What happens to the pressure in the calf compartment during the heel touch phase of walking?
Which one of the following is the CORRECT statement regarding coronary blood flow?
Mechanism by which Ach decreases heart rate is by:
Damage to the striatum primarily affects which type of memory?
Which part of the brain is responsible for setting posture before planned movement?
Lesion of preoptic nucleus of hypothalamus is associated with which of the following conditions?
Salty taste is due to?
What is the primary factor that determines the resting membrane potential in a nerve fiber?
During acclimatization to hot environments, increased sweating efficiency is primarily due to enhanced sensitivity of which receptors?
Which substrate is both secreted and filtered by the kidneys?
NEET-PG 2012 - Physiology NEET-PG Practice Questions and MCQs
Question 41: What happens to the pressure in the calf compartment during the heel touch phase of walking?
- A. Decreases compared to resting pressure
- B. First increases and then decreases
- C. Remains the same as resting pressure
- D. Increases compared to resting pressure (Correct Answer)
Explanation: ***Increases compared to resting pressure*** - During **heel strike (initial contact)**, the calf muscles (**gastrocnemius and soleus**) contract eccentrically to control ankle dorsiflexion and decelerate the foot - Simultaneous **weight bearing** and **muscle contraction** within the confined fascial compartment lead to increased intramuscular pressure - This is a well-documented phenomenon in gait biomechanics and exercise physiology *Decreases compared to resting pressure* - Incorrect: Muscle activation and weight bearing during initial contact inherently increase compartment pressure - Pressure decrease occurs during swing phase when the limb is unloaded and muscles are relaxed *First increases and then decreases* - While pressure varies throughout the complete gait cycle, the **heel touch phase specifically** is characterized by an initial pressure increase - The brief duration of heel strike does not typically show a biphasic pressure pattern within this single phase *Remains the same as resting pressure* - Incorrect: Active weight bearing and eccentric muscle contraction during heel strike necessarily elevate intramuscular pressure above resting levels - Resting pressure only occurs when the limb is unloaded and muscles are inactive
Question 42: Which one of the following is the CORRECT statement regarding coronary blood flow?
- A. Coronary blood flow is directly related to perfusion pressure and inversely related to resistance (Correct Answer)
- B. Coronary blood flow is inversely related to perfusion pressure and directly related to resistance
- C. Coronary blood flow is directly related to perfusion pressure and also to resistance
- D. Coronary blood flow is inversely related to both pressure and resistance
Explanation: ***Coronary blood flow is directly related to perfusion pressure and inversely related to resistance*** - According to Ohm's law, **blood flow** is directly proportional to the **pressure gradient (perfusion pressure)** and inversely proportional to the **vascular resistance**. - This fundamental principle applies to coronary circulation, meaning higher pressure drives more flow, while higher resistance impedes it. *Coronary blood flow is inversely related to perfusion pressure and directly related to resistance* - This statement contradicts the basic principles of **fluid dynamics** and **Ohm's law**, where a higher pressure gradient generally leads to increased flow. - Direct proportionality to resistance would imply that increased obstruction leads to increased flow, which is physiologically incorrect. *Coronary blood flow is directly related to perfusion pressure and also to resistance* - While a direct relationship with **perfusion pressure** is correct, directly relating flow to **resistance** is incorrect. - Increased resistance, such as that caused by **atherosclerosis**, reduces blood flow, not increases it. *Coronary blood flow is inversely related to both pressure and resistance* - An inverse relationship with **pressure** is incorrect as an increase in the driving pressure should increase flow. - An inverse relationship with **resistance** is correct, but the inverse relationship with pressure makes the entire statement incorrect.
Question 43: Mechanism by which Ach decreases heart rate is by:
- A. Prolongation of action potential duration
- B. Reduction in calcium influx
- C. Inhibition of sympathetic activity
- D. Delayed diastolic depolarization (Correct Answer)
Explanation: ***Delayed diastolic depolarization*** - Acetylcholine (ACh) binding to muscarinic receptors on nodal cells increases **potassium permeability**, leading to a more negative maximal diastolic potential. - This slows the rate of **spontaneous depolarization** (pacemaker potential), thereby delaying the point at which the threshold for an action potential is reached and reducing heart rate. *Prolongation of action potential duration* - ACh typically **shortens** the action potential duration in atrial and nodal cells by increasing potassium efflux, which hyperpolarizes the cell and hastens repolarization. - A prolonged action potential duration would generally lead to a **slower heart rate** by increasing the refractory period, but this is achieved through different ionic mechanisms and is not the primary mechanism of ACh. *Reduction in calcium influx* - While ACh does reduce the inward **calcium current (ICa)** in nodal cells, contributing to a slower heart rate and weaker contractility, this effect primarily influences the upstroke and peak of the action potential. - The more **fundamentally important mechanism** for heart rate reduction is the impact on the pacemaker potential's slope, which is governed by altered ion conductances, predominantly potassium. *Inhibition of sympathetic activity* - ACh acts directly on **muscarinic receptors** on cardiac cells to decrease heart rate, which is a parasympathetic effect. - It does not directly inhibit sympathetic nerve activity but rather **counteracts sympathetic effects** by directly modulating cardiac cell physiology.
