Deck 2: Neuroscience and Behavior

Question 1

The resting potential is:

A) a brief time period after an action potential when the neuron is incapable of firing.
B) the term used to describe how the sympathetic nervous system reduces arousal and conserves energy.
C) a state in which a neuron has an electrical charge of about -70 millivolts.
D) a state in which a neuron has an electrical charge of +70 millivolts.

Answer 1

a state in which a neuron has an electrical charge of about -70 millivolts.

Question 2

Broca is to _____ as Wernicke is to _____.

A) expressive aphasia; receptive aphasia
B) left cerebral hemisphere; right cerebral hemisphere
C) structural plasticity; functional plasticity
D) receptive aphasia; expressive aphasia

Answer 2

expressive aphasia; receptive aphasia

Question 3

The development of new neurons in the brain is called:

A) neurogenesis.
B) structural plasticity.
C) neuroplasticity.
D) functional plasticity.

Answer 3

neurogenesis.

Question 4

Samuel suffered damage to his temporal lobes during an operation to remove tumors from his brain. He is likely to have problems with his:

A) vision.
B) ability to smell and taste.
C) hearing.
D) ability to process somatosensory information.

Question 5

The venom of the black widow spider bite causes _____ to be released continuously by motor neurons, causing severe muscle spasms.

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

Question 6

When neurotransmitters communicate an inhibitory message to the postsynaptic neuron:

A) reuptake is inhibited.
B) the presynaptic neuron is less likely to activate.
C) the action potential is canceled out.
D) the postsynaptic neuron is less likely to activate.

Question 7

Reuptake occurs:

A) when the brain shifts functions from damaged areas to undamaged areas.
B) when sodium ion and potassium ion channels open.
C) at the small gaps in the axon called the nodes of Ranvier.
D) when neurotransmitter molecules are reabsorbed by the presynaptic neuron.

Question 8

Modern neuroscience research has shown that learning a new motor skill, such as juggling, and living in an enriched environment:

A) can make people more right-hemisphere dominant, and thus more creative.
B) can help shift functions from damaged to undamaged brain regions, a phenomenon called functional plasticity.
C) will reliably decrease average levels of GABA and acetylcholine.
D) can affect brain structures, such as the number and shape of neuronal dendrites and axon terminals, and the number of glial cells.

Question 9

In general, neural messages are received by the _____ and transmitted by the _____.

A) cell body; dendrites
B) axons; nucleus
C) dendrites; axon
D) axon; dendrites

Question 10

Processing somatosensory information is to the _____ lobe as seeing is to the _____ lobe.

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

Question 11

Most left-handed people:

A) are right-hemisphere dominant for language, the opposite pattern of right-handed people.
B) are left-hemisphere dominant for language, like most right-handed people.
C) are bilateral, using both hemispheres equally for virtually all tasks, including speech and language tasks.
D) are right-hemisphere dominant for language in their childhood but become increasingly more left-hemisphere dominant by early adulthood.

Question 12

Although _____ has been shown to be a pseudoscience, it helped introduce the idea that functions were _____ in the brain.

A) phrenology; lateralized
B) neuroscience; plastic or flexible
C) the split-brain procedure; lateralized
D) phrenology; localized

Question 13

The brainstem is made up of several structures, which include the:

A) thalamus, hypothalamus, hippocampus, and amygdala.
B) medulla, pons, cerebellum, reticular formation, and midbrain, including the substantia nigra.
C) temporal lobe, parietal lobe, the occipital lobe, and frontal lobe.
D) corpus callosum, cerebral cortex, and the structures that make up the limbic system.

Question 14

Reduced brain levels of the neurotransmitter called _____ are involved in the progressive memory loss that characterizes Alzheimer's disease.

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

Question 15

Janeen and Marty were strolling down a wooded path in a city park when a man holding a knife suddenly jumped out of the shrubbery. Rather than fight, Janeen and Marty decided to flee and took off running in the opposite direction. The _____ nervous system triggers this quick reaction, known as the fight-or-flight response, by stimulating the_____ to produce _____.

A) somatic; adrenal medulla; dopamine and serotonin
B) parasympathetic; adrenal cortex; melatonin and androgen
C) sympathetic; adrenal medulla; epinephrine and norepinephrine
D) central; hypothalamus; GABA and dopamine

Question 16

_____ are to the peripheral nervous system as _____ are to the central nervous system.

A) Nerves; neurons
B) Interneurons; glial cells
C) Neurons; nerves
D) Electrical impulses; chemical messengers

Question 17

Which of the following is part of the limbic system and is involved in emotional responses and memories with a strong emotional component?

A) the amygdala
B) the thalamus
C) the hypothalamus
D) the medulla

Question 18

The three types of neurons are:

A) excitatory, inhibitory, and myelinated.
B) sensory, motor, and interneurons.
C) interneurons, glial cells, and motor cells.
D) glial cells, myelinated cells, and unmyelinated cells.

