Deck 2: Brain and Behavior

Question 1

Conner had a head injury that damaged his hippocampus. Conner now has significant difficulty:

A) localizing sounds.
B) forming new memories.
C) controlling eye movements.
D) feeling motivated for food.

Answer 1

forming new memories.

Question 2

Which is NOT true about the thalamus? The thalamus:

A) works with the basal ganglia to help control movement.
B) passes along sensory information to other brain areas.
C) is located near the center of the brain.
D) is one of the structures that make up the brainstem.

Answer 2

is one of the structures that make up the brainstem.

Question 3

The main function of the limbic system is to:

A) pass along sensory information to other brain areas.
B) regulate movement and control coordination.
C) maintain basic functions necessary for life.
D) facilitate motivation and emotion.

Answer 3

facilitate motivation and emotion.

Question 4

The _____ is the part of the limbic system involved in memory, especially spatial memory and long-term memory.

A) hypothalamus
B) amygdala
C) hippocampus
D) thalamus

Question 5

Which statement about brain size across species is true?

A) Human brains are bigger at the back and bottom than other species' brains.
B) Humans have larger forebrains than other species.
C) Reptiles have larger forebrains than birds and mammals.
D) Species that evolved more recently have larger brainstems.

Question 6

At times, Stanley feels more anxious than usual. When Stanley feels like this, it affects his functioning. If a psychiatrist prescribed Stanley medicine to help with his anxiety during these times, that medicine would MOST likely address which neurotransmitter?

A) dopamine
B) GABA
C) acetylcholine
D) serotonin

Question 7

The _____ is involved in the regulation of movement.

A) occipital lobe
B) brainstem
C) reticular activating system
D) cerebellum

Question 8

Which function is NOT controlled by the brainstem?

A) breathing
B) heartbeat
C) memory
D) swallowing

Question 9

_____ measures the difference in the activity of neurons between two points on the brain via sensors placed on the scalp.

A) Computed tomography
B) Electroencephalography
C) Magnetic resonance imaging
D) Positron emission tomography

Question 10

Dr. Browne is a neuropsychologist who studies the functioning of the human brain. Although Dr. Browne is interested in all parts of the brain, his area of interest is primarily the _____, which consists of the full set of nerves that connect the brain with all other parts of the body.

A) corpus callosum
B) central nervous system
C) cerebral cortex
D) nervous system

Question 11

Which statement about association areas is FALSE? Association areas:

A) are where information is integrated.
B) do more than just take in information.
C) process individual bits of information.
D) are spread across the cerebrum.

Question 12

At work, you are responsible for assigning tasks needed to complete various projects your company is handling. When choosing who to assign to a task, you have to consider how the task should be completed in relation to the overall project goal. To assign responsibility, you are using the left and right hemispheres of your brain, which communicate via the:

A) cerebral cortex.
B) parietal lobe.
C) association areas.
D) corpus callosum.

Question 13

What is NOT a limitation of functional magnetic resonance imaging?

A) The fMRI technique has poor resolution in comparison to other techniques.
B) Research using fMRI is more exploratory than hypothesis-based.
C) Many fMRI results are not stable across time and/or are due to chance.
D) Conclusions from fMRI results are often exaggerated and oversimplified.

Question 14

Which statement is true about reflexes?

A) Reflexes take anywhere from a few seconds to a minute to begin.
B) Reflexes are involuntary, automatic motor responses to sensory input.
C) Reflexes are voluntary, controlled motor responses to sensory input.
D) Reflexes are learned reactions to sensory stimuli.

Question 15

The part of the brainstem primarily responsible for heartbeat and breathing is the:

A) thalamus.
B) reticular activating system.
C) pons.
D) medulla.

Question 16

The _____ gland plays an important role in sleeping and waking.

A) adrenal
B) pituitary
C) pineal
D) thyroid

Question 17

The central nervous system:

A) connects your brain to all parts of your body.
B) is made up of the brain and the spinal cord.
C) regulates only the parts of the body controlled voluntarily.
D) stimulates the body in response to stressors.

Question 18

Computed tomography takes _____ time than magnetic resonance imaging and produces brain images with _____ resolution.

A) more; higher
B) more; lower
C) less; higher
D) less; lower

Question 19

Thaddeus volunteers behind the scenes at the local community theater. While setting up for a show, another volunteer accidently dropped a heavy set piece on Thaddeus's head. For several months after the accident, Thaddeus had significant trouble with problem solving, weighing multiple solutions, and forming strategies. Fortunately, Thaddeus recovered most of his functioning, although at times he still has minor trouble with these skills. It is MOST likely that the accident affected Thaddeus's _____ lobe.

