Question 1

Rajan is an excellent problem-solver, a strategic planner, and exercises good judgment. This shows that Rajan has a well-working ___________.

Accepted Answer

The prefrontal cortex is responsible for complex behaviors such as decision making, problem-solving, and planning, which aligns with the description of Rajan's abilities.

Question 2

When the tamping iron went through Phineas Gage's head, it damaged the part of his brain responsible for self control, planning, judgment, and inhibition of behaviours. This part of the brain is called

Accepted Answer

The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain responsible for functions such as self-control, planning, judgment, and inhibition of behaviors, all of which were affected in Phineas Gage after his accident.

Question 3

Rita has always wanted to learn to play the piano. At 40, she decides to take piano lessons. She picks the skill up quickly, partly, her teacher says, because she's so eager to learn. As she learns, the neurons in Rita's brain are changing to store the new information and habits; this is referred to as

Accepted Answer

Neural plasticity, also known as neuroplasticity, refers to the ability of the brain's neurons to adapt as a result of experience, learning, or injury. In Rita's case, learning to play the piano involves forming new neural connections, which is an example of neural plasticity.

Question 4

Professor Kendell is explaining how neurons work. He uses the metaphor of an electrical cord to explain neuron structure. Like the wires inside the electrical cord, he says, the ___________ carries the neuron's electrical message; like the rubber protecting the cord's wires, the neuron's _____________ ensures that the signal goes quickly where it's supposed to.

Accepted Answer

The axon carries the neuron's electrical message, similar to the wires inside an electrical cord, and the myelin sheath acts like the rubber protecting the cord's wires, ensuring that the signal is transmitted quickly and efficiently.

Question 5

Darian has decided to get the cosmetic injection of Botox to smooth wrinkles between his eyebrows. Before he goes to visit his doctor, he researches Botox on the internet and learns that it's a mild form of the botulism toxin, which paralyzes facial muscles by blocking the action of

Accepted Answer

Botox works by blocking the action of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter responsible for transmitting signals between nerves and muscles, leading to temporary muscle paralysis.

Question 6

When you use your cell phone to send a text to your friend, that is comparable to an action that is accomplished by the _____ of a neuron.

Accepted Answer

The axon of a neuron is responsible for transmitting signals to other neurons or to muscles, similar to how a cell phone sends a text message to another phone. Dendrites receive signals, hyperpolarization and resting potential are states of the neuron's membrane potential, and the node of Ranvier facilitates rapid signal transmission along myelinated neurons, but the axon is the part that actively sends signals.

Question 7

One of the reasons it's important never to move someone who's been in a car accident unless absolutely necessary is that broken bones in the neck could damage the spinal cord or the ____________, which is the part of the brain responsible for breathing and heartbeat.

Accepted Answer

The medulla is the part of the brain responsible for controlling vital functions such as breathing and heartbeat. Moving someone with a potential neck injury could cause further damage to the spinal cord or the medulla, leading to severe consequences.

Question 8

People who have paralysis due to a break in the spinal cord have intact sensory neurons in spite of their inability to experience sensation in the paralyzed areas. The problem is that the sensory information cannot reach the part of the brain that translates it into actual sensation. This part of the brain is called

Accepted Answer

The somatic sensory cortex is responsible for processing sensory information from the body, including touch, temperature, and pain. In cases of spinal cord injury leading to paralysis, the sensory neurons may still function, but the disruption in the spinal cord prevents the sensory information from reaching the somatic sensory cortex, thus impairing sensation.

Question 9

While we used to think new neuron are only created during development, we now know the hippocampus produces new neurons _____. This process is called _______________ and is believed to be important for learning and memory.

Accepted Answer

The hippocampus produces new neurons throughout our entire lifetime, and this process is called neurogenesis, which is important for learning and memory.

Question 10

In a severe accident, Ray damages the Broca's area in his frontal lobe. What function will be affected with this injury?

