Brain

Brain MDCAT MCQs with answers

39 past paper MCQs on Brain, from the Coordination and Control unit of MDCAT Biology. The year each question appeared is shown where known; tap “Show answer” for the correct option and a short solution.

Read the notes first Practise the unit as a quiz

1.The middle layer of the meninges is the: (MDCAT 2022)

  1. arachnoid mater
  2. pia mater
  3. dura mater
  4. perimysium
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Correct answer: (a) arachnoid mater

From outside in the order is dura, arachnoid, pia.

2.The part of the brain which coordinates motions and maintains body position is the: (MDCAT 2022)

  1. cerebellum
  2. cerebrum
  3. pons
  4. medulla oblongata
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Correct answer: (a) cerebellum

The cerebellum keeps balance and makes movement smooth.

3.The medulla oblongata is a part of the: (MDCAT 2024)

  1. forebrain
  2. midbrain
  3. hindbrain
  4. hippocampus
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Correct answer: (c) hindbrain

With the cerebellum and pons it makes up the hindbrain, and it holds the vital centres.

4.Which part of brain controls transition between sleeping and wakefulness? (UHS MDCAT 2025)

  1. Medulla oblongata
  2. Cerebellum
  3. Cerebrum
  4. Pons
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Correct answer: (d) Pons

The pons carries the centres that switch the brain between sleep and wakefulness.

5.Which part of the brain contains central chemoreceptors that monitor CO2 levels in blood? (UHS MDCAT 2025)

  1. Pons
  2. Midbrain
  3. Hypothalamus
  4. Medulla oblongata
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Correct answer: (d) Medulla oblongata

The central chemoreceptors of the medulla oblongata sense the carbon dioxide of the blood and set the breathing rate.

6.Hippocampus plays an important role in the: (UHS MDCAT 2025)

  1. Formation of short-term memory
  2. Formation of image on retina
  3. Formation of long-term memory
  4. Formation of emotions
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Correct answer: (c) Formation of long-term memory

The hippocampus turns short-term memory into long-term memory.

7.Left and right cerebral hemispheres are connected with each other by: (UHS MDCAT 2025)

  1. Corpus luteum
  2. Corpus callosum
  3. A band of dendrites
  4. Dorsal and ventral nerve roots
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Correct answer: (b) Corpus callosum

The corpus callosum is the thick band of nerve fibres joining the two cerebral hemispheres.

8.Which part of human brain is involved in maintaining the posture and balance of the body? (UHS MDCAT 2025)

  1. Cerebrum
  2. Cerebellum
  3. Hypothalamus
  4. Medulla oblongata
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Correct answer: (b) Cerebellum

The cerebellum coordinates muscle tone, posture and balance.

9.The reticular formation in the brain runs through which structures? (KMU MDCAT 2025)

  1. Forebrain and Midbrain
  2. Hindbrain and Midbrain
  3. Cerebellum and Forebrain
  4. Telencephalon and Cerebellum
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Correct answer: (b) Hindbrain and Midbrain

The reticular formation runs up through the medulla and pons into the midbrain.

10.Match the CORRECT structure of the brain with its function: (KMU MDCAT 2025)

  1. Medulla: Breathing
  2. Pons: Memory
  3. Cerebellum: Dreaming
  4. Midbrain: Balance
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Correct answer: (a) Medulla: Breathing

The medulla oblongata carries the breathing centre.

11.Parts of brain that comprise the limbic system: (NUMS MDCAT 2025)

  1. Thalamus, amygdala, hippocampus
  2. Hypothalamus, amygdala, hippocampus
  3. Hypothalamus, corpus callosum, hippocampus
  4. Thalamus, hypothalamus, pons
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Correct answer: (b) Hypothalamus, amygdala, hippocampus

The limbic system is made of the hypothalamus, the amygdala and the hippocampus.

12.In humans memory storage for behavior and coordination is well developed in the: (NUMS MDCAT 2025)

  1. Amygdala
  2. Cerebrum
  3. Medulla
  4. Cerebellum
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Correct answer: (d) Cerebellum

The cerebellum stores the learned patterns of movement and coordination.

