Definition and classification of nervous system MCQs With Answer

Definition and classification of nervous system MCQs With Answer is an essential review for B. Pharm students preparing for pharmacology and neurobiology exams. This concise guide clarifies the definition of the nervous system, its structural and functional classification—central vs peripheral, somatic vs autonomic, and sympathetic vs parasympathetic—while linking core concepts such as neurons, glial cells, neurotransmitters, receptors, synaptic transmission, and blood-brain barrier relevance to drug action. Keywords: nervous system MCQs, definition and classification of nervous system, B. Pharm, neurons, autonomic nervous system, neurotransmitters, neuropharmacology. Now let’s test your knowledge with 50 MCQs on this topic.

Q1. What is the primary functional unit of the nervous system?

• Neuron
• Glial cell
• Meninges
• Synapse

Correct Answer: Neuron

Q2. Which part of the nervous system comprises the brain and spinal cord?

• Peripheral nervous system
• Autonomic nervous system
• Central nervous system
• Somatic nervous system

Correct Answer: Central nervous system

Q3. Which glial cell is responsible for myelination in the peripheral nervous system?

• Oligodendrocyte
• Astrocyte
• Schwann cell
• Microglia

Correct Answer: Schwann cell

Q4. The autonomic nervous system is primarily divided into which two branches?

• Sensory and motor
• Central and peripheral
• Sympathetic and parasympathetic
• Somatic and visceral

Correct Answer: Sympathetic and parasympathetic

Q5. Which neurotransmitter is the principal excitatory transmitter in the central nervous system?

• GABA
• Glutamate
• Acetylcholine
• Glycine

Correct Answer: Glutamate

Q6. Which structure forms a barrier regulating entry of substances from blood into the brain?

• Meninges
• Blood-brain barrier
• Cerebrospinal fluid
• Glymphatic system

Correct Answer: Blood-brain barrier

Q7. What is saltatory conduction associated with?

• Continuous ion flow along unmyelinated axons
• Action potential jumping between nodes of Ranvier on myelinated axons
• Increased synaptic delay
• Transmission across electrical synapses

Correct Answer: Action potential jumping between nodes of Ranvier on myelinated axons

Q8. Which cell type provides metabolic and structural support to neurons and contributes to the blood-brain barrier?

• Microglia
• Astrocyte
• Schwann cell
• Oligodendrocyte

Correct Answer: Astrocyte

Q9. Which division of the peripheral nervous system carries sensory information to the CNS?

• Motor division
• Autonomic division
• Afferent (sensory) division
• Efferent (motor) division

Correct Answer: Afferent (sensory) division

Q10. What is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the adult mammalian brain?

• Glutamate
• Dopamine
• GABA
• Norepinephrine

Correct Answer: GABA

Q11. Which of the following best describes a multipolar neuron?

• One axon and one dendrite
• Multiple axons from the cell body
• One axon and multiple dendrites
• No axon, only dendrites

Correct Answer: One axon and multiple dendrites

Q12. Where are cell bodies of sensory neurons located in the peripheral nervous system?

• Ventral horn of spinal cord
• Dorsal root ganglia
• Autonomic ganglia
• Brainstem nuclei

Correct Answer: Dorsal root ganglia

Q13. Which cranial nerve is primarily responsible for parasympathetic innervation to thoracic and abdominal organs?

• Vagus nerve (CN X)
• Trigeminal nerve (CN V)
• Glossopharyngeal nerve (CN IX)
• Facial nerve (CN VII)

Correct Answer: Vagus nerve (CN X)

Q14. Which fiber type carries fast, sharp pain and temperature sensations?

• C fibers (unmyelinated)
• Type II fibers
• A-delta fibers (thinly myelinated)
• A-alpha fibers (heavily myelinated)

Correct Answer: A-delta fibers (thinly myelinated)

Q15. The term “afferent” refers to pathways that:

• Carry signals away from the CNS to effectors
• Carry signals toward the CNS from periphery
• Are exclusively motor
• Transmit only autonomic signals

Correct Answer: Carry signals toward the CNS from periphery

Q16. Which meninges layer is directly attached to the surface of the brain?

• Arachnoid mater
• Dura mater
• Pia mater
• Subarachnoid space

Correct Answer: Pia mater

Q17. Which neurotransmitter is primarily associated with the sympathetic nervous system’s postganglionic neurons?