Question 44: Damage to the striatum primarily affects which type of memory?
- A. Memory of how to perform tasks (Correct Answer)
- B. Memory for recent events
- C. Memory for past experiences
- D. Memory for facts and events
Explanation: ***Memory of how to perform tasks*** - The **striatum**, a component of the **basal ganglia**, is crucial for **procedural memory**, which is the memory of how to perform skills and habitual tasks. - Damage to this area can impair the ability to learn new motor skills or execute previously learned ones, even if the person remembers the task explicitly. *Memory for recent events* - This type of memory, often referred to as **episodic memory**, relies heavily on the **hippocampus** and medial temporal lobe structures. - Damage to the striatum typically does not directly affect the recall of recent events or experiences. *Memory for past experiences* - **Autobiographical memory**, which includes past experiences, primarily involves widespread cortical networks, particularly in the **temporal and frontal lobes**. - While broad brain damage can affect this, the striatum's primary role is not in the storage or retrieval of experiential memories. *Memory for facts and events* - This describes **declarative memory**, which is subdivided into **semantic memory** (facts) and **episodic memory** (events). - These are largely mediated by the **hippocampus**, **medial temporal lobes**, and various cortical areas, not primarily the striatum.
Question 45: Which part of the brain is responsible for setting posture before planned movement?
- A. Motor cortex
- B. Frontal eye fields
- C. Premotor cortex
- D. Supplementary motor cortex (Correct Answer)
Explanation: ***Supplementary motor cortex*** - The **supplementary motor cortex (SMA)** is responsible for **anticipatory postural adjustments** that occur before voluntary movements - It plays a key role in **internal generation and planning of complex motor sequences** - SMA activation precedes movement, ensuring **postural stability and coordination** - Essential for **bilateral coordination** and **motor programming** *Premotor cortex* - The **premotor cortex** is primarily involved in **externally guided movements** and selection of movements based on sensory cues - While it participates in motor planning, it is more focused on **sensory-motor integration** rather than anticipatory postural control *Motor cortex* - The **primary motor cortex** executes voluntary movements by sending signals directly to spinal motor neurons - Responsible for **fine motor control** and determining the **force and direction** of muscle contractions - Functions in **movement execution** rather than preparatory postural adjustments *Frontal eye fields* - The **frontal eye fields** control **voluntary saccadic eye movements** and visual attention - Not involved in trunk or limb **postural preparation** for planned movements
Question 46: Lesion of preoptic nucleus of hypothalamus is associated with which of the following conditions?
- A. Impaired thermoregulation
- B. Increased body temperature
- C. Hyperthermia (Correct Answer)
- D. Normal thermoregulation
Explanation: ***Hyperthermia*** - The **preoptic nucleus** of the anterior hypothalamus is the primary **heat-loss center** containing warm-sensitive neurons. - Lesion of this area impairs **heat dissipation mechanisms** (sweating, cutaneous vasodilation), preventing the body from lowering its temperature. - Results in **hyperthermia** - a pathological elevation of core body temperature due to failure of heat dissipation, not a change in set point. - This is the **most specific and clinically accurate** term for this condition. *Impaired thermoregulation* - While technically true, this is too **broad and non-specific**. - Impaired thermoregulation could refer to inability to either increase or decrease temperature. - In medical terminology, we use more specific terms like "hyperthermia" to describe the actual clinical condition. *Increased body temperature* - This is a **general descriptive term** rather than a specific clinical diagnosis. - While the body temperature is indeed increased, **hyperthermia** is the precise medical term that indicates the mechanism (impaired heat dissipation). - Less specific than "hyperthermia" for exam purposes. *Normal thermoregulation* - Clearly incorrect - a lesion in the primary thermoregulatory center would **abolish normal temperature control**. - The preoptic nucleus is essential for detecting and responding to temperature changes.
Question 47: Salty taste is due to?
