Deck 3: The Human Brain

Question 1

When you drive a car,you have two pedals (in an automatic transmission!).One of them,the accelerator,makes the car move faster,and the other,the brake,slows the car down.In your peripheral nervous system,the __________ is like the accelerator and the __________ is the brake.

A) sympathetic nervous system; parasympathetic nervous system
B) parasympathetic nervous system; sympathetic nervous system
C) autonomic nervous system; sympathetic nervous system
D) afferent nervous system; efferent nervous system

Answer 1

sympathetic nervous system; parasympathetic nervous system

Question 2

The telephone wires that lead from your home to the homes of friend,relatives,and even strangers are all covered by a thick,protective tube that insulates them from damage.This tube helps eliminate damage from things like water,birds' feet,bugs,dirt,weather,tree branches,and other potential interruptions in communication.In the human neuron,the same sort of protection is provided by the __________.

A) synaptic vesicles
B) dendrites
C) sodium ions
D) myelin sheath

Answer 2

myelin sheath

Question 3

Which part of the human nervous system is referred to by the moniker "fight or flight?"

A) The sympathetic nervous system
B) The central nervous system
C) The autonomic nervous system
D) The somatic nervous system

Answer 3

The sympathetic nervous system

Question 4

Conscious control of our body's functions is handled by the __________ nervous system,while unconscious (unaware)body functions are controlled by the __________ nervous system.

A) sympathetic; parasympathetic
B) waking; automated
C) volitional; automatic
D) somatic; autonomic

Question 5

What is meant by the statement "A major characteristic of the human brain is adaptability?"

A) The human brain's structures are constantly competing and cooperating.
B) The human brain is always working and constantly changing.
C) The human brain is physically connected to every other major organ in the body.
D) The human brain is significantly more complex than even the most sophisticated computer.

Question 6

What is meant by the statement "A major characteristic of the human brain is integration?"

A) The human brain is always working and constantly changing.
B) The human brain is significantly more complex than the most sophisticated computer.
C) The human brain is physically connected to every other major organ in the body.
D) The human brain's structures are constantly competing and cooperating.

Question 7

What is meant by the statement "A major characteristic of the human brain is sophistication?"

A) The human brain is always working and constantly changing.
B) The human brain is significantly more complex than even the most sophisticated computer.
C) The human brain is physically connected to every other major organ in the body.
D) The human brain's structures are constantly competing and cooperating.

Question 8

The largest part of the human nervous system is the __________ nervous system.

A) central
B) peripheral
C) autonomic
D) sympathetic

Question 9

The ability of an amputee to develop the skills needed to control a prosthetic limb is an example of which characteristic of the human brain?

A) Integration
B) Redundancy
C) Sophistication
D) Adaptability

Question 10

In addition to providing structural support and protection for the axon of a neuron,what other very important function is served by the presence of a myelin sheath?

A) Dendritic stimulation
B) Speeding up and strengthening neural messages.
C) Facilitating re-uptake in the synaptic gap.
D) Inhibiting the growth of pain-sensitive neurons.

Question 11

When a construction crew builds a house,the most basic building block of that structure is a brick.In the very same way,the most basic unit of communication in the human nervous system is the __________.

A) brain
B) neuron
C) chromosome
D) nerve

Question 12

Which part of the human nervous system is referred to by the moniker "rest and digest?"

A) The sympathetic nervous system
B) The parasympathetic nervous system
C) The peripheral nervous system
D) The somatic nervous system

Question 13

Think of the human neuron as being analogous to your home computer.The computer has many parts.It has a printer,a monitor,a mouse,a video card,and many other components.Which part of the "neuron" would be similar to a computer's central processing unit (CPU)?

A) The axon
B) The myelin sheath
C) The synaptic vesicles
D) The soma (or cell body)

Question 14

Renata was walking to her car in a dark parking lot,when she heard a strange noise and footsteps behind her.She felt her heart start to race,her breathing got faster and shorter,and the pupils of her eyes dilated.From your study of psychology,which part of Renata's nervous system was activated?

A) The autonomic nervous system
B) The sympathetic nervous system
C) The central nervous system
D) The parasympathetic nervous system

Question 15

The human central nervous system contains which of the following structures?

