pupils
2. BDilatation of the bronchi
3. CRelease of glucose by the liver
4. DRise in heart rate
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Answer: A · Constriction of the pupils
Parasympathetic fibres in the oculomotor nerve contract the sphincter pupillae, so the pupils constrict. The parasympathetic system is the rest-and-digest system: it slows the heart, constricts the bronchi and increases digestion. The other three options are fight-or-flight effects of the sympathetic system. Anticholinergic drugs such as atropine block this effect and dilate the pupils.
- B: Bronchodilatation is a sympathetic (beta-2) effect; parasympathetic action constricts the bronchi.
- C: Release of glucose from liver glycogen is a sympathetic, stress-time effect.
- D: A faster heart rate is a sympathetic effect; the vagus slows the heart.
Question 2 · Easy
Hydrocephalus can follow overproduction or blocked flow of CSF. Where in the brain is this fluid mainly formed?
1. ADura mater
2. BCentral canal of the cord
3. CArachnoid villi
4. DChoroid plexuses of the ventricles
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Answer: D · Choroid plexuses of the ventricles
Choroid plexuses in the lateral, third and fourth ventricles secrete about 500 mL of CSF a day. At any time only about 150 mL is present, because it is absorbed into the venous sinuses through the arachnoid villi. If flow or absorption is blocked, CSF builds up and causes hydrocephalus. CSF cushions the brain and carries nutrients and wastes.
- A: The dura mater is the tough outer membrane and does not produce CSF.
- B: The central canal contains a little CSF but is not where it is formed.
- C: Arachnoid villi absorb CSF into the venous sinuses; they do not secrete it.
Question 3 · Medium
A patient with herpes zoster has a painful band of vesicles at the level of the umbilicus. Which spinal segment's dermatome is affected?
1. AL1
2. BT10
3. CT4
4. DT7
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Answer: B · T10
A dermatome is the strip of skin supplied by one spinal nerve, and shingles follows one dermatome on one side. The umbilicus lies in the T10 dermatome. The nipple line is T4 and the inguinal region is L1. These landmarks are also used to check the level of a spinal anaesthetic block.
- A: L1 supplies the groin and inguinal region.
- C: T4 supplies the skin at the level of the nipples.
- D: T7 supplies the skin near the lower end of the sternum, above the umbilicus.
Question 4 · Easy
Which cranial nerve carries most of the parasympathetic supply to the heart, lungs and stomach?
1. AVagus nerve
2. BPhrenic nerve
3. CAccessory nerve
4. DGlossopharyngeal nerve
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Answer: A · Vagus nerve
The vagus (tenth cranial) nerve is the longest cranial nerve and wanders from the medulla to the thorax and abdomen. It slows the heart, constricts the bronchi and increases gut movement and secretion. About three quarters of all parasympathetic fibres travel in it. Vagal stimulation, for example during straining or suctioning, can cause bradycardia.
- B: The phrenic nerve is a cervical spinal nerve that supplies the diaphragm.
- C: The accessory nerve supplies the sternocleidomastoid and trapezius muscles.
- D: The glossopharyngeal nerve supplies the parotid gland and the back of the tongue, not the heart and gut.
Question 5 · Easy
The number of pairs of spinal nerves in the human body is:
1. A21
2. B31
3. C12
4. D33
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Answer: B · 31
There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves: 8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral and 1 coccygeal. There are 8 cervical nerves but only 7 cervical vertebrae, because the first nerve leaves above the atlas. Each nerve carries both sensory and motor fibres. The 12 pairs of cranial nerves arise from the brain, not the cord.
- A: 21 matches neither the nerves nor the vertebrae.
- C: 12 is the number of cranial nerve pairs.
- D: 33 is the usual number of vertebrae, not of spinal nerve pairs.
Question 6 · Easy
The neurotransmitter released at the neuromuscular junction of skeletal muscle is:
1. ANoradrenaline
2. BDopamine
3. CAcetylcholine
4. DSerotonin
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 7 · Hard
After a fall from a coconut tree, a man opens his eyes when spoken to, is confused in conversation and localises a painful stimulus. What is his Glasgow Coma Scale score?
1. A11 out of 15
2. B12 out of 15
3. C10 out of 15
4. D13 out of 15
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 8 · Easy
In which part of the ear is the stapes, the smallest bone of the body, found?
1. AMiddle ear
2. BNasal cavity
3. CInner ear
4. DExternal ear
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 9 · Medium
Which layer of skin is damaged in a superficial (first-degree) burn such as mild sunburn?
1. AEpidermis
2. BSubcutaneous fat
3. CDermis
4. DUnderlying muscle
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 10 · Easy
Night blindness in vitamin A deficiency is due to poor formation of which retinal pigment?
1. ABilirubin
2. BIodopsin
3. CRhodopsin
4. DMelanin
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 11 · Medium
A patient has an unsteady, wide-based gait and a tremor that becomes worse as his finger approaches his nose. The lesion is most likely in the:
1. ABasal ganglia
2. BOccipital lobe
3. CSpinal cord anterior horn
4. DCerebellum
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 12 · Medium
A patient's left ear canal is blocked with impacted wax; the right ear is normal. In Weber's test, the sound of the tuning fork is heard:
1. ALouder in the right ear
2. BOnly when held in the air
3. CLouder in the left ear
4. DEqually in both ears
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 13 · Medium
A haemorrhage in the right internal capsule causes weakness of the left arm and leg because the motor fibres cross over in the:
1. ALumbar spinal cord
2. BMedulla oblongata
3. CCerebellum
4. DInternal capsule
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 14 · Easy
The joint between the atlas and the axis, which allows the head to turn from side to side, is a:
1. AHinge joint
2. BPivot joint
3. CBall and socket joint
4. DSaddle joint
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 15 · Hard
A woman wakes with a drooping right corner of the mouth, cannot close her right eye and has lost taste on the front of her tongue on the right. Which nerve is affected?
1. ARight oculomotor nerve
2. BRight facial nerve
3. CRight trigeminal nerve
4. DRight hypoglossal nerve
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 16 · Hard
Six hours after a forearm plaster cast, a child has severe pain not relieved by analgesics, pain on passive stretching of the fingers and cool, swollen fingers. What should the nurse do first?
1. ALoosen or split the cast and inform the surgeon
2. BApply ice packs over the cast for an hour
3. CEncourage active finger exercises every hour
4. DRaise the arm well above the heart and recheck later
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 17 · Easy
Where is the respiratory centre that sets the rhythm of breathing located?
1. AHypothalamus
2. BMedulla oblongata
3. CCerebellum
4. DCerebral cortex
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 18 · Medium
In an adult, stroking the sole causes the big toe to extend and the other toes to fan out. This finding indicates a lesion of the:
1. AUpper motor neurone (corticospinal tract)
2. BSensory nerves of the foot
3. CLower motor neurone (anterior horn)
4. DCerebellum
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 19 · Hard
A young man is admitted after a diving accident with a complete spinal cord injury at the C4 level. Which complication should the nurse watch for most closely in the first hours?
1. APressure sores over the sacrum
2. BUrinary retention with bladder distension
3. CDeep vein thrombosis in the legs
4. DRespiratory failure from diaphragm weakness
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account
Question 20 · Medium
In skeletal muscle, calcium released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum starts contraction by binding to which protein?
1. AMyoglobin
2. BActin
3. CTroponin
4. DMyosin
Answer and explanation in LearnFree account