A) frontal
B) parietal
C) temporal
D) occipital

Question 20

You jump involuntarily in response to a sudden loud noise. This is controlled by the:

A) endocrine system.
B) cerebral cortex.
C) parasympathetic division.
D) sympathetic division.

Question 21

Kelsey was involved in a car accident that damaged the part of their brain called Broca's area. This means that Kelsey will MOST likely have:

A) an impaired ability to speak.
B) significant personality changes.
C) issues forming new memories.
D) decreased intelligence.

Question 22

The _____ of a neuron is the time during which a neuron resets its electrical charge.

A) resting potential
B) threshold
C) action potential
D) refractory period

Question 23

The area of the brain that receives information from parts of the body is _____ and the area that sends information to parts of the body is _____.

A) the frontal lobe; the temporal lobe
B) Wernicke's area; Broca's area
C) the motor cortex; the somatosensory cortex
D) the somatosensory cortex; the motor cortex

Question 24

Interneurons:

A) receive sensory information.
B) produce and secrete hormones.
C) directly produce motor movement.
D) connect neurons to each other.

Question 25

The left hemisphere of the brain is dominant in the task of:

A) reading written words.
B) moving the body's left side.
C) recognizing faces and objects.
D) seeing objects focusing on the left.

Question 26

Multiple sclerosis causes deterioration of a neuron's _____, which results in problems with movement and sensation.

A) dendrites
B) axon terminals
C) myelin sheath
D) neurotransmitters

Question 27

Phineas Gage's brain injury and the autopsy on Paul Broca's stroke patient provided evidence for the idea of:

A) localization.
B) association areas.
C) phrenology.
D) the nervous system.

Question 28

When at sea, ships use flags to communicate with other ships that are nearby. These flags would not be used to communicate with ships farther away. The use of flags by ships is similar to the use of _____ in the brain.

A) neurotransmitters
B) glial cells
C) interneurons
D) synapses

Question 29

New evidence suggests that adults as well as children undergo _____, which is the creation of new neurons.

A) reuptake
B) split-brain surgery
C) neurogenesis
D) plasticity

Question 30

The autonomic nervous system is responsible for _____, whereas the somatic nervous system is responsible for _____.

A) stimulating the body in response to stressors; calming the body when stressors decrease
B) voluntary movement; involuntary functions
C) involuntary functions; voluntary movement
D) calming the body when stressors decrease; stimulating the body in response to stressors

Question 31

In a recent study, scientists analyzed how the brain develops in people with autism spectrum disorder compared to those without the disorder. The scientists were specifically interested in the development of _____, which are cells that are responsible for communication within the brain.

A) neurons
B) neurotransmitters
C) synapses
D) axons

Question 32

The endocrine system:

A) sends hormones throughout the body.
B) breaks down into the parasympathetic and sympathetic divisions.
C) specifically controls voluntary movement.
D) consists of the brain and spinal cord.

Question 33

The _____ is the part of the limbic system involved most directly in emotion, especially fear.

A) hippocampus
B) hypothalamus
C) amygdala
D) thalamus

Question 34

_____ is a technique in which multiple X-rays are combined to make a 3D image of the brain.

A) Electroencephalography
B) Computed tomography
C) Magnetic resonance imaging
D) Positron emission tomography

Question 35

The cerebrum is divided into two:

A) lobes.
B) hemispheres.
C) association areas.
D) cortices.

Question 36

Relatively speaking, the _____ of the human brain is larger in humans than in other species.

A) top and front
B) brainstem
C) top and back
D) hindbrain

Question 37

Which technique is best suited for making connections between particular activities and specific parts of the brains?

A) electroencephalography
B) computed tomography
C) positron emission tomography
D) magnetic resonance imaging

Question 38

A receptor site is:

A) a saclike container for neurotransmitters.
B) an opening for specific neurotransmitters in dendrites.
C) the space neurotransmitters must cross between neurons.
D) a space between the myelin on the axon.

Question 39

Dr. Yakan is an athletic trainer. He is interested in improving the performance of elite baseball pitchers. Dr. Yakan helps players to improve their curveball and fastball. Dr. Yakan is concentrating on the athletes' actions that are controlled by the:

A) autonomic nervous system.
B) endocrine system.
C) parasympathetic division.
D) somatic nervous system.

Question 40

Parkinson's disease causes tremors and slow movement due to the brain's inability to produce enough dopamine. Thus, to treat Parkinson's, doctors would MOST likely prescribe a dopamine:

A) efferent.
B) agonist.
C) afferent.
D) antagonist.

