NEET-PG 2015 - Physiology Practice Questions

Q: What is the primary process involved in Wallerian degeneration?

Nerve degeneration. ***Nerve degeneration*** - **Wallerian degeneration** specifically refers to the process of **axon degeneration** that occurs distal to the site of injury when a nerve fiber is severed [2]. - This process involves the breakdown of the **axon** and its myelin sheath, leading to loss of function [1]. *Muscle degeneration* - While prolonged nerve degeneration can lead to muscle **atrophy** due to denervation, **muscle degeneration itself** is not the primary process of Wallerian degeneration. - Wallerian degeneration focuses on the **nerve itself**, not the target tissue. *Nerve regeneration* - **Nerve regeneration** is the process where damaged nerves attempt to regrow and re-establish connections [2]. - This is a subsequent, and not always successful, event that can occur *after* Wallerian degeneration has cleared the debris [1]. *Muscle regeneration* - **Muscle regeneration** refers to the repair and regrowth of damaged muscle tissue, typically involving satellite cells. - It is unrelated to Wallerian degeneration, which is a process affecting the **nerve**. **References:** [1] Cross SS. Underwood's Pathology: A Clinical Approach. 6th ed. Common Clinical Manifestations Of Central And Peripheral Nervous System Disease, pp. 697-698. [2] Cross SS. Underwood's Pathology: A Clinical Approach. 6th ed. (Basic Pathology) introduces the student to key general principles of pathology, both as a medical science and as a clinical activity with a vital role in patient care. Part 2 (Disease Mechanisms) provides fundamental knowledge about the cellular and molecular processes involved in diseases, providing the rationale for their treatment. Part 3 (Systematic Pathology) deals in detail with specific diseases, with emphasis on the clinically important aspects., pp. 109-110.

Q: What is another name for the withdrawal reflex?

Flexor reflex. ***Flexor reflex*** - The withdrawal reflex is also known as the **flexor reflex** because it causes the rapid flexion (bending) of a limb to withdraw it from a noxious stimulus. - This reflex is a **polysynaptic reflex** involving interneurons in the spinal cord. *Golgi tendon reflex* - The **Golgi tendon reflex** is a protective reflex that causes muscle relaxation in response to excessive muscle tension. - It involves activation of **Golgi tendon organs**, which are proprioceptors located in the tendons. *Extension reflex* - The **extension reflex** is typically observed in withdrawal reflexes of the opposing limb, known as the **crossed extensor reflex**, to maintain balance. - It involves the extension of the contralateral limb while the ipsilateral limb flexes. *Stretch reflex* - The **stretch reflex** (or myotatic reflex) causes muscle contraction in response to stretching of the muscle. - It is a **monosynaptic reflex** involving muscle spindles and maintaining muscle tone.

Q: Tetany in muscle occurs in spite of normal serum Ca2+ level. Which ion is responsible?

Ionized Ca2+. ***Ionized Ca2+*** - While total serum calcium might be normal, **tetany** is specifically caused by a decrease in the concentration of **ionized (free) calcium** in the extracellular fluid. - Ionized calcium is the physiologically active form of calcium responsible for neuromuscular excitability. *Mg2+* - **Hypomagnesemia** can exacerbate hypocalcemia and contribute to tetany, but it is not the primary ion directly responsible for tetany when **total serum calcium is normal**. - A deficiency in Mg2+ can impair the release of **parathyroid hormone** and reduce target organ responsiveness to PTH. *K+* - Abnormalities in **potassium levels** (hypokalemia or hyperkalemia) primarily affect cardiac and muscular excitability, leading to arrhythmias or muscle weakness/paralysis. - While electrolyte imbalances are interconnected, changes in potassium are not the direct cause of tetany due to calcium's role. *Na+* - **Sodium ions** are crucial for nerve impulse transmission and muscle contraction by establishing the resting membrane potential and initiating action potentials. - However, direct changes in sodium concentration do not typically cause tetany; rather, they can lead to neurological symptoms like seizures (hyponatremia) or altered mental status (hypernatremia).

Q: Vibrations are detected by which types of receptors?