• Acetylcholine
• Serotonin
• Norepinephrine
• GABA

Correct Answer: Norepinephrine

Q18. Which receptor type is ionotropic and mediates fast excitatory cholinergic transmission at the neuromuscular junction?

• Muscarinic receptor
• Nicotinic receptor
• Adrenergic alpha receptor
• GABA-A receptor

Correct Answer: Nicotinic receptor

Q19. Which cell acts as the resident immune cell of the CNS, responsible for phagocytosis and inflammatory responses?

• Astrocyte
• Microglia
• Oligodendrocyte
• Ependymal cell

Correct Answer: Microglia

Q20. The dorsal (posterior) horn of the spinal cord primarily contains which type of neurons?

• Motor neurons
• Autonomic preganglionic neurons
• Interneurons and sensory relay neurons
• Lower motor neurons for voluntary movement

Correct Answer: Interneurons and sensory relay neurons

Q21. Which classification refers to the nervous system components controlling voluntary skeletal muscle?

• Autonomic nervous system
• Somatic nervous system
• Enteric nervous system
• Sympathetic nervous system

Correct Answer: Somatic nervous system

Q22. The chemical synapse involves which primary event for signal transmission?

• Direct cytoplasmic continuity via gap junctions
• Release of neurotransmitter into synaptic cleft
• Electrical coupling through myelin
• Diffusion of ions across membranes without vesicles

Correct Answer: Release of neurotransmitter into synaptic cleft

Q23. Which component of a neuron is primarily responsible for receiving synaptic input?

• Axon hillock
• Axon
• Dendrites
• Myelin sheath

Correct Answer: Dendrites

Q24. In neuropharmacology, which property most affects a drug’s ability to cross the blood-brain barrier?

• Molecular weight and lipophilicity
• Color of the drug
• Presence of a charged group only
• Route of excretion

Correct Answer: Molecular weight and lipophilicity

Q25. Which ascending pathway transmits fine touch, vibration, and proprioception to the brain?

• Spinothalamic tract
• Corticospinal tract
• Dorsal column-medial lemniscal pathway
• Spinocerebellar tract

Correct Answer: Dorsal column-medial lemniscal pathway

Q26. Which descending tract is the primary pathway for voluntary motor control?

• Spinothalamic tract
• Corticospinal tract
• Dorsal column tract
• Vestibulospinal tract

Correct Answer: Corticospinal tract

Q27. Which receptor subtype is G-protein coupled and mediates slower responses to acetylcholine in the heart?

• Nicotinic receptor
• Muscarinic M2 receptor
• NMDA receptor
• GABA-B receptor

Correct Answer: Muscarinic M2 receptor

Q28. Ependymal cells in the CNS primarily function to:

• Form myelin sheaths
• Produce and circulate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
• Act as immune cells
• Provide synaptic transmission

Correct Answer: Produce and circulate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

Q29. Which classification of neurons transmits impulses within the CNS and processes information?

• Sensory (afferent) neurons
• Motor (efferent) neurons
• Interneurons
• Pseudounipolar neurons

Correct Answer: Interneurons

Q30. Which enzyme breaks down acetylcholine in the synaptic cleft?

• Monoamine oxidase
• Tyrosine hydroxylase
• Acetylcholinesterase
• COMT (catechol-O-methyltransferase)

Correct Answer: Acetylcholinesterase

Q31. Which ion movement primarily generates the rising phase of an action potential in neurons?

• Efflux of K+ ions
• Influx of Na+ ions
• Influx of Cl- ions
• Efflux of Ca2+ ions

Correct Answer: Influx of Na+ ions

Q32. Which classification of nerve fibers is responsible for the fastest conduction velocity?

• Small unmyelinated C fibers
• Large myelinated A-alpha fibers
• A-delta fibers
• B fibers (preganglionic autonomic)

Correct Answer: Large myelinated A-alpha fibers

Q33. The enteric nervous system primarily controls:

• Cardiac rate
• Gastrointestinal motility and secretion
• Reflexes of the limbs
• Respiratory drive

Correct Answer: Gastrointestinal motility and secretion

Q34. Which neurotransmitter system is most implicated in Parkinson’s disease?

• Serotonergic system
• Dopaminergic system
• GABAergic system
• Glutamatergic system

Correct Answer: Dopaminergic system

Q35. Which structure stores and releases calcium to trigger neurotransmitter vesicle fusion at the presynaptic terminal?

