Deck 3: Biological Psychology

Question 1

A/An __________ explanation would attempt to understand migration by examining mechanisms that produce migratory behavior whereas a/an __________ explanation would attempt to explain migratory behavior by understanding how that behavior has survived in the species over time.

A) physiological; ecological
B) ecological; evolutionary
C) mechanistic; ecological
D) physiological; evolutionary

Answer 1

physiological; evolutionary

Question 2

The three parts of a neuron are the cell body, the __________, and the __________.

A) glia...dendrites
B) action potential...membrane
C) glia...axon
D) dendrites...axon

Answer 2

dendrites...axon

Question 3

Cells in the nervous system that support neurons by insulating them and removing waste products are called

A) glia cells.
B) mitochondria.
C) support cells.
D) cell bodies.

Answer 3

glia cells.

Question 4

A single nerve cell, which sends and receives information, is called a

A) neuron.
B) glia.
C) myelin.
D) medulla.

Question 5

The nervous system is made up of two types of cells called __________ and __________.

A) cell bodies...axons
B) dendrites...glia
C) neurons...cell bodies
D) glia...neurons

Question 6

The part of a neuron that receives messages from other cells is called the __________. The part that sends messages to other cells is the __________.

A) mitochondrion...endoplasmic reticulum
B) glia...soma
C) dendrites...axon
D) neurotransmitter...membrane

Question 7

The __________ is a single, long, thin, straight fiber with branches near its tip. Some are covered with __________, an insulating sheath that speeds up the transmission of impulses along an axon.

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

Question 8

A glial cell is

A) a cell of the nervous system that conveys information to other cells.
B) a cell of the nervous system that does not convey information to other cells.
C) a part of a cell of the nervous system.
D) a cluster of cells in the nervous system.

Question 9

What purpose does the myelin covering an axon serve?

A) It prevents action potentials from occurring.
B) It speeds up transmission along the axon.
C) It prevents resting potentials from occurring.
D) It helps neurons to divide and reproduce.

Question 10

It is now known that neurons

A) have a fixed anatomy that never changes.
B) constantly grow new branches and lose old branches.
C) show continued growth only in non-human animals.
D) are only formed before birth or shortly after.

Question 11

In comparison to other cells of the body, neurons are highly distinctive because of their

A) lack of metabolic activity.
B) higher temperature.
C) ability to synthesize vitamins.
D) varied shapes.

Question 12

Where would you expect to find myelin?

A) in skin cells near the surface of the skin
B) in the nucleus of a neuron
C) in the nucleus of a glia
D) covering an axon

Question 13

Comparing neurons and glia, we find that __________ carry information to other cells; __________ are more numerous.

A) glia...neurons
B) neurons...glia
C) both...neurons
D) both...glia

Question 14

A neuron is

A) a cell of the nervous system that conveys information to other cells.
B) a cell of the nervous system that does not convey information to other cells.
C) a part of a cell of the nervous system.
D) a cluster of cells in the nervous system.

Question 15

A single neuron can have many

A) dendrites.
B) cell bodies.
C) cones.
D) axons.

Question 16

The dendrites of a neuron

A) receive information from other neurons.
B) conduct information toward muscles or other neurons.
C) contain the chromosomes.
D) are the main site for synthesizing new proteins.

Question 17

The information transmitted from an axon to another neuron can be either

A) electrical or mechanical.
B) excitatory or inhibitory.
C) hot or cold.
D) light or dark.

Question 18

The single, long, straight fiber that extends from the cell body of a neuron and conducts impulses toward another neuron is called the

A) soma.
B) synapse.
C) axon.
D) dendrite.

Question 19

The structure of a neuron, in terms of the shape of its axon and dendrites,

A) remains constant throughout life.
B) is flexible during infancy, and then becomes constant.
C) is flexible until puberty, and then becomes constant.
D) is flexible throughout life.

Question 20

The numerous short, widely branching fibers of a neuron that receive input from other neurons are known as

A) dendrites.
B) somas.
C) axons.
D) glia.

Question 21

In a typical neuron, during the resting potential the inside of the axon has an electrical charge of around

A) +100 mV.
B) +50 mV.
C) 0 mV.
D) -70 mV.

Question 22

Action potentials follow the all-or-none law, which means

A) an action potential is either sent or not sent.
B) action potentials are either sent forward or backward.
C) action potentials either travel the axon or the dendrite.
D) the neuron either releases neurotransmitters or hormones.