Rapidly adapting. ***Rapidly adapting*** - **Rapidly adapting mechanoreceptors**, such as **Pacinian corpuscles** and **Meissner's corpuscles**, are highly sensitive to changes in pressure and movement. - They fire at the **onset and offset of a stimulus**, making them ideal for detecting vibrations, which are rhythmic changes in pressure. *Slowly adapting* - **Slowly adapting mechanoreceptors**, such as **Merkel cells** and **Ruffini endings**, are responsible for sustained pressure and touch. - They continue to fire as long as the stimulus is present, making them less suited for detecting transient vibratory stimuli. *Non-adapting* - The human body does not typically have **truly non-adapting** sensory receptors; most receptors show some form of adaptation to continuous stimuli. - This term is not standard in the classification of mechanoreceptors based on their adaptation rates. *None of the above* - This option is incorrect because rapidly adapting receptors are indeed responsible for detecting vibrations.

Q: Which of the following receptors is stimulated by sustained pressure?

Ruffini's end organ. ***Ruffini's end organ*** - These are **slowly adapting mechanoreceptors** located deep in the dermis and subcutaneous tissue. - They are responsible for detecting **sustained pressure**, stretch, and position sense. *Merkel's disc* - These are **slowly adapting mechanoreceptors** found in the basal epidermis. - They are crucial for sensing **light touch** and **two-point discrimination**. *Hair cells* - These are **mechanoreceptors** primarily found in the inner ear, responsible for hearing and balance. - They are not involved in the perception of somatosensory stimuli like pressure on the skin. *Meissner Corpuscles* - These are **rapidly adapting mechanoreceptors** located in the dermal papillae, close to the skin surface. - They are primarily involved in detecting **light touch** and **discriminative touch**, especially changes in texture.

Q: Broca's area is primarily involved in which of the following functions?

Speech production. ***Speech production*** - **Broca's area** is a region in the frontal lobe of the dominant hemisphere, typically the left, that is crucial for the formation of coherent and grammatically correct speech. - Damage to this area leads to **Broca's aphasia**, characterized by **non-fluent speech**, difficulty retrieving words, and impaired syntax. *Language comprehension* - **Wernicke's area**, located in the temporal lobe, is primarily responsible for **language comprehension**. - Patients with **Wernicke's aphasia** can produce fluent speech but have difficulty understanding spoken and written language. *Language repetition* - The **arcuate fasciculus**, a bundle of nerve fibers connecting Broca's and Wernicke's areas, is essential for **language repetition**. - Lesions in this pathway result in **conduction aphasia**, where comprehension and fluency are relatively preserved, but repetition is severely impaired. *Reading ability* - Reading ability involves a complex network of brain regions, including the **angular gyrus** and **visual cortex**, in addition to language areas. - While Broca's area contributes to the motor planning aspects of reading aloud, it is not its primary function.

Q: Maximum density of muscle spindle is found in?

Lumbricals. ***Lumbricals*** - **Lumbricals** are small, intricate muscles in the hand, responsible for fine motor control and precise movements like grasping and manipulating objects. - The high density of **muscle spindles** in lumbricals allows for extremely accurate feedback on muscle length and tension, crucial for **proprioception** and delicate tasks. *Calf muscle* - **Calf muscles** (gastrocnemius and soleus) are large muscles primarily involved in powerful movements like walking and running. - While they do contain muscle spindles for proprioception, their density is lower compared to muscles involved in fine motor control. *Quadriceps muscle* - The **quadriceps femoris** is a large muscle group in the thigh responsible for knee extension and powerful leg movements. - They contain muscle spindles to monitor muscle stretch, but not with the extreme density seen in muscles with fine motor functions. *Triceps* - The **triceps brachii** is a large muscle on the back of the upper arm, primarily responsible for elbow extension. - It has a moderate density of muscle spindles, sufficient for coordinating arm movements but not as high as muscles designed for precision.

Q: What is the average survival time of a person without food and water under normal conditions?