Question 19

During the action potential:

A) the electrical charge of the neuron changes from positive to negative.
B) sodium ions rush into the interior of the axon.
C) sodium ions rush out of the interior of the axon.
D) potassium ions flow into the interior of the axon.

Question 20

Messages from other neurons and sensory receptors are typically:

A) collected by the synaptic vesicles.
B) relayed by glial cells to the correct node of Ranvier.
C) received by the dendrites.
D) received by the axon terminals.

Question 21

Sensory neurons communicate information to muscles to help the muscles and glands of the body.

A) True
B) False

Question 22

Biological psychology is a specialized branch of psychology that studies the relationship between behavior and bodily processes and systems.

A) True
B) False

Question 23

A neuroscientist might examine how damage to the hippocampus affects the ability to form new memories.

A) True
B) False

Question 24

Epinephrine and norepinephrine are manufactured by the _____ in the _____.

A) adrenal glands; endocrine system
B) pineal gland; endocrine system
C) thyroid gland; limbic system
D) pituitary gland; limbic system

Question 25

Structural plasticity:

A) refers to the brain's ability to shift functions from damaged to undamaged brain areas.
B) occurs when neurotransmitters in the synaptic gap are blocked from being reabsorbed by the presynaptic neuron.
C) refers to a phenomenon in which brain structures change in response to learning, active practice, or environmental influences.
D) refers to the brain's ability to develop new neurons.

Question 26

The human brain contains approximately 100 billion neurons and about ten times as many glial cells.

A) True
B) False

Question 27

The neuron's genetic material (DNA) is found in the nucleus of the neuron's cell body.

Question 28

Dendrites receive information from other neurons.

A) True
B) False

Question 29

Interneurons communicate information from one neuron to the next.

A) True
B) False

Question 30

Motor neurons convey information about the environment from specialized receptor cells in the sense organs to the brain.

A) True
B) False

Question 31

The _____ lobe is involved in a person's ability to plan, initiate, and carry out voluntary movements and actions.

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

Question 32

Psychologist Roger Sperry is best known for:

A) his efforts to debunk the pseudoscientific claims of phrenology.
B) the discovery of neurogenesis in the adult human brain.
C) his studies of split-brain patients.
D) identifying the specific brain areas involved in different forms of aphasia.

Question 33

Neurons outnumber glial cells by about 10 to 1.

A) True
B) False

Question 34

Tom, a split-brain patient, is seated in front of a screen. As he focuses on the middle of the screen, the image of an apple is briefly flashed on the LEFT side of the screen. Tom will:

A) be able to verbally name the object.
B) be able to use his right hand to reach under the screen and pick up the correct object.
C) verbally deny that any image appeared on the screen.
D) probably have an epileptic seizure.

Question 35

Petro is unable to articulate ideas or understand spoken or written language because of brain damage. Petro suffers from:

A) Parkinson's disease.
B) Alzheimer's' disease.
C) the aftereffects of the split-brain operation.
D) aphasia.

Question 36

The terms autonomic and somatic refer to the two main subdivisions of the:

A) sympathetic nervous system.
B) central nervous system.
C) peripheral nervous system.
D) parasympathetic nervous system.

Question 37

The _____ functions as the main link between the nervous system and the endocrine system.

A) adrenal medulla
B) adrenal cortex
C) amygdala
D) hypothalamus

Question 38

According to the Critical Thinking box "'His' and 'Her' Brains?," which of the following is FALSE?

A) Men's brains tend to be much smaller than women's brains.
B) Women and men have different proportions of gray to white matter in their brains.
C) In general, the male brain is more asymmetrical and its functions are more lateralized than in the female brain.
D) Men's brains tend to be larger than women's brains.

Question 39

Karen is right-handed. A biopsychologist administers a PET scan of Karen's brain while Karen listens to one of her favorite pieces of music, Beethoven's Third Symphony. Which area of Karen's brain is likely to show the greatest activity on the PET scan?

A) Broca's area
B) Wernicke's area
C) the cerebellum
D) the right hemisphere

Question 40

Neuroscience and biological psychology study only the brain and nervous system and do not investigate topics such as perception, memory, sleep, dreams, and psychological disorders.

A) True
B) False

Question 41

The myelin sheath covering an axon insulates that axon from other axons and increases its communication speed.

A) True
B) False

Question 42

The action potential is slower in myelinated neurons, because it has to travel the entire length of the axon rather than being able to jump from one node of Ranvier to the next.

A) True
B) False

Question 43

When a neuron is in the resting state, it is polarized so that the axon's interior is more positively charged than the exterior fluid surrounding the axon.

