Part 4: Peripheral Nervous System (PNS – Cranial Nerves, Spinal Nerves, Somatic & Autonomic)
Part 4 (25 MCQs) on Peripheral Nervous System – Cranial Nerves, Spinal Nerves, Somatic & Autonomic Nervous System from Chapter 21: Neural Control and Coordination (NCERT Class 11 + NEET UG).
Part 4: Peripheral Nervous System (PNS – Cranial Nerves, Spinal Nerves, Somatic & Autonomic)
Q1. The peripheral nervous system consists of:
a) Brain and spinal cord
b) Cranial nerves and spinal nerves
c) Somatic nervous system only
d) Autonomic nervous system only
Answer: b) Cranial nerves and spinal nerves
Explanation:
- ✅ (b) PNS = 12 pairs of cranial nerves + 31 pairs of spinal nerves.
Q2. How many pairs of cranial nerves are present in humans?
a) 10
b) 11
c) 12
d) 13
Answer: c) 12
Explanation:
- ✅ (c) 12 pairs of cranial nerves arise from brain.
Q3. How many pairs of spinal nerves are found in humans?
a) 12
b) 24
c) 31
d) 33
Answer: c) 31
Explanation:
- ✅ (c) Spinal nerves = 31 pairs (cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, coccygeal).
Q4. Which cranial nerve is the longest?
a) Optic nerve
b) Olfactory nerve
c) Vagus nerve
d) Facial nerve
Answer: c) Vagus nerve
Explanation:
- ✅ (c) Vagus nerve (X) → controls thoracic & abdominal organs.
Q5. Optic nerve is:
a) Cranial nerve I
b) Cranial nerve II
c) Cranial nerve III
d) Cranial nerve V
Answer: b) Cranial nerve II
Explanation:
- ✅ (b) Optic nerve (II) → vision.
Q6. Olfactory nerve is:
a) Sensory
b) Motor
c) Mixed
d) Autonomic
Answer: a) Sensory
Explanation:
- ✅ (a) Olfactory (I) = purely sensory (smell).
Q7. Which cranial nerve controls facial expressions?
a) Trigeminal
b) Facial
c) Glossopharyngeal
d) Vagus
Answer: b) Facial
Explanation:
- ✅ (b) Facial nerve (VII) → muscles of face.
Q8. Which cranial nerve is called the “wandering nerve”?
a) Olfactory
b) Optic
c) Vagus
d) Trigeminal
Answer: c) Vagus
Explanation:
- ✅ (c) Vagus (X) travels widely in thorax and abdomen.
Q9. Which of the following spinal nerves form brachial plexus?
a) Cervical
b) Thoracic
c) Lumbar
d) Sacral
Answer: a) Cervical
Explanation:
- ✅ (a) Brachial plexus = cervical spinal nerves C5–C8, T1.
Q10. Which system controls voluntary actions?
a) Somatic nervous system
b) Autonomic nervous system
c) Parasympathetic system
d) Sympathetic system
Answer: a) Somatic nervous system
Explanation:
- ✅ (a) Somatic → voluntary skeletal muscle control.
Q11. Autonomic nervous system (ANS) regulates:
a) Skeletal muscle
b) Smooth muscle and glands
c) Bones
d) Reflex arc only
Answer: b) Smooth muscle and glands
Explanation:
- ✅ (b) ANS controls involuntary muscles and glands.
Q12. Sympathetic nervous system is also called:
a) Craniosacral system
b) Thoracolumbar system
c) Autonomic reflex system
d) None
Answer: b) Thoracolumbar system
Explanation:
- ✅ (b) Sympathetic outflow originates from thoracic and lumbar spinal nerves.
Q13. Parasympathetic nervous system is also called:
a) Thoracolumbar system
b) Craniosacral system
c) Somatic system
d) Reflex system
Answer: b) Craniosacral system
Explanation:
- ✅ (b) Parasympathetic outflow from cranial and sacral nerves.
Q14. Which cranial nerve supplies the diaphragm?
a) Vagus
b) Glossopharyngeal
c) Phrenic nerve (from cervical plexus)
d) Hypoglossal
Answer: c) Phrenic nerve (from cervical plexus)
Explanation:
- ✅ (c) Phrenic nerve (C3–C5) controls diaphragm.
Q15. Which cranial nerve controls eye movement?
a) Oculomotor
b) Facial
c) Vagus
d) Hypoglossal
Answer: a) Oculomotor
Explanation:
- ✅ (a) Oculomotor (III) controls eye movement & pupil reflex.
Q16. The auditory nerve is cranial nerve:
a) V
b) VII
c) VIII
d) IX
Answer: c) VIII
Explanation:
- ✅ (c) Vestibulocochlear (VIII) → hearing + balance.
Q17. The spinal nerves are:
a) Only motor
b) Only sensory
c) Mixed (both sensory and motor)
d) Only autonomic
Answer: c) Mixed (both sensory and motor)
Explanation:
- ✅ (c) Spinal nerves carry both sensory and motor fibers.
Q18. Which division of ANS increases heart rate and dilates pupils?
a) Parasympathetic
b) Sympathetic
c) Somatic
d) Spinal
Answer: b) Sympathetic
Explanation:
- ✅ (b) Sympathetic → “fight or flight” response.
Q19. Which division of ANS decreases heart rate and promotes digestion?
a) Sympathetic
b) Parasympathetic
c) Somatic
d) None
Answer: b) Parasympathetic
Explanation:
- ✅ (b) Parasympathetic → “rest and digest.”
Q20. Which cranial nerve is responsible for smell?
a) Olfactory
b) Optic
c) Facial
d) Trigeminal
Answer: a) Olfactory
Explanation:
- ✅ (a) Olfactory (I) → smell.
Q21. Which cranial nerve controls tongue movements?
a) Facial
b) Hypoglossal
c) Glossopharyngeal
d) Vagus
Answer: b) Hypoglossal
Explanation:
- ✅ (b) Hypoglossal (XII) → tongue muscles.
Q22. The trigeminal nerve is:
a) Sensory only
b) Motor only
c) Mixed
d) Autonomic only
Answer: c) Mixed
Explanation:
- ✅ (c) Trigeminal (V) → sensory (face) + motor (mastication).
Q23. Which nervous system controls skeletal muscles?
a) Autonomic
b) Somatic
c) Sympathetic
d) Parasympathetic
Answer: b) Somatic
Explanation:
- ✅ (b) Somatic → voluntary skeletal muscle control.
Q24. Which neurotransmitter is released by sympathetic postganglionic fibers?
a) Acetylcholine
b) Noradrenaline
c) Dopamine
d) Serotonin
Answer: b) Noradrenaline
Explanation:
- ✅ (b) Sympathetic postganglionic → norepinephrine.
Q25. Which neurotransmitter is released by parasympathetic postganglionic fibers?
a) Acetylcholine
b) Noradrenaline
c) Dopamine
d) Serotonin
Answer: a) Acetylcholine
Explanation:
- ✅ (a) Parasympathetic postganglionic → acetylcholine.
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