Question 41

Association areas are found in the:

A) cerebrum.
B) brainstem.
C) limbic system.
D) cerebellum.

Question 42

Which is true about the thalamus? The thalamus:

A) is involved in motivation.
B) is involved in sensory processing.
C) surrounds the limbic system.
D) is part of the cerebrum.

Question 43

Which behavior is LEAST influenced by hormones?

A) vision
B) sex drive
C) appetite
D) sleep

Question 44

Radley was in a car accident and damaged his amygdala. Which outcome would Radley MOST likely experience because of that damage?

A) difficulty regulating negative emotions
B) impaired ability to form new memories
C) impaired ability to synthesize and interpret information
D) difficulty in the ability to understand speech

Question 45

The front and upper part of the brain that is made up of two hemispheres and is involved in complex human abilities is the:

A) cerebrum.
B) brainstem.
C) corpus callosum.
D) hippocampus.

Question 46

Danielle has a disease that decreases both incoming messages from the senses and her ability to move. She MOST likely has:

A) multiple sclerosis.
B) Broca's aphasia.
C) anterograde amnesia.
D) Wernicke's aphasia.

Question 47

The _____ is made up of the neurons that connect the central nervous system to other parts of the body.

A) central nervous system
B) peripheral nervous system
C) reticular activating system
D) endocrine system

Question 48

The _____ lobe of the brain contains the area responsible for understanding speech.

A) frontal
B) parietal
C) temporal
D) occipital

Question 49

At a local hospital, all patients with cardiac issues are housed on one floor of the hospital. On this floor is a nurses' station, which is connected to each patient room. From their station, the nurses can send and receive messages from patients as well as control the equipment in the patients' rooms. The nurses' station on this floor and its connections to the patients' rooms would be MOST comparable to which part of the human body?

A) corpus callosum
B) nervous system
C) glial cells
D) cerebral cortex

Question 50

Hormones are:

A) signaling chemicals made by the endocrine system.
B) what neurotransmitters are called after reuptake.
C) synonymous with action potentials.
D) support materials made by glial cells.

Question 51

The _____ nervous system connects the central nervous system to the parts of the body that are controlled voluntarily.

A) somatic
B) autonomic
C) parasympathetic
D) sympathetic

Question 52

_____ carry messages to your brain, whereas _____ carry messages from your brain.

A) Sensory neurons; motor neurons
B) Motor neurons; sensory neurons
C) Interneurons; glial cells
D) Glial cells; interneurons

Question 53

Sydney is a sculptor whose medium is clay. When starting a project, Sydney uses a lump of clay that can be molded into any type of shape she wants. What the lump of clay eventually becomes is based on what Sydney needs to make for her customers. The lump of clay Sydney uses is MOST similar in function to:

A) glial cells.
B) interneurons.
C) stem cells.
D) efferent neurons.

Question 54

Which statement is TRUE about the reuptake process? Reuptake:

A) occurs when neurotransmitters do not successfully release into the synapse.
B) happens when neurotransmitters return to the sending neuron.
C) is the process by which neurotransmitters attach to receptor sites.
D) causes the firing of an electrical impulse that travels through the axon.

Question 55

A drug that interferes with the impact of a neurotransmitter is called an:

A) efferent.
B) agonist.
C) afferent.
D) antagonist.

Question 56

Which animal's body part would MOST likely have the proportionally largest amount of somatosensory cortex devoted to it?

A) horse's back
B) camel's hump
C) rat's whisker
D) elephant's leg

Question 57

The _____ gland plays an important role in sleeping and waking, whereas the _____ gland influences metabolism, blood pressure, and body temperature.

A) pineal; thyroid
B) pituitary; adrenal
C) adrenal; pituitary
D) thyroid; pineal

Question 58

Martina sent a graduation party invitation to her friend Bernadette, which took four days to reach her. When she received the invitation, Bernadette e-mailed Martina to say she would attend her graduation party. Martina received the e-mail almost immediately after Bernadette sent it. In this example, Martina's approach to communication is similar to the _____ and Bernadette's is similar to the _____.

A) central nervous system; peripheral nervous system
B) peripheral nervous system; central nervous system
C) nervous system; endocrine system
D) endocrine system; nervous system

Question 59

The cerebrum is the:

A) bundle of neurons that connects the two cerebral hemispheres.
B) front and upper part of the brain involved in complex human abilities.
C) brain material devoted to synthesizing and interpreting information.
D) part of the limbic system involved most directly in emotion.