A) True
B) False

Question 44

Oligodendrocytes and Schwann cells form the myelin sheath, a fatty covering that is wrapped around the axons of some neurons.

A) True
B) False

Question 45

When a neuron depolarizes and begins an action potential, sodium ions move into the axon and then potassium ions move out of the axon.

A) True
B) False

Question 46

The action potential is the brief electrical impulse that is transmitted along the axon.

A) True
B) False

Question 47

Astrocytes are the most abundant cells in the human brain.

A) True
B) False

Question 48

Astrocytes, the most abundant cells in the human brain, provide connections between neurons and blood vessels, and are involved in brain development and the communication of information among neurons.

A) True
B) False

Question 49

The movement of ions across the axon membrane produces an action potential.

A) True
B) False

Question 50

The all-or-none law refers to a neuron's ability to release either all or none of its neurotransmitter when an action potential occurs in its axon.

A) True
B) False

Question 51

Along with neurons, the human nervous system is made up of glial cells, which outnumber neurons by about 10 to 1.

A) True
B) False

Question 52

Glial cells provide structural support and nutrition for neurons and remove waste products.

A) True
B) False

Question 53

Oligodendrocytes provide connections between neurons and blood vessels.

A) True
B) False

Question 54

While the neuron is in resting potential, the fluid surrounding the axon contains a larger concentration of sodium ions than does the fluid within the axon.

A) True
B) False

Question 55

Microglia are involved in brain development and the communication of information among neurons.

A) True
B) False

Question 56

About 12 to 15 seconds elapse during the entire sequence of a neuron's activating, generating an action potential, and then reestablishing the ability to fire again.

A) True
B) False

Question 57

During the refractory period, the neuron is unable to fire.

A) True
B) False

Question 58

Multiple sclerosis is a disease that involves excessive growth of myelin sheaths around neurons in the brain.

A) True
B) False

Question 59

The myelin sheath is a white, fatty covering that surrounds the axons of some neurons and increases their communication speed.

A) True
B) False

Question 60

Schwann cells remove waste products, including dead and damaged neurons, from the nervous system.

A) True
B) False

Question 61

Synaptic vesicles contain neurotransmitters.

A) True
B) False

Question 62

Researchers have found that endorphins have pain-reducing effects.

A) True
B) False

Question 63

Dopamine is the neurotransmitter that is most depleted in Alzheimer's patients.

A) True
B) False

Question 64

Synaptic vesicles are tiny pouches that hold the special chemical messengers manufactured by the neuron, which are called neurotransmitters.

A) True
B) False

Question 65

One of the key ways that drugs affect synaptic transmission is by changing an excitatory neurotransmitter to an inhibitory neurotransmitter, and vice versa.

A) True
B) False

Question 66

The receiving, or postsynaptic, neuron can have many differently shaped receptor sites on its dendrites, allowing it to receive more than one type of neurotransmitter.

A) True
B) False

Question 67

PET scans of runners' brains conclusively demonstrate that endorphins circulating in the blood do not affect the brain and thus do not cause the "runner's high."

A) True
B) False

Question 68

Prozac and many other antidepressant medications increase the availability of serotonin in certain brain areas.

A) True
B) False

Question 69

An excitatory message communicated to a postsynaptic neuron increases the likelihood that the postsynaptic neuron will generate an action potential.

A) True
B) False

Question 70

The involvement of the brain's opioid system in "runner's high" suggests one possible explanation for why endurance athletes have a much lower pain tolerance than do non-athletes.

A) True
B) False

Question 71

Transmission of information between two neurons occurs one of two ways: electrically or chemically.

A) True
B) False

Question 72

Acupuncture seems to reduce pain by reducing the availability of endorphins in the brain.

A) True
B) False

Question 73

Antianxiety medications such as Valium and Xanax work by decreasing GABA activity and exciting more action potentials.

A) True
B) False

Question 74

The neurotransmitter called acetylcholine plays a key role in sleep, moods, and emotional states, including the symptoms of major depressive disorder.

A) True
B) False

Question 75

During the process of reuptake, glial cells absorb unused neurotransmitters and then transfer the neurotransmitters to the appropriate neuron.

A) True
B) False

Question 76

Acetylcholine is found in all motor neurons.

A) True
B) False

Question 77

Research has shown that the greater the subjective feelings of euphoria experienced by runners, the higher the brain level of endorphin activity.

A) True
B) False

Question 78

Each neuron produces only one type of neurotransmitter.

A) True
B) False

Question 79

Diminished brain levels of dopamine can produce symptoms of Parkinson's disease, while excessive brain levels of dopamine can produce symptoms of schizophrenia.

A) True
B) False

Question 80

"Runner's high" is the rush of euphoria that many people experience after sustained aerobic exercise.

A) True
B) False