NEET Biology: Disorders related to respiration-Asthma Practice Questions
15 free multiple-choice questions on Disorders related to respiration-Asthma (Human Physiology) for NEET Biology, each with the correct answer and a step-by-step explanation. Attempt a question, then reveal the solution to check your reasoning.
Practice thousands more NEET questions in the app →Q1. The accumulation of inflammatory cells (like eosinophils and mast cells) in the bronchial walls is characteristic of which stage of the asthma disease process?
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Correct answer: C — Late chronic phase
Chronic inflammation and cellular infiltration characterize the chronic phase of asthma, leading to persistent airway remodeling.
Q2. Which physiological change is a direct consequence of inflammation in the airways during asthma?
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Correct answer: C — Increased airway hyperresponsiveness
Inflammation causes edema and smooth muscle contraction, leading to increased airway hyperresponsiveness, making the airways more sensitive to stimuli.
Q3. Asthma is primarily characterized by which type of airflow limitation?
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Correct answer: D — Air trapping
Asthma involves variable airflow limitation, often manifested as air trapping due to bronchoconstriction and airway narrowing, which is reversible.
Q4. The characteristic sound heard during an asthma attack, caused by narrowed airways, is known as:
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Correct answer: B — Wheezing
Wheezing is the high-pitched whistling sound produced when air is forced through narrowed airways, a hallmark symptom of asthma.
Q5. The sound of wheezing in asthma is primarily caused by:
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Correct answer: C — Narrowing of the small airways
Wheezing is the whistling sound produced by air flowing through narrowed, constricted small airways during forced expiration.
Q6. Which physiological change is primarily observed in the airways following the administration of a bronchodilator medication to a patient with asthma?
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Correct answer: C — Increased forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1)
Bronchodilators work by relaxing the smooth muscles surrounding the bronchi, which reduces airway resistance. This action directly leads to an increase in the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), indicating improved airflow.
Q7. Which of the following symptoms is most commonly associated with the acute phase of an asthma exacerbation?
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Correct answer: B — Tachypnea (rapid breathing)
Asthma causes distress and increased work of breathing, leading to tachypnea (rapid breathing) as the body attempts to compensate for the increased airway resistance and ventilation demands.
Q8. The primary physiological mechanism responsible for the narrowing of the airways during an asthma attack is:
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Correct answer: B — Bronchial smooth muscle contraction
Asthma involves inflammation leading to the contraction of the bronchial smooth muscles, which narrows the airways.
Q9. Airway obstruction in asthma is fundamentally caused by an imbalance between airway smooth muscle tone and which other factor?
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Correct answer: D — Inflammatory mediators
Airway obstruction results from increased muscle tone (constriction) and excessive inflammation, which is driven by inflammatory mediators.
Q10. Which substance is primarily released by mast cells during an allergic reaction that contributes to airway inflammation in asthma?
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Correct answer: B — Histamine
Histamine is a key mediator released by mast cells, which causes vasodilation and increased mucus secretion, contributing to the symptoms of asthma.
Q11. Reversibility of airflow limitation in asthma is a key distinguishing feature compared to fixed obstructive diseases. This reversibility is primarily attributed to:
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Correct answer: B — Bronchodilation
The reversibility of asthma symptoms is often due to the relaxation of the smooth muscles surrounding the airways, making the obstruction temporarily reversible upon treatment.
Q12. Airway remodeling in chronic asthma typically involves the thickening of which structures?
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Correct answer: D — Cartilage and sub-epithelial tissues of the airways
Airway remodeling in chronic asthma involves structural changes in the airway walls, including fibrosis and thickening of the cartilage and surrounding tissues, leading to fixed airflow limitation.
Q13. What is the primary function of the cilia lining the respiratory tract?
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Correct answer: A — Mucociliary clearance
Cilia, along with mucus, form the mucociliary escalator, which is essential for trapping debris and moving mucus (and trapped pathogens) out of the airways.
Q14. Which substance is typically overproduced in the airways during an asthma attack, leading to airway narrowing?
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Correct answer: D — Mucus
Inflammation causes the airways to produce excess mucus, which further narrows the passage for air, contributing to symptoms.
Q15. Which finding is often associated with chronic airway inflammation in asthma patients?
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Correct answer: B — Increased airway hyperresponsiveness
Chronic inflammation leads to persistent airway sensitivity, resulting in increased airway hyperresponsiveness to various stimuli.
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