Question 1

The job of interneurons is to:

Accepted Answer

Interneurons are responsible for connecting neurons within the brain and spinal cord and are involved in associative functions, processing information between sensory inputs and motor outputs.

Question 2

The somatic nervous system:

Accepted Answer

The somatic nervous system is responsible for voluntary movements and transmits information between muscles, sensory receptors, and the central nervous system.

Question 3

Mark's father had triple bypass surgery a week ago and has been told by his doctors to reduce the stress in his life in general, and at least for the next several weeks try to maintain calmness around him. After opening a letter from school containing Mark's
Poor semester grades, his father does his biofeedback exercises in an effort to return his blood pressure to normal and his muscles back to relaxation. For this to work, a
Particular nervous system is working overtime. This is the nervous system.

Accepted Answer

The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for promoting relaxation and reducing stress by lowering heart rate and blood pressure, which is what Mark's father needs to achieve calmness.

Question 4

Ursula is sound asleep one night when she is suddenly awakened by a loud noise coming from her backyard. She gets out of bed and moves to the window in order to see what made the noise. Ursula is relying on her nervous system.

Accepted Answer

Ursula is using her somatic nervous system to voluntarily move to the window and see what made the noise.

Question 5

What are the three major types of neurons in the nervous system?

Accepted Answer

The three major types of neurons in the nervous system are sensory neurons, motor neurons, and interneurons. Sensory neurons carry signals from sensory receptors to the central nervous system, motor neurons transmit signals from the central nervous system to muscles or glands, and interneurons connect neurons within the central nervous system.

Question 6

Which of the following neurotransmitters have NOT been associated with depression?

Accepted Answer

Acetylcholine is not typically associated with depression, whereas dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin are commonly linked to mood regulation and depression.

Question 7

The two divisions of the autonomic nervous system are:

Accepted Answer

The autonomic nervous system is divided into the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, which regulate involuntary body functions.

Question 8

Alcohol effect on the brain is as a(n):

Accepted Answer

Alcohol acts as both an agonist and antagonist by increasing the activity of the inhibitory neurotransmitter GABA and decreasing the activity of the excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate.

Question 9

Ashley's parents do not like the contemporary techno music that Ashley and her friends listen to and prefer old show tunes to which they can sing along. Along with the neurons that help them sense the music, there is a link between the sensory input from a song they are listening to, and their memory of that song. This link is made by _.

Accepted Answer

Interneurons are responsible for connecting sensory and motor pathways and play a key role in linking sensory input to memory and other cognitive processes.

Question 10

A neuron is responsible for conveying a message from the brain to a particular muscle, such as the muscle that contracts your eyelid. This neuron would be classified as a(n):

Accepted Answer

A motor neuron is responsible for conveying signals from the brain or spinal cord to muscles, causing them to contract.

Question 11

Spinal reflexes are reflexes that:

Accepted Answer

Spinal reflexes are automatic responses that occur without the direct involvement of the brain, as they are mediated by the spinal cord.

Question 12

Which of the following drugs influences ACh and dopamine activity?

Accepted Answer

Nicotine influences both acetylcholine (ACh) and dopamine activity by stimulating nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and increasing dopamine release in the brain.

Question 13

The central nervous system is defined as:

Accepted Answer

The central nervous system (CNS) consists of the brain and spinal cord, encompassing all the neurons within these structures.

Question 14

After a very loud noise in her backyard woke her from a sound sleep, Ursula is lying in bed paralyzed by fear. Her heart is pounding, her face is flushed, and there is a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. The nervous system that is responsible for Ursula's body reactions to the noise is called _.

Accepted Answer

The autonomic nervous system controls involuntary body functions and is responsible for the fight-or-flight response, which includes increased heart rate and other physiological changes Ursula is experiencing.

Question 15

Rohypnol and GHB are so-called 'date rape' drugs that work by enhancing the activity of which neurotransmitter?

Accepted Answer

Rohypnol and GHB enhance the activity of GABA, a neurotransmitter that inhibits brain activity, leading to sedation and memory impairment.

Question 16

In the human body, the sympathetic system is responsible for activating the body for such things as the fight-or-flight response. The system is responsible for calming and slowing down the body is called the _.

Accepted Answer

The parasympathetic system is responsible for calming and slowing down the body, counteracting the effects of the sympathetic system.

Question 17

The two divisions of the peripheral nervous system are:

Accepted Answer

The peripheral nervous system is divided into the somatic nervous system, which controls voluntary movements, and the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary functions.

Question 18

In the wilds of Northern Canada, Joe is elk hunting with some college friends. After the hunters separate in search of a lone elk, Joe finds himself staring straight into the eyes of a grizzly bear. Joe's heart rate increases, and as he runs through the woods praying the bear is not following him, he is aware that he has never run faster. The nervous system responsible for Joe's speedy flight is the _.

Accepted Answer

The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for the body's 'fight or flight' response, increasing heart rate and energy levels to respond to a threat.

Question 19

The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems play complementary roles in maintaining a balanced or constant internal state. This constant internal state is referred to as _.

Accepted Answer

Homeostasis is the constant internal state that the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems work to maintain.

Question 20

Lucy and her older brother Louis have developed quite a fierce sibling rivalry. On a vacation in Mexico with their father, Louis and Lucy were being relatively well-behaved until one afternoon when Lucy accidentally stepped on her brother's foot and he automatically punched her. Louis apologized profusely saying that he just reacted and didn't even have time to think about what he did before he did it. Louis might try to claim that his brain was unaware of what he was doing at the time he punched Lucy because this type of response is considered a:

Accepted Answer

A spinal reflex is an automatic response that occurs without conscious thought, often as a protective mechanism, and is controlled by the spinal cord rather than the brain.

Quiz 3: Biological Foundations of Behaviour