Question 23

The strength of an action potential

A) decreases as the action potential travels down an axon.
B) remains constant as the action potential travels down an axon.
C) increases as the action potential travels down an axon.
D) decreases if the action potential is moving away from the cell body, but increases if it is moving toward the cell body.

Question 24

During the chemical process called an action potential, __________ enters the cell (excitation) then __________ leaves the cell (return to the resting potential).

A) potassium; sodium
B) calcium; potassium
C) sodium; potassium
D) sodium; calcium

Question 25

The study of axons and action potentials enables us to understand

A) how Novocaine and other anesthetic drugs block pain.
B) why morphine and heroin are generally addictive.
C) why some people enjoy dairy products more than other people do.
D) why young adults generally have better memories than older people do.

Question 26

Why does it take you longer to feel a pinch on your ankle than a pinch on your shoulder?

A) The touch receptors on the ankle are smaller than those on the shoulder.
B) Neurons in the shoulder have more dendrites than those in the ankle.
C) Action potentials from the ankle must travel farther to reach the brain.
D) The ratio of neurons to glia is greater in the shoulder than in the ankle.

Question 27

In order for an axon to transmit an action potential, what must cross the axon's membrane?

A) hormones
B) sodium ions
C) phenylalanine
D) glucose

Question 28

The advantage of an action potential over electrical conduction is that the action potential

A) is faster.
B) does not require sodium ions.
C) does not diminish in strength.
D) does not involve a change in electrical polarization.

Question 29

Anesthetic drugs such as Novocain block the transmission of impulses in the brain by

A) decreasing the flow of blood to the brain.
B) preventing sodium from crossing the membranes.
C) decreasing the ability of glucose to enter the brain.
D) blocking transmission at glutamate synapses.

Question 30

The all-or-none law applies to

A) nervous system arousal.
B) the release of neurotransmitters.
C) whether a person has neurons or glia.
D) the sending of an action potential.

Question 31

Action potentials

A) occur when potassium ions enter the axon of a neuron.
B) generally travel away from the cell body.
C) become weaker as they travel down an axon.
D) make the inside of an axon negative relative to the outside.

Question 32

During the action potential, just after __________ ions enter the axon, __________ ions leave, restoring the original charge.

A) sodium...potassium
B) potassium...hydrogen
C) sodium...other sodium
D) potassium...other potassium

Question 33

The normal state of an axon (when no impulse is present) is called the

A) action potential.
B) resting potential.
C) reticular formation.
D) neutral state.

Question 34

If a drug prevents sodium from crossing the membrane of an axon, what changes in the activity of the neuron?

A) An increased number of potassium ions cross instead.
B) It increases its rate of consumption of glucose and other fuels.
C) It stops transmitting action potentials.
D) It transmits action potentials at a greater than usual velocity.

Question 35

The resting potential of an axon is due to different distributions inside and outside the cell of

A) glia.
B) myelin.
C) acetylcholine and epinephrine.
D) sodium and potassium.

Question 36

During the resting potential, an axon's interior has

A) a positive charge relative to the outside of the cell.
B) a negative charge relative to the outside of the cell.
C) no electrical charge.
D) a positive charge for cells in the central nervous system, and a negative charge for cells in the peripheral nervous system.

Question 37

As an action potential travels along an axon from the skin to the brain,

A) the strength of the action potential remains constant.
B) the strength of the action potential gradually weakens.
C) the strength of the action potential gradually increases.
D) the strength of the action potential gradually decreases.

Question 38

The fact that people respond faster to a pinch on the shoulder than to a pinch on the ankle supports the conclusion that

A) different neurotransmitters control different aspects of behavior.
B) we experience a stimulus only after the message has traveled to the brain.
C) different parts of the brain control different sensory systems.
D) conscious experiences occur before the activities of the brain.

Question 39

An action potential takes place by the movement of __________ ions across the membrane.

A) calcium
B) hydrogen
C) oxygen
D) sodium

Question 40

When an axon is at rest, positively charged sodium ions are

A) more concentrated inside the axon than outside.
B) equally concentrated inside and outside the axon.
C) more concentrated outside the axon than inside.
D) trapped inside small channels in the axon's membrane.

Question 41

What is a neurotransmitter?