13.The function which is common between Cerebellum and Hippocampus is; (SIBA MDCAT 2025)

  1. Equilibrium
  2. Memory formation
  3. Body positioning
  4. Sexual arousal
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Correct answer: (b) Memory formation

Both store memory: the hippocampus the memory of facts, the cerebellum the memory of movement.

14.Which of the following is correct about the structure of brain? (SIBA MDCAT 2025)

  1. Cerebral cortex is outer part consists of grey matter
  2. Cerebral medulla is inner part consists of grey matter
  3. Cerebral cortex is inner part consists of white matter
  4. Cerebral medulla is outer part consists of white matter
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Correct answer: (a) Cerebral cortex is outer part consists of grey matter

The cerebral cortex is the outer layer of grey matter, with white matter beneath it.

15.Hippocampus mainly involved in: (SIBA MDCAT 2025)

  1. Vision and hearing reflexes
  2. Voluntary muscles movement
  3. Memory storage
  4. Speech production
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Correct answer: (c) Memory storage

The hippocampus lays down long-term memory.

16.All of the following are the characteristics of limbic system EXCEPT: (SZABMU MDCAT 2025)

  1. Produce most basic and primitive emotions and drives
  2. formation of memories
  3. Consists of hypothalamus, amygdala and hippocampus
  4. controls reflex movement of eyes
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Correct answer: (d) controls reflex movement of eyes

Reflex movements of the eye are directed from the midbrain, not from the limbic system.

17.Sensory input from auditory and visual pathways, skin and within the body is received by _______ and distributed to ________ (SZABMU MDCAT 2025)

  1. Hypothalamus: Cerebellum
  2. Thalamus: cerebrum
  3. Cerebrum: rest of the brain
  4. Cerebellum: rest of the brain
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Correct answer: (b) Thalamus: cerebrum

The thalamus is the relay station that sorts incoming sensation and sends it up to the cerebrum.

18.Medulla Oblongata is a part of: (UHS MDCAT 2024)

  1. Forebrain
  2. Mid brain
  3. Hind brain
  4. Hippocampus
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Correct answer: (c) Hind brain

The medulla oblongata, the pons and the cerebellum make up the hindbrain.

19.Which part of the brain is controlling your sense of balance? (KMU MDCAT 2024)

  1. Amygdala
  2. Cerebellum
  3. Hippocampus
  4. Medulla Oblongata
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Correct answer: (b) Cerebellum

The cerebellum keeps posture and balance.

20.During complex activity of flight, birds require coordination of many skeletal muscles. Which part of their brain has to be well developed? (NUMS MDCAT 2024)

  1. Amygdala
  2. Cerebrum
  3. Cerebellum
  4. Thalamus
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Correct answer: (c) Cerebellum

The cerebellum coordinates the muscles, and in a flying bird it is very large.

21.Which part of the brain is actively used by mathematician trying to formulate a new equation? (NUMS MDCAT 2024)

  1. Hippocampus
  2. Cerebrum
  3. Amygdala
  4. Pons
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Correct answer: (b) Cerebrum

Reasoning and abstract thought belong to the cerebral cortex.

22.The middle layer of meninges is: (UHS MDCAT 2023)

  1. Arachnoid mater
  2. Pia mater
  3. Dura mater
  4. Cranium
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Correct answer: (a) Arachnoid mater

The three membranes are the dura outside, the arachnoid between and the pia against the brain.

23.The part of brain which guides smooth and accurate motions and maintains body position is: (UHS MDCAT 2023)

  1. Cerebrum
  2. Cerebellum
  3. Pons
  4. Medulla
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Correct answer: (b) Cerebellum

The cerebellum smooths movement and holds the body in position.

24.Which function is not controlled by hypothalamus? (SZABMU MDCAT 2023)

  1. Regulate hunger
  2. Regulate sleep
  3. Regulate water balance
  4. Storing long time memories
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Correct answer: (d) Storing long time memories

Long-term memory is laid down by the hippocampus, not the hypothalamus.

25.The feelings and emotions of love and hate are controlled by: (SZABMU MDCAT 2023)

  1. Amygdalae
  2. Hippocampus
  3. Thalamus
  4. Hypothalamus
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Correct answer: (a) Amygdalae

The amygdala of the limbic system handles fear, rage and affection.