A) The brain and the spinal cord
B) The cerebrum and the cerebellum
C) The limbic system and the frontal cortex
D) The amygdale and the hippocampus

Question 16

All but which of the following are parts of the human peripheral nervous system?

A) the somatic nervous system
B) the central nervous system
C) the autonomic nervous system
D) the sympathetic nervous system

Question 17

When you drive down the street listening to your car's radio,you may not think about the fact that the music is received by the radio's antenna.Which part of the human neuron serves the same purpose as an antenna; that is,receiving information?

A) somas
B) dendrites
C) synaptic knobs
D) axon termini

Question 18

A neuron's axon can "talk to" one of three different targets.Which of the following is one of those possible targets?

A) glands
B) skin cells
C) organs
D) glial cells

Question 19

When a neuron fires,the signal travels down the neuron's __________,which is a cable-like extension that transmits the signal away from the soma toward the target of communication.

A) myelin
B) axon
C) dendrite
D) nucleus

Question 20

In order for the neuron to "fire," what does the soma need to receive?

A) A specific neurochemical "key" that unlocks the neuron's firing system.
B) Enough total electrical stimulation from the messages received by the dendrites.
C) An adequate amount of water so that the electrical signal can be generated.
D) An equal amount of excitatory and inhibitory messages so that the neuron will fire a "balanced" message.

Question 21

What is the glue that holds neurons together?

A) Myelin
B) Dendrites
C) Glia
D) Synapses

Question 22

When one neuron sends a message to another neuron instructing it not to fire,this process is known as __________.

A) restriction
B) catalytic conversion
C) sensory degradation
D) inhibition

Question 23

_________ neurons carry information toward the central nervous system,while __________ neurons carry information away from the central nervous system.

A) Inter; expressive
B) Motor; sensory
C) Sensory; motor
D) Receptive; expressive

Question 24

When you walk up to a light switch,you might notice that it has two positions - "On" and "Off." If you lift the switch enough,the light turns on.If you do not,the light stays off.This is very similar to the __________ principle of the human neuron.

A) on/off
B) all-or-none
C) inhibition-stimulation
D) dendritic limitation

Question 25

Ben and Marcie are having a very deep conversation while Ben is cooking dinner for them to enjoy.He gets so distracted by their chat that he fails to realize he is about to place his hand on a scalding hot pan.Just as he is about to get burned,he yanks his hand away with a shout."Whew," Ben says."It's a good thing my __________ were working,or I might not have realized that pan was so hot until it was too late!"

A) Heat-sensitive neurons
B) Burn-aware neurons
C) Efferent neurons
D) Sensory neurons

Question 26

Any substance that tries to leave the human bloodstream and get to the brain must first pass through the ___________.

A) cerebral ventricles
B) meningical filter
C) hypothalamus
D) blood-brain barrier

Question 27

What does the Greek word "glia" mean?

A) Neuron
B) Glue
C) Connection
D) Fat

Question 28

Although all neurons share similar shapes and structures,they do fall into three different categories.Which of the following is one of those types of neurons?

A) Sympathetic neurons
B) Somatic neurons
C) Peripheral neurons
D) Interneurons

Question 29

Which type of human neuron is contained exclusively in the central nervous system?

A) Interneurons
B) Sensory neurons
C) Polysynaptic neurons
D) Motor neurons

Question 30

The human blood-brain barrier is a type of filter that protects the brain from foreign invaders,including toxins and poisons.It is made,primarily,of what type of tissue?

A) Enzymes
B) Amino Acids
C) Fat
D) Protein

Question 31

For every one neuron in the human nervous system,there is/are _____ glial cell(s).

A) 100
B) 10
C) 1
D) 1000

Question 32

The formal name of the electrochemical ripple that travels from one end of a neuron to the other is the __________.

A) neural impulse
B) action potential
C) synaptic transmission
D) neuronal stimulation

Question 33

Why is it so difficult for many toxins and poisons to penetrate the blood-brain barrier?

A) Because the human immune system has killer t-cells that attack such foreign agents.
B) Because those agents are too large to get out of the human blood stream.
C) Because the presence of such invaders triggers a fever, which kills them.
D) Because those agents are not soluble in fat.