Question 60

If a person suffered damage to their thalamus, which ability would MOST likely be impaired?

A) coordination and movement
B) understanding and producing speech
C) processing of sensory information
D) regulating emotions

Question 61

Multiple sclerosis breaks down a neuron's _____, which is a fatty material that surrounds a neuron's axon.

A) synapse
B) histamine
C) threshold
D) myelin

Question 62

The hypothalamus:

A) is controlled by the pituitary gland.
B) influences the autonomic nervous system.
C) regulates breathing and movement.
D) controls development of new memories.

Question 63

In an abnormal psychology class, you had a guest speaker from a local rehabilitation center that specializes in patients with brain injuries. The speaker discussed the case of a patient who suffered a stroke and lost the ability to speak. However, all of this patient's other abilities remained entirely intact. It is MOST likely that the stroke damaged which part of the patient's brain?

A) corpus callosum
B) hypothalamus
C) Broca's area
D) Wernicke's area

Question 64

When a person has a heart attack, doctors often use a machine to deliver a dose of electricity to the person's heart. After the defibrillator is used, a period of time is needed for it to recharge. The period of time a defibrillator needs to recharge is MOST similar to the _____ of a neuron.

A) action potential
B) resting potential
C) refractory period
D) reuptake process

Question 65

The _____ is the part of the brainstem involved in sleeping, breathing, and the maintenance of equilibrium.

A) thalamus
B) reticular activating system
C) pons
D) medulla

Question 66

Your professor is discussing the part of the brainstem that is involved in alertness, attention, sleep, and waking. Your professor is MOST likely discussing the:

A) limbic system.
B) hippocampus.
C) cerebellum.
D) reticular activating system.

Question 67

The _____ of the body part does NOT match the amount of space it takes up on somatosensory cortex; instead, each spot corresponds to the _____ of that part of your body.

A) size; sensitivity
B) sensitivity; size
C) location; size
D) sensitivity; location

Question 68

The ability of the brain to adapt its structure and function in response to damage or experience is called:

A) reuptake.
B) plasticity.
C) aphasia.
D) localization.

Question 69

When reaching into your book bag, you accidentally jab yourself on the sharp point of a pencil. The pain you feel when this happens is communicated to your brain by your:

A) glial cells.
B) interneurons.
C) motor neurons.
D) sensory neurons.

Question 70

The first brain imaging procedure developed that allowed psychologists to detect brain lesions and other diseases was:

A) electroencephalography.
B) computed tomography.
C) magnetic resonance imaging.
D) positron emission tomography.

Question 71

The _____ gland is considered the "master gland" of the endocrine system.

A) adrenal
B) pituitary
C) pineal
D) thyroid

Question 72

Dr. O'Connor discovered a new species of sea slug. In this species, the axon terminals and the dendrites of the neurons communicate via direct contact. Unlike humans, this species does not have _____ between its neurons.

A) glial cells
B) synapses
C) receptor sites
D) axons

Question 73

Which is NOT a part of the brainstem?

A) thalamus
B) reticular activating system
C) pons
D) medulla

Question 74

Which of the following would be LEAST likely to result from damage to the occipital lobe of the brain?

A) complete blindness
B) visual hallucinations
C) incoherent speech
D) difficulty seeing color

Question 75

Pills are often kept in plastic containers until they are used. A plastic container for pills is similar to a(n) _____ for neurotransmitters.

A) synaptic vesicle
B) myelin sheath
C) axon terminal
D) receptor

Question 76

Which brain structure is cut during split-brain surgery?

A) corpus callosum
B) hypothalamus
C) brainstem
D) amygdala

Question 77

Which statement about glial cells is true?

A) Glial cells create myelin sheaths.
B) Glial cells receive and send information between neurons.
C) Glial cells send sensory messages to the brain.
D) Glial cells produce action potentials.

Question 78

Neurotransmitters are:

A) cells that carry information to the brain.
B) chemical messengers that travel across synapses from one neuron to the next.
C) electrical impulses that cause a neuron to fire.
D) chemical messengers sent throughout the body via the bloodstream.

Question 79

Susan was in a boating accident and is undergoing tests at the emergency room to see if a specific location of her brain was damaged. Which technique would be LEAST suited for this assessment?

A) computed tomography
B) magnetic resonance imaging
C) positron emission tomography
D) electroencephalography

Question 80

Someone who is unable to produce speech MOST likely has:

A) multiple sclerosis.
B) Broca's aphasia.
C) anterograde amnesia.
D) receptive aphasia.