- A. Sodium ion channels (Correct Answer)
- B. Calcium ion channels
- C. G-protein coupled receptors
- D. Proton channels
Explanation: ***Sodium ion channels*** - The sensation of **salty taste** is primarily mediated by the direct influx of **sodium ions (Na+)** into taste receptor cells. - This influx leads to **depolarization** of the cell membrane, triggering neurotransmitter release and signaling to the brain. *Calcium ion channels* - While calcium ions are crucial for various cellular processes, including **neurotransmitter release**, they are not the primary initiators of the salty taste transduction pathway. - Calcium channels are more directly involved in the sensation of **umami** and **sweet tastes**, often via G-protein coupled receptors. *G-protein coupled receptors* - **G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs)** are responsible for the transduction of **sweet, bitter, and umami tastes**. - They are not involved in the direct detection of **saline compounds**, which operate through ion channels. *Proton channels* - **Proton channels (H+)** are primarily involved in the sensation of **sour taste**. - The influx of protons causes intracellular acidification, leading to cell depolarization.
Question 48: What is the primary factor that determines the resting membrane potential in a nerve fiber?
- A. Is equal to the resting potential of cardiac muscle fibers.
- B. Can be accurately measured using intracellular electrodes.
- C. Increases with elevated extracellular potassium concentration.
- D. Is primarily determined by the equilibrium potential of potassium ions. (Correct Answer)
Explanation: ***Is primarily determined by the equilibrium potential of potassium ions*** - The **resting membrane potential** of a nerve fiber is predominantly set by the efflux of **potassium ions** through leak channels, bringing the membrane potential close to potassium's equilibrium potential. - The high permeability of the nerve membrane to **potassium** at rest means that K+ movement is the most significant factor influencing the potential. *Is equal to the resting potential of cardiac muscle fibers* - **Cardiac muscle fibers** have a distinct resting potential (around -80 to -90 mV) influenced by different ion channels and regulatory mechanisms compared to nerve fibers (around -70 mV). - While both involve potassium currents, their specific conductances and the contribution of other ions differ significantly. *Can be accurately measured using intracellular electrodes* - While **intracellular electrodes** are indeed used to measure the resting membrane potential, this statement describes a measurement method, not the *primary factor* that determines the potential itself. - The method of measurement does not explain the underlying biophysical mechanisms that establish the potential. *Increases with elevated extracellular potassium concentration* - An **elevated extracellular potassium concentration** would make the resting membrane potential *less negative* (depolarize) rather than "increase" it in the typical sense of a more positive value. - This is because a higher external K+ reduces the concentration gradient for potassium efflux, bringing the membrane potential closer to zero.
Question 49: During acclimatization to hot environments, increased sweating efficiency is primarily due to enhanced sensitivity of which receptors?
- A. Adrenergic receptors
- B. Noradrenergic receptors
- C. Dopaminergic receptors
- D. Cholinergic receptors (Correct Answer)
Explanation: ***Cholinergic receptors*** - **Sweat glands** are innervated by **sympathetic postganglionic fibers** that release **acetylcholine**, acting on **muscarinic cholinergic receptors** to stimulate sweating. - During **acclimatization**, the sweat glands become more sensitive to acetylcholine, resulting in **increased sweating efficiency** and a lower threshold temperature for sweating. *Adrenergic receptors* - Adrenergic receptors are primarily involved in the sympathetic nervous system's response to **norepinephrine** and **epinephrine**, mediating effects like **vasoconstriction** and **bronchodilation**. - They are not the primary receptors responsible for stimulating **eccrine sweat gland** secretion in response to heat. *Noradrenergic receptors* - **Noradrenergic receptors** are a type of adrenergic receptor that respond to **norepinephrine** (noradrenaline). - While sympathetic activity increases in hot environments, the primary stimulation of **sweat glands** is via **acetylcholine** acting on cholinergic receptors, not noradrenergic receptors. *Dopaminergic receptors* - **Dopaminergic receptors** respond to **dopamine** and are involved in various functions including **motor control**, **reward**, and **neuroendocrine regulation**. - These receptors are not directly involved in the physiological regulation of **sweating efficiency** during heat acclimatization.
Question 50: Which substrate is both secreted and filtered by the kidneys?
- A. Glucose
- B. Urea
- C. Uric Acid (Correct Answer)
- D. Na+
Explanation: ***Uric Acid*** - **Uric acid** is freely **filtered** at the glomerulus. - It undergoes both **secretion** and reabsorption in the renal tubules, making it a substrate that is both secreted and filtered. *Glucose* - **Glucose** is freely **filtered** at the glomerulus but is almost completely **reabsorbed** in the proximal tubule under normal physiological conditions. - It is not actively secreted by the renal tubules. *Urea* - **Urea** is freely **filtered** at the glomerulus. - It undergoes **reabsorption** (especially in the medullary collecting duct) and some facilitated diffusion, but significant active secretion is not its primary handling mechanism. *Na+* - **Sodium (Na+)** is freely **filtered** at the glomerulus in large quantities. - Its renal handling is dominated by extensive **reabsorption** throughout the nephron, which is crucial for fluid balance and blood pressure regulation, with no active secretion.