• Mitochondria
• Voltage-gated calcium channels and intracellular Ca2+ stores
• Endoplasmic reticulum only
• Golgi apparatus

Correct Answer: Voltage-gated calcium channels and intracellular Ca2+ stores

Q36. Which of the following best defines a reflex arc?

• A learned motor pattern involving cortex
• A neural pathway mediating an automatic response via sensory input and motor output
• Long-loop cortical feedback for movement planning
• Hormonal feedback system

Correct Answer: A neural pathway mediating an automatic response via sensory input and motor output

Q37. Which cells myelinate multiple axons in the CNS?

• Schwann cells
• Oligodendrocytes
• Astrocytes
• Ependymal cells

Correct Answer: Oligodendrocytes

Q38. Which receptor family includes NMDA and AMPA receptors?

• G-protein coupled receptors
• Ionotropic glutamate receptors
• Adrenergic receptors
• Cholinergic muscarinic receptors

Correct Answer: Ionotropic glutamate receptors

Q39. Which physiological process is primarily mediated by the hypothalamus within the nervous system?

• Voluntary movement coordination
• Homeostatic regulation including temperature and endocrine control
• Primary visual processing
• Formation of long-term procedural memory

Correct Answer: Homeostatic regulation including temperature and endocrine control

Q40. Which technique measures extracellular electrical activity of neuronal populations and is commonly used in research and clinical settings?

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Electroencephalography (EEG)
• Positron emission tomography (PET)
• Computed tomography (CT)

Correct Answer: Electroencephalography (EEG)

Q41. In classification by function, which neurons directly innervate skeletal muscle fibers?

• Upper motor neurons
• Lower (alpha) motor neurons
• Interneurons
• Sensory neurons

Correct Answer: Lower (alpha) motor neurons

Q42. Which part of a neuron integrates incoming signals and typically initiates action potentials?

• Dendritic spine
• Axon hillock
• Synaptic cleft
• Myelin sheath

Correct Answer: Axon hillock

Q43. Which neurotransmitter is synthesized from tyrosine and is a key catecholamine in the CNS?

• Acetylcholine
• Serotonin
• Dopamine
• GABA

Correct Answer: Dopamine

Q44. Which spinal tract primarily transmits pain and temperature sensations to the brain?

• Dorsal column
• Lateral spinothalamic tract
• Corticospinal tract
• Spinocerebellar tract

Correct Answer: Lateral spinothalamic tract

Q45. Which type of synapse allows direct electrical current flow between cells via gap junctions?

• Chemical synapse
• Electrical synapse
• Neurohormonal synapse
• Paracrine synapse

Correct Answer: Electrical synapse

Q46. Which classification refers to neurons that have a single process dividing into two branches—one peripheral and one central?

• Bipolar neurons
• Pseudounipolar neurons
• Multipolar neurons
• Anaxonic neurons

Correct Answer: Pseudounipolar neurons

Q47. Which autonomic receptor subtype when activated typically causes bronchoconstriction and decreased heart rate?

• Beta-1 adrenergic receptor
• Alpha-1 adrenergic receptor
• Muscarinic M3 receptor
• Muscarinic M2 receptor

Correct Answer: Muscarinic M2 receptor

Q48. Which process describes long-term strengthening of synapses based on recent patterns of activity and is important for learning?

• Synaptic pruning
• Long-term potentiation (LTP)
• Immediate early gene expression
• Axonal sprouting

Correct Answer: Long-term potentiation (LTP)

Q49. Which layer of the meninges is tough, fibrous, and outermost protecting the brain and spinal cord?

• Pia mater
• Arachnoid mater
• Dura mater
• Subdural membrane

Correct Answer: Dura mater

Q50. In drug targeting for CNS disorders, which strategy increases drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier?

• Designing larger hydrophilic molecules
• Using lipophilic prodrugs or carrier-mediated transport
• Increasing plasma protein binding exclusively
• Enhancing renal clearance

Correct Answer: Using lipophilic prodrugs or carrier-mediated transport

G S Sachin

I am a Registered Pharmacist under the Pharmacy Act, 1948, and the founder of PharmacyFreak.com. I hold a Bachelor of Pharmacy degree from Rungta College of Pharmaceutical Science and Research. With a strong academic foundation and practical knowledge, I am committed to providing accurate, easy-to-understand content to support pharmacy students and professionals. My aim is to make complex pharmaceutical concepts accessible and useful for real-world application.

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