26.The relay center between various parts of the brain and the spinal cord is called? (PMC MDCAT 2022)

  1. Hypothalamus
  2. Thalamus
  3. Midbrain
  4. Hindbrain
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Correct answer: (b) Thalamus

The thalamus relays traffic between the cord, the brain stem and the cortex.

27.Which of the following are collectively called the brain stem? (PMC MDCAT 2022)

  1. Thalamus, hypothalamus and midbrain
  2. Cerebellum, pons and medulla oblongata
  3. Thalamus, hypothalamus and medulla
  4. Medulla oblongata, pons and midbrain
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Correct answer: (d) Medulla oblongata, pons and midbrain

The brain stem is the medulla oblongata, the pons and the midbrain.

28.The reflexes such as vomiting, coughing, and sneezing are controlled by which of the following (PMC MDCAT 2022)

  1. Pons
  2. Cerebrum
  3. Cerebellum
  4. Medulla oblongata
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Correct answer: (d) Medulla oblongata

The medulla oblongata carries the centres for vomiting, coughing and sneezing.

29.Which of the following is second largest part of the brain? (PMC MDCAT 2022)

  1. Cerebellum
  2. Cerebrum
  3. Hypothalamus
  4. Thalamus
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Correct answer: (a) Cerebellum

After the cerebrum the cerebellum is the largest part of the brain.

30.The anterior part of cerebral hemisphere located in the cerebrum is classified as (PMC MDCAT 2022)

  1. Ganglion bulbs
  2. Axon bulbs
  3. Dendrite bulbs
  4. Olfactory bulbs
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Correct answer: (d) Olfactory bulbs

The olfactory bulbs lie at the front of the cerebral hemispheres.

31.Which of these is involved in coordinated movements of the body? (PMC Practice 2021)

  1. Cerebellum
  2. Cerebrum
  3. Medulla
  4. Pons
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Correct answer: (a) Cerebellum

The cerebellum coordinates the muscles and holds the body in balance.

32.Which portion of the brain is primarily responsible for transmitting the information to other parts of the nervous system? (PMC Practice 2021)

  1. White matter
  2. Grey matter
  3. Medulla
  4. All A, B and C
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Correct answer: (b) Grey matter

Grey matter is the cell bodies and synapses where the traffic is sorted before it is sent on.

33.Gray matter is primarily composed of: (PMC Practice 2021)

  1. Axons
  2. Synapse
  3. Neuron somas
  4. None of these
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Correct answer: (c) Neuron somas

Grey matter is made of the cell bodies of the neurons; white matter is their myelinated fibres.

34.The brain that coordinates skeletal muscle movements is: (PMC Practice 2021)

  1. Thalamus
  2. Amygdala
  3. Hypothalamus
  4. Cerebellum
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Correct answer: (d) Cerebellum

The cerebellum coordinates skeletal muscle and holds the body balanced.

35.What is the length of spinal cord? (PMC Practice 2021)

  1. 10-20 cm
  2. 20-30 cm
  3. 40-50 cm
  4. 60-90 cm
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Correct answer: (c) 40-50 cm

The spinal cord of an adult is about $45\,\mathrm{cm}$ long.

36.The spinal cord is protected by how many layers of meninges: (UHS MDCAT 2017)

  1. 2
  2. 3
  3. 4
  4. 5
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Correct answer: (b) 3

The dura, the arachnoid and the pia mater are the three meninges.

37.A band of axons between two hemispheres is termed as: (UHS MDCAT 2017)

  1. Cerebrum
  2. Hemisphere band
  3. Corpus luteum
  4. Corpus Callosum
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Correct answer: (d) Corpus Callosum

The corpus callosum is the band of fibres joining the two hemispheres.

38.Reflexes of the eyes are received in: (UHS MDCAT 2017)

  1. Hypothalamus
  2. Forebrain
  3. Hindbrain
  4. Midbrain
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Correct answer: (d) Midbrain

The reflex movements of the eye are directed from the midbrain.

39.Part of hind brain responsible for the balance and equilibrium of body is called: (UHS MDCAT 2016)

  1. Medulla
  2. Cerebellum
  3. Pons
  4. Thalamus
Show answer

Correct answer: (b) Cerebellum

The cerebellum of the hindbrain keeps balance and coordinates movement.

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