A) a machine that measures brain waves
B) a chemical that travels from one neuron to another
C) a drug that produces hallucinations
D) an ionized chemical bound to the nucleus of a cell

Question 42

Which of the following illnesses is caused by a deficiency of the neurotransmitter dopamine in the brain?

A) phenylketonuria (PKU)
B) Parkinson's disease
C) stroke
D) Korsakoff's syndrome

Question 43

Which of the following is an example of an abnormal behavior that is caused by a deficiency in the activity of a particular neurotransmitter?

A) phenylketonuria (PKU)
B) Parkinson's disease
C) stroke
D) Korsakoff's syndrome

Question 44

Neurotransmitter molecules are stored in packets within the cell called

A) synaptic vesicles.
B) neurological bubbles.
C) mitochondria.
D) chemical capsules.

Question 45

Transmission at synapses

A) depends on the same chemical at all synapses.
B) depends on different chemicals at different synapses.
C) depends on electrical rather than chemical activity.
D) can go in either direction equally easily.

Question 46

Otto Loewi devised a clever experiment that demonstrated neurons communicate

A) by means of electrical charges.
B) with one, and only one, other neuron.
C) by mechanically stimulating other neurons.
D) by releasing chemicals.

Question 47

In the great majority of cases, transmission of information at a synapse depends on

A) mechanical vibration.
B) electricity.
C) magnetic fields.
D) chemicals.

Question 48

Nearly all illegal recreational drugs AND legal medical drugs (such as those used to combat Parkinson's disease and depression) exert their effects at

A) synapses.
B) blood vessels.
C) neuron membranes.
D) chromosomes.

Question 49

People with Parkinson's disease have trouble in

A) digesting certain foods.
B) controlling voluntary movements.
C) inhibiting emotional outbursts.
D) sleeping and awakening on schedule.

Question 50

Nearly all medical and recreational drugs that modify people's experiences exert their effects at

A) synapses.
B) blood vessels.
C) hormonal glands.
D) sensory receptors.

Question 51

The synaptic cleft is a narrow gap found between?

A) dendrites and the cell body.
B) terminal buttons and the postsynaptic neuron.
C) one branch of an axon and another.
D) the various synaptic vesicles.

Question 52

Drugs that affect behavior-including both medical drugs such as Ritalin and illegal drugs such as cocaine-exert their effects mainly by altering the

A) pattern of blood flow to the brain.
B) velocity and amplitude of action potentials.
C) birth and death of neurons.
D) activity at synapses.

Question 53

A neurotransmitter is released into a synapse by which part of a neuron?

A) dendrite
B) myelin
C) cell body
D) terminal button

Question 54

Otto Loewi demonstrated that neurons communicate by releasing chemicals at the synapse. His research involved

A) collecting fluid from synapses in one frog and transferring them to another frog.
B) injecting purified chemicals at a synapse and using fine electrodes to measure the response of the postsynaptic neuron.
C) radioactively labeling chemicals and tracing where they went.
D) electron microscope analysis.

Question 55

A synapse is

A) an area of dead tissue in the brain.
B) the combination of a neuron and its nearest glia cell.
C) a junction where one neuron communicates with another.
D) an immoral apse.

Question 56

Synaptic vesicles are containers for neurotransmitters. They are found in

A) the synaptic cleft.
B) the cell nucleus.
C) dendrites.
D) terminal buttons.

Question 57

What happens at a synapse?

A) something very synful
B) storage of nutrients for later use
C) release of a chemical that affects another cell
D) increased production of myelin

Question 58

When Otto Loewi collected the fluid from synapses that were involved in slowing a frog's heart, then injected it near the heart of a second frog, he demonstrated that

A) neurotransmitters which are inhibitory can also be excitatory.
B) at least some neurons communicate by releasing chemicals.
C) neurons do NOT communicate by releasing chemicals.
D) communication between a neuron and a muscle is very different than that between two neurons.

Question 59

Researchers have discovered that each neurotransmitter in the brain has

A) one, and only one, type of receptor.
B) one receptor type for messages and one receptor type for reuptake.
C) one receptor type for excitation and one receptor type for inhibition.
D) multiple types of receptors, perhaps a dozen or more.

Question 60

Suppose a neuron is receiving a mixture of excitatory and inhibitory synaptic messages and producing a few action potentials. What will happen if someone injects a drug that blocks the inhibitory synapses?