Accepted Answer

The Broca's area, located in the frontal lobe, is primarily associated with speech production and language processing. Damage to this area can result in Broca's aphasia, characterized by difficulty in speaking and forming coherent sentences, though comprehension may remain relatively intact.

Question 11

Monica is going to the dentist to get her first filling. She tries to be responsible about all medications, so before he numbs her mouth, she asks the dentist to explain how Novocain works. The dentist tells Monica that Novocain creates numbness and prevents pain by _______________ in the target area.

Accepted Answer

Novocain works by blocking the sodium channels in nerve cells, which prevents the generation and transmission of action potentials. This stops the nerves from sending pain signals to the brain, effectively numbing the area.

Question 12

New brain cells have developed in Rodney's brain. This process is known as ___________.

Accepted Answer

Neurogenesis is the process by which new neurons are formed in the brain.

Question 13

When neurotransmitters plug into the appropriate neuron receptors, sodium ions very briefly flood through potassium channels like water through dam floodgates. This changes the neuron's electrical balance and is called

Accepted Answer

An action potential occurs when neurotransmitters bind to receptors on a neuron, causing sodium ions to enter the neuron and change its electrical balance. This rapid influx of sodium ions depolarizes the neuron, leading to the propagation of an electrical signal along the neuron's membrane.

Question 14

The drug Naloxone can be used to reverse opioid overdoses. It works by preventing the binding of opioids to their receptors. Naloxone must therefore be

Accepted Answer

Naloxone is an antagonist because it blocks or dampens the opioid receptors' activity by preventing opioids from binding to them, thereby reversing the effects of opioid overdose.

Question 15

Though neurons are the building blocks of our nervous systems, they can't do everything alone. ______________ cells guide neurons into place during prenatal development, hold them still after the nervous system has developed, and keep the neurons safe from toxins.

Accepted Answer

Glial cells support neurons in various ways, including guiding them into place during development, holding them in place, and protecting them from toxins.

Question 16

When we're asked to read a passage of text out loud, many parts of the brain are required to recognize the letters, give them meaning, and translate them into speech. Even if each of these parts of the brain is intact, damage to parts of the brain that connect them, collectively referred to as ___________________, can make the process difficult or impossible.

Accepted Answer

The association cortex is involved in integrating different types of information from various brain regions, including those necessary for the complex process of reading aloud. This integration is crucial for recognizing letters, understanding their meaning, and translating them into speech. Damage to the association areas can disrupt this integration, making reading aloud difficult or impossible.

Question 17

The message communicated by a green and red traffic light can be compared to the messages sent by the neurotransmitters _____ and _____, respectively.

Accepted Answer

Glutamate is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain, similar to a green light signaling "go," while GABA is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter, akin to a red light signaling "stop."

Question 18

When your body gets too warm, you begin to sweat, your skin flushes, and you're likely to seek out cooler surroundings. When your body gets too cool, you get goosebumps, you shiver, and you're likely to seek out warmer surroundings. These behaviours are evidence that your body likes to maintain an internal balance called _________________ to keep you safe and healthy.

Accepted Answer

Homeostasis refers to the body's ability to maintain a stable internal environment despite changes in external conditions. Sweating, shivering, and seeking out environments with more comfortable temperatures are all mechanisms the body uses to maintain this balance.

Question 19

After a neuron has sent a nerve impulse, it has to rest for a few milliseconds. This has important implications for neuronal firing because it places an upper limit on firing rate. This is referred to as _____

Accepted Answer

The absolute refractory period is the time immediately following the transmission of an impulse in which a neuron is unable to fire again. This period sets a maximum limit on the frequency at which a neuron can transmit impulses.

Question 20

Consider the job of airport security, which (in part) involves preventing things that are potentially dangerous from getting onto airplanes. We can compare this aspect of their job to the _____, which accomplishes something similar for the brain.

Accepted Answer

The blood-brain barrier functions to protect the brain by preventing potentially harmful substances present in the bloodstream from entering the brain, similar to how airport security prevents dangerous items from being brought onto airplanes.

Quiz 3: Biological Foundations of Behaviour