3 to 5 days. ***3 to 5 days*** - When deprived of **both food and water**, the human body can typically survive for **3 to 5 days** under normal conditions. - **Water is the critical limiting factor** - while the body can tolerate food deprivation for weeks, lack of water becomes life-threatening within days. - Water is essential for cellular metabolism, temperature regulation, waste elimination, and cardiovascular function. *1 to 3 days* - This represents the **absolute minimum survival time** without water, particularly under harsh environmental conditions (heat, physical exertion, humidity). - However, under normal/average conditions, most individuals can survive slightly longer than this range. *10 to 12 days* - This duration is **not possible** without water, even with optimal conditions. - This timeframe is more consistent with survival **without food but WITH water**, which can extend to 3-4 weeks or more. *5 to 10 days* - While exceptional cases might approach 5-7 days without water in cool, resting conditions with low metabolic demands, **10 days is physiologically implausible**. - Severe dehydration typically causes death by day 5-7 maximum, with most succumbing earlier.

Q: What is the SI unit of luminous intensity?

Candela. ***Candela*** - The **candela (cd)** is the **SI base unit** used to measure **luminous intensity**. - **Luminous intensity** quantifies the power emitted by a light source in a particular direction per unit solid angle. *Lumen* - The **lumen (lm)** is the **SI derived unit** for **luminous flux**, which measures the total perceived power of light. - It describes the total amount of visible light emitted by a source in all directions, not its intensity in a specific direction. *Lux* - The **lux (lx)** is the **SI derived unit** for **illuminance**, which measures how much luminous flux is spread over a given area. - It indicates the perceived brightness of a surface, rather than the intensity of the light source itself. *Coulomb* - The **coulomb (C)** is the **SI derived unit** for **electric charge**. - It is completely unrelated to light or luminous intensity.

Q: What is the intensity in decibel of normal conversation in humans?

60dB. ***60dB*** - The sound intensity of **normal human conversation** is typically around **60 decibels (dB)**. - This level is considered **moderate** and is comfortably audible without causing discomfort or hearing damage. *30dB* - A sound intensity of **30dB** is characteristic of a **quiet whisper** or a **soft rustle of leaves**. - This level is much **quieter** than a normal conversation and would require closer proximity to be clearly heard. *90dB* - **90dB** represents a significantly **louder sound**, comparable to that of a **lawnmower** or a **heavy truck** passing by. - Prolonged exposure to sounds at this intensity can start to cause **hearing damage**. *150dB* - **150dB** is an **extremely loud** and potentially **painful** sound level, similar to a **jet engine at takeoff** or a **firecracker** exploding nearby. - Exposure to sounds this intense can cause **immediate and permanent hearing loss**.

Question 1

What is the primary process involved in Wallerian degeneration?

Accepted Answer

Nerve degeneration

Answer

Muscle degeneration

Answer

Nerve regeneration

Answer

Muscle regeneration

Question 2

What is another name for the withdrawal reflex?

Accepted Answer

Flexor reflex

Answer

Golgi tendon reflex

Answer

Extension reflex

Answer

Stretch reflex

Question 3

Tetany in muscle occurs in spite of normal serum Ca2+ level. Which ion is responsible?

Accepted Answer

Ionized Ca2+

Answer

Mg2+

Answer

K+

Answer

Na+

Question 4

Vibrations are detected by which types of receptors?

Accepted Answer

Rapidly adapting

Answer

Slowly adapting

Answer

Non-adapting

Answer

None of the above

Question 5

Which of the following receptors is stimulated by sustained pressure?

Accepted Answer

Ruffini's end organ

Answer

Merkel's disc

Answer

Hair cells

Answer

Meissner Corpuscles

Question 6

Broca's area is primarily involved in which of the following functions?

Accepted Answer

Speech production

Answer

Language comprehension

Answer

Language repetition

Answer

Reading ability

Question 7

Maximum density of muscle spindle is found in?

Accepted Answer

Lumbricals

Answer

Calf muscle

Answer

Triceps

Answer

Quadriceps muscle

Question 8

What is the average survival time of a person without food and water under normal conditions?

Accepted Answer

3 to 5 days

Answer

10 to 12 days

Answer

1 to 3 days

Answer

5 to 10 days

Question 9

What is the SI unit of luminous intensity?

Accepted Answer

Candela

Answer

Lumen

Answer

Lux

Answer

Coulomb

Question 10

What is the intensity in decibel of normal conversation in humans?

Accepted Answer

60dB

Answer

30dB

Answer

90dB

Answer

150dB

NEET-PG 2015 — Physiology