Question 34

The electrical charge of the neuron during its __________ potential is negative,while the electrical charge of the neuron during its __________ potential is positive.

A) anionic; cationic
B) action; resting
C) dormant; stimulated
D) resting; action

Question 35

In order for a neuron to fire,it must receive enough positive inputs to exceed its __________.

A) threshold
B) sensory minimum
C) motor minimum
D) absolute difference

Question 36

The electrical charge of the neuron during its action potential is __________,while the electrical charge of the neuron during its resting potential is __________.

A) positive; negative
B) positive; neutral
C) negative; neutral
D) negative; positive

Question 37

__________ carry information from various receptors throughout the body to the brain as a coded signal.

A) Receptive neurons
B) Interneurons
C) Motor neurons
D) Sensory neurons

Question 38

If you look at a piece of rope,you will notice that it is really nothing more than a tightly clustered bundle of individual fibers.In the same way,a(n)__________ is a tightly clustered bundle of __________.

A) dendrite; glia
B) axon; myelin
C) neuron; nerves
D) nerve; neurons

Question 39

Which type of neuron is the most numerous in the human nervous system?

A) Motor neurons
B) Interneurons
C) Sensory neurons
D) Dendritic neurons

Question 40

Approximately how many interneurons are contained in the human central nervous system?

A) 100 million
B) 100 trillion
C) 100 billion
D) 100 quadrillion

Question 41

The more you engage in a particular type of cognitive activity,the more the brain structure that controls that activity will develop and grow.This demonstrates the concept of synaptic __________.

A) genesis.
B) flexibility.
C) plasticity.
D) reversibility.

Question 42

Reuptake of the neurotransmitter __________ is thought to be a main culprit in the development of depressive symptoms.

A) Acetylsalicylitase
B) Gama Aminobutyric Acid (GABA)
C) Dopamine
D) Serotonin

Question 43

It is the movement of positively and negatively charged particles,called __________,that allow an electrical signal to travel down a neuron's axon.

A) neutrons
B) isotopes
C) ions
D) electrons

Question 44

While you are taking a walk through a park,you notice that there is a small pond that has a bunch of lily pads in it.As you stand watching,a frog comes along and hops quickly from one end of the pond to the other by hitting a series of lily pads in a row.After this takes place,you start to think to yourself "That is just like a neuron,when the action potential jumps from one __________ to another."

A) synaptic cleft
B) dendrite
C) node of Ranvier
D) soma

Question 45

The brain is connected to the spinal nerves by the __________.

A) hypothalamus
B) foramen magnum
C) brainstem
D) spinal cord

Question 46

As you watch your favorite team play football on a brisk Sunday afternoon,you start thinking back to your recent lecture on neuropsychology.You watch as the quarterback sends a blistering pass to the wide receiver,who takes the ball and heads upfield with it.If you were to relate this scene to a neuron's activities,which football player would represent the postsynaptic neuron?

A) The quarterback
B) The receiver
C) The defender
D) None of the players would represent the presynaptic neuron. The action of the presynaptic neuron would best be represented by the referee on the field.

Question 47

__________ are responsible for sending a message from the presynaptic neuron to the postsynaptic neuron.

A) Neurons
B) Dendrites
C) Neurotransmitters
D) Cell bodies

Question 48

In 1937,Ramón y Cajal observed __________ under a microscope and referred to them as "protoplasmic kisses."

A) synaptic vesicles
B) dendrites
C) nodes of Ranvier
D) synapses

Question 49

Which type of antidepressant medication is specifically designed to block neurotransmitter reuptake by a presynaptic neuron?

A) MAOIs
B) TCAs
C) SSRIs
D) NSAIDs

Question 50

Specifically designed to help keep you alive,__________ are rapid and automatic neuromuscular actions generated in response to a specific stimulus.