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Anatomy and physiology: nervous, sense organs and musculoskeletal

Which effect is produced by parasympathetic stimulation?

Hydrocephalus can follow overproduction or blocked flow of CSF. Where in the brain is this fluid mainly formed?

A patient with herpes zoster has a painful band of vesicles at the level of the umbilicus. Which spinal segment's dermatome is affected?

Which cranial nerve carries most of the parasympathetic supply to the heart, lungs and stomach?

The number of pairs of spinal nerves in the human body is:

The neurotransmitter released at the neuromuscular junction of skeletal muscle is:

After a fall from a coconut tree, a man opens his eyes when spoken to, is confused in conversation and localises a painful stimulus. What is his Glasgow Coma Scale score?

In which part of the ear is the stapes, the smallest bone of the body, found?

Which layer of skin is damaged in a superficial (first-degree) burn such as mild sunburn?

Night blindness in vitamin A deficiency is due to poor formation of which retinal pigment?

A patient has an unsteady, wide-based gait and a tremor that becomes worse as his finger approaches his nose. The lesion is most likely in the:

A patient's left ear canal is blocked with impacted wax; the right ear is normal. In Weber's test, the sound of the tuning fork is heard:

A haemorrhage in the right internal capsule causes weakness of the left arm and leg because the motor fibres cross over in the:

The joint between the atlas and the axis, which allows the head to turn from side to side, is a:

A woman wakes with a drooping right corner of the mouth, cannot close her right eye and has lost taste on the front of her tongue on the right. Which nerve is affected?

Six hours after a forearm plaster cast, a child has severe pain not relieved by analgesics, pain on passive stretching of the fingers and cool, swollen fingers. What should the nurse do first?

Where is the respiratory centre that sets the rhythm of breathing located?

In an adult, stroking the sole causes the big toe to extend and the other toes to fan out. This finding indicates a lesion of the:

A young man is admitted after a diving accident with a complete spinal cord injury at the C4 level. Which complication should the nurse watch for most closely in the first hours?

In skeletal muscle, calcium released from the sarcoplasmic reticulum starts contraction by binding to which protein?