A) The neuron will produce more action potentials than before.
B) The neuron will produce fewer action potentials than before.
C) The neuron will produce the same number of action potentials as before but they will travel at a lower velocity.
D) The activity of the neuron will be unchanged.

Question 61

Crack is a form of cocaine that has been treated in such a way that it can

A) dissolve in the fats of the body.
B) bind to the receptors sensitive to endorphins.
C) form long chains of loosely bound molecules.
D) enter the brain rapidly.

Question 62

Which of the following is a common effect of alcohol consumption?

A) increased tension and anxiety
B) increased energy and alertness
C) reduction of inhibitions against sexual or aggressive behavior
D) increased speed of muscle responses

Question 63

Which of the following drugs acts mainly as a relaxant?

A) alcohol
B) amphetamine
C) cocaine
D) mescaline

Question 64

If a receptor is thought of as a lock, which of the following might be one type of key?

A) synapse
B) dendrite
C) postsynaptic membrane
D) methamphetamine

Question 65

Which of the following is a widely used treatment for Parkinson's disease?

A) a strict diet that contains little or no phenylalanine
B) L-DOPA, a chemical that the brain converts into dopamine
C) a surgical operation that cuts the corpus callosum
D) massive doses of vitamin B-1 (thiamine)

Question 66

Alcohol and many tranquilizers exert many of their behavioral effects by facilitating transmission at synapses that use the neurotransmitter

A) acetylcholine.
B) dopamine.
C) norepinephrine.
D) GABA.

Question 67

Parkinson's disease can be helped by

A) taking pills that contain L-DOPA.
B) taking pills that contain MPTP.
C) injections of epinephrine.
D) taking pills that contain dopamine.

Question 68

Which of the following are examples of stimulant drugs?

A) barbiturates and benzodiazepines
B) morphine and heroin
C) marijuana and LSD
D) cocaine and amphetamine

Question 69

Amphetamine and cocaine produce effects on the nervous system by

A) increasing and prolonging the effects of the neurotransmitter dopamine.
B) distorting the membranes of all types of neurons.
C) binding to the receptors ordinarily stimulated by endorphins.
D) destroying the receptors sensitive to the neurotransmitter serotonin.

Question 70

Which kind of drug helps people relax and fall asleep?

A) hallucinogens
B) stimulants
C) tranquilizers
D) placebos

Question 71

Which of the following produces effects by facilitating transmission at synapses using the neurotransmitter GABA?

A) alcohol, but not tranquilizers
B) tranquilizers, but not alcohol
C) both alcohol and tranquilizers
D) all stimulants

Question 72

Which of the following is NOT true of Parkinson's disease?

A) Its symptoms include difficulty in voluntary movement.
B) Drugs can reduce the symptoms but do not cure the disease.
C) It has a strong hereditary basis.
D) It is reported mostly in elderly people.

Question 73

At the synaptic level, the effects of alcohol are most similar to those of

A) tranquilizers.
B) opiates.
C) marijuana.
D) cocaine.

Question 74

One of the main symptoms of Parkinson's disease is

A) impairment of initiating voluntary movement.
B) sudden fits of falling asleep in the middle of the day.
C) severe, sudden attacks of anxiety.
D) inability to understand spoken language.

Question 75

Which of the following is NOT classified as a stimulant drug?

A) alcohol
B) nicotine
C) caffeine
D) cocaine

Question 76

Biological psychologists explain Parkinson's disease in terms of

A) deficiency of a particular neurotransmitter.
B) lack of proper maturation of the corpus callosum.
C) a vitamin deficiency that affects nerve conduction.
D) fluctuating speeds of action potential

Question 77

Why is L-DOPA a useful therapy for patients with Parkinson's disease?

A) It strengthens the blood-brain barrier.
B) It prevents the further loss of neurons in the brain.
C) It restores the levels of a synaptic transmitter that had declined.
D) It helps the brain to metabolize fuels that it cannot ordinarily use.

Question 78

Which of the following would NOT be considered a stimulant?

A) caffeine
B) amphetamine
C) marijuana
D) cocaine

Question 79

Nicotine is classified as a

A) relaxant.
B) depressant.
C) stimulant.
D) stimulating-depressant.

Question 80

Parkinson's disease is thought to be caused by a deficiency in the activity of the neurotransmitter

A) serotonin.
B) dopamine.
C) L-DOPA.
D) GABA.