A) reactions
B) responses
C) reflexes
D) impulses

Question 51

__________ is a process in which neurotransmitters are moved back to a pre-synaptic neuron.

A) Reuptake
B) Synaptogenesis
C) Plasticity
D) Axo-axonal communication

Question 52

__________ refers to the brain's ability to adapt,grow,and change.

A) Reuptake
B) Malleability
C) Plasticity
D) Adaptability

Question 53

As you watch your favorite team play football on a brisk Sunday afternoon,you start thinking back to your recent lecture on neuropsychology.You watch as the quarterback sends a blistering pass to the wide receiver,who takes the ball and heads upfield with it.If you were to relate this scene to a neuron's activities,which football player would represent the presynaptic neuron?

A) The defender
B) The receiver
C) The quarterback
D) None of the players would represent the presynaptic neuron. The action of the presynaptic neuron would best be represented by the referee on the field.

Question 54

Tiny little bits of axon are exposed when the myelin sheath pinches in.The areas where the axon is exposed are called the __________.

A) gaps of Synapsis
B) nerve-induction scleroses
C) myelitic chasms
D) nodes of Ranvier

Question 55

The spinal cord connects the brain to the __________ nervous system.

A) peripheral
B) central
C) autonomic
D) somatic

Question 56

If you take a sponge that is sopping wet and squeeze it over a table,the water in that sponge will form a puddle on the table.If you then take the empty sponge and slowly lower it into the puddle,the water will be reabsorbed into the sponge.In the very same way,__________ is the process by which a neuron moves many of its released neurotransmitters back into the terminal button.

A) synaptic adherence
B) neuronal sopping
C) reuptake
D) reabsorption

Question 57

The __________ is the area between neurons through which nerve impulses travel.

A) synapses
B) dendritic separation
C) node of Ranvier
D) somatic breach

Question 58

What happens to an action potential when it comes to one of the nodes of Ranvier?

A) The action potential jumps from node to node, which is how it moves down the axon with great speed.
B) The action potential gets rebounded back to the soma, where it has to be re-established.
C) The action potential dissipates and fails to make it to the next neuron, which is why illnesses that cause the nodes of Ranvier are so devastating.
D) The action potential causes neurotransmitters to be released from the node.

Question 59

Which class of medications is designed to relieve psychological symptoms specifically by blocking a neuron from reabsorbing serotonin from the synapse?

A) Antipsychotic drugs
B) Antianxiety drugs
C) Antidepressant drugs
D) Antibipolar drugs

Question 60

How would you most accurately characterize the neural impulse that travels from one neuron to another across a synapse?

A) It is mostly electrical
B) It is mostly chemical
C) It is mostly hydrophilic
D) It is mostly hydrophobic

Question 61

While walking down the street in a poorly-lit area one evening,you hear the faintest of sounds behind you.Your ears perk up and you suddenly realize that there are footsteps getting closer and closer to you.You feel your heart begin to beat faster,your skin break out in a cold sweat,and your breathing begins to speed up.As the footsteps catch up to you and the other pedestrian hurries past you without a glance or a word,you begin to remember your Psychology 101 course where you learned that the __________ is the brain structure that rapidly detects danger and produces rapid protection responses without conscious participation.

A) amygdala
B) basal ganglia
C) hippocampus
D) pituitary gland

Question 62

Tragically,Russell suffered a serious head injury in an automobile accident.The physicians informed Russell's wife that there was significant swelling occurring in his brain,and that there was a very real risk that as the brain swelled it would start to expand through the large opening in the skull where the spinal cord connected to the brain.What is the name of the opening that Russell's brain was at risk of expanding into?

A) Corpus callosum
B) Cingulate gyrus
C) Neocortex
D) Foramen magnum

Question 63

What shape does the amygdala resemble? (hint: it gets its name because in Greek "amygdala" means this kind of nut!)

A) A peanut
B) A walnut
C) A pine nut
D) An almond

Question 64

Which of the following is one of the different regions of the brain,according to Paul MacLean?

A) Limbic system
B) Diencephalon
C) Cerebral cortex
D) Reticular activating system

Question 65

What is the name of the largest hole in the skull,which allows the spinal cord to connect to the brain?

A) Pia mater meninx
B) Foramen magnum
C) Arachnoid magnum
D) Dura mater meninx

Question 66

The basal ganglia are a set of interconnected structures that contain all but which of the following?

A) globus pallidus
B) putamen
C) cingulated gyrus
D) caudate

Question 67

According to researcher Paul MacLean,the human brain is best thought of as being divided into __________ regions.

A) Seven
B) Four
C) Three
D) Two

Question 68

Famed actor Christopher Reeve suffered a spinal cord injury as a result of a horse-riding accident.Until his death several years later,Mr.Reeve required the assistance of a respirator,a machine that artificially controlled his breathing.Additionally,he was virtually unable to use any part of his body below his neck and required a tremendous amount of daily assistance.Which part of the spinal cord was damaged in Christopher Reeve's horse-riding accident?

A) The cervical spine
B) The lumbar spine
C) The thoracic spine
D) The sacral spine

Question 69

The __________ is responsible for survival-oriented functions such as breathing,cardiac function,and basic arousal.

A) brainstem
B) limbic system
C) somatic nervous system
D) heart

Question 70

Which of the following statements most aptly explains why human beings seem to be more advanced than other animals?

A) Human beings have more fully developed "higher functions" because we have a larger limbic system than other animals.
B) Human beings function in a more advanced way because are not are reliant on the activity of the hypothalamus as other animals are.
C) Animals do not have "higher" functions because they lack anything other than the basic structures of the human brainstem.
D) Although animals generally share the same brain structures as humans, humans have greater development in the structures that control advanced functions.

Question 71

Which brain structure resembles a smaller version of the cerebral cortex?

A) The corpus callosum
B) The medulla oblongata
C) The hypothalamus
D) The cerebellum

Question 72

Which of the following is a part of the brainstem?

A) Cerebral cortex
B) Pons
C) Thalamus
D) Limbic system

Question 73

Why is it that when people suffer serious spinal cord injuries that they are not able to regain control of functions lost as a result of the injury?

A) Because the spinal cord is unlike most other tissue in the body in that it is unable to repair itself.
B) Because the surgery to repair a damaged spinal cord always results in a comprehensive loss of bodily control.
C) Because the spinal cord repairs itself in a way that that makes functions less controlled and more automatic.
D) Because the spinal cord has two different segments to it - anterior and posterior - and only damage to one of those two segments can be repaired.

Question 74

Which structure that is generally considered to be part of the limbic system is responsible for creating and storing memory files and for retrieving those memories when they are needed or wanted in the future?

A) The hippocampus
B) The striate nucleus
C) The amygdala
D) The cingulated cortex

Question 75

The __________ is a part of the brain that regulates cardiac and respiratory function.

A) cerebellum
B) medulla
C) hippocampus
D) amygdala

Question 76

Giselle came home from her junior prom in absolute agony.She saw her date - her boyfriend and the love of her life - dancing with her mortal enemy.She felt like they were dancing WAY too close to each other,and she broke up with her boyfriend in a fit of anger.Now she was an emotional wreck.She needed her mother and sister to sit with her and console her for several hours before she was finally calm enough to go to sleep.Neurologically speaking,which part of her brain was probably not overactivated during this very difficult time?

A) Her amygdala
B) Her hippocampus
C) Her hypothalamus
D) Her putamen

Question 77

Which structure (or set of structures)in the human brain is/are most responsible for experiencing emotions?

A) The cerebral cortex
B) The limbic system
C) The basal ganglia
D) The brainstem

Question 78

Which major structure of the brain is responsible for receiving and directing most sensory input to the different lobes of the cerebral cortex?

A) The corpus callosum
B) The thalamus
C) The hypothalamus
D) The limbic system

Question 79

You come to an intersection here the traffic lights are all malfunctioning.In order to make sure that everyone gets where they are going,a police officer is directing traffic so that as cars come into the intersection they are sent to their correct destination safely.This is very similar to what the __________ does,as it directs sensory information to the correct part of the cerebral cortex.

A) thalamus
B) hippocampus
C) amygdala
D) reticular formation

Question 80

If you are in a very serious car accident and you suffer a severed spinal cord,you will lose control over functions __________.

A) only in those body parts that are specifically responsible for the accident itself.
B) in all body parts below the point of injury.
C) in all body parts controlled by the exact location of the injury.
D) in all body parts above the point of injury.