Question 1

Why are memories represented in the brain differently than sensory stimuli? Give an example comparing how the brain would process a visual stimulus and a memory, and explain your reasoning.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why are memories represented in the brain...

Question 2

Which substance is released when signals reach the synapse at the end of the axon?
A) Axon
B) Receptors
C) Dendrites
D) Neurotransmitters

Accepted Answer

Neurotransmitters are chemical substances that are released by the axon terminals into the synapse to transmit signals to the adjacent neuron or muscle cell.

Question 3

The idea that an object could be represented by the firing of a specialized neuron that responds only to that object is called _____________.
A) specificity coding
B) population coding
C) sparse coding
D) hierarchical coding

Accepted Answer

Specificity coding suggests that specific objects can be recognized through the activation of specific neurons dedicated to those objects.

Question 4

Taking clay and sand to create bricks, which are then used to build modular wall panels, which are then assembled to construct tall buildings, is similar to which of the following neural concepts?
A) Specificity coding
B) Localization of function
C) Hierarchical processing
D) Distributed representation

Accepted Answer

The process of taking basic building blocks (clay and sand) and using them to construct more complex structures (brick walls, modular wall panels, and tall buildings) follows the idea of hierarchical processing, where simple elements are combined in a stepwise fashion to create more complex structures. This is similar to how the brain processes information, where simple features are combined to create more complex representations. Specificity coding refers to the idea that individual neurons are tuned to respond to specific stimuli, while localization of function refers to the idea that different brain regions are responsible for different functions. Distributed representation refers to the idea that information is represented by patterns of activity distributed across many neurons. None of these concepts fit the analogy as well as hierarchical processing.

Question 5

What does the principal of neural representation state?
A) Everything a person experiences is based on representations in the person's nervous system.
B) Everything a person experiences is based on the position of neurotransmitters in the person's nervous system.
C) Everything a person experiences is based on position of synapses in the person's nervous system.
D) Everything a person experiences is based on the capacity of receptors in the person's nervous system.

Accepted Answer

The principal of neural representation states that everything a person experiences is based on representations in the person's nervous system. This means that sensory stimuli are transformed into neural codes that represent the features of the stimuli. These neural codes are then used to create the experience of perception, cognition, and behavior.

Question 6

Which of the following terms does NOT reflect functional network activity in the brain?
A) Responsive
B) Conditional
C) Consistent
D) Variable

Accepted Answer

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Question 7

The value that stays the same as long as there are no signals in the neuron is known as
A) nerve impulse.
B) resting potential.
C) action potential.
D) nerve transmission.

Accepted Answer

Resting potential is the value that stays the same in a neuron as long as there is no signal present. Nerve impulse, action potential, and nerve transmission all refer to the movement or propagation of signals in the neuron, which is a different concept than the resting potential.

Question 8

Explain the difference between functional connectivity and structural connectivity. Provide an example to support your thinking.

Accepted Answer

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Question 9

List the three perspectives on the problem of sensory coding and provide an example of each.

Accepted Answer

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Question 10

It's often said that "life doesn't exist in a vacuum." However, the emptiness of ________ is critical for brain functioning.
A) nerves
B) receptors
C) dendrites
D) synapses

Accepted Answer

The emptiness or space between neurons, also known as synapses, is critical for brain functioning as it allows for the transfer of information between neurons through the release and reception of chemicals called neurotransmitters. Without these gaps, communication between neurons would not be possible.

Question 11

Before the advent of intercoms, old mansions had a sash in each room. Each sash was connected to a bell on a master board in the servants' office. When someone pulled a sash in a particular room, a bell corresponding to the room would ring on the master board, informing a servant where to go to provide assistance.
This system is similar to which of the following?
A) Sparse coding
B) Localization coding
C) Population coding
D) Specificity coding

Accepted Answer

The old mansion's bell system is similar to specificity coding because it involves a specific response (a bell ringing) to a specific stimulus (pulling a sash in a particular room), much like how specificity coding involves a specific neuron responding to a specific stimulus.

Question 12

Which of the following could be considered as always taking a "working vacation"?
A) Temporal lobe
B) Default mode network
C) Broca's area
D) Neural networks

Accepted Answer

The Default Mode Network (DMN) is considered to be always on a "working vacation" because it is active when a person is at rest and not focused on the outside world, such as during daydreaming or mind-wandering. This network is involved in internal thought processes and self-referential thought, essentially working even when we are not actively engaging in task-focused activities.

Question 13

Explain how action potentials change in response to stimulus intensity. Use an example from the human visual system to illustrate this process.

Accepted Answer

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Question 14

Explain the concept of experience-dependent plasticity in the brain. Provide a hypothetical example of how this might occur in a young child.

Accepted Answer

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Question 15

Determining the sequence of DNA in humans was a major scientific advance that opened the door to new ideas about illness and approaches to treatment. An individual's unique DNA sequence is similar to which of the following?
A) Salience
B) Voxel
C) Connectome
D) Aphasia

Accepted Answer

The connectome is a term used to describe the unique pattern of connections between neurons in the brain. Just as each individual has a unique connectome, they also have a unique DNA sequence. Salience refers to the significance or importance of information, voxel is a term used in medical imaging, and aphasia is a language disorder. None of these concepts are related to an individual's DNA sequence.

Question 16

What is a key difference between dendrites and axons?
A) One is internally activated and the other is externally activated.
B) One has physical form and the other lacks physical form.
C) One sends information and the other receives information.
D) One has a positive charge and the other has a negative charge.

Accepted Answer

Dendrites receive information from other neurons and send it towards the cell body, while axons send information away from the cell body to other neurons or to muscles or glands. Therefore, one sends information (axons) and the other receives information (dendrites). The other options are not accurate descriptions of the difference between dendrites and axons.

Question 17

Describe how neurons communicate. Mention the key components of the neurons that are involved. Explain the process whereby the electrical signal (the information) is transferred from one neuron to another.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Describe how neurons communicate. Mention the key...

Quiz 2: Cognitive Neuroscience

Why are memories represented in the brain differently than sensory stimuli? Give an example comparing how the brain would process a visual stimulus and a memory, and explain your reasoning.

Which substance is released when signals reach the synapse at the end of the axon?

The idea that an object could be represented by the firing of a specialized neuron that responds only to that object is called _____________.

Taking clay and sand to create bricks, which are then used to build modular wall panels, which are then assembled to construct tall buildings, is similar to which of the following neural concepts?

What does the principal of neural representation state?

Which of the following terms does NOT reflect functional network activity in the brain?

The value that stays the same as long as there are no signals in the neuron is known as

Explain the difference between functional connectivity and structural connectivity. Provide an example to support your thinking.

List the three perspectives on the problem of sensory coding and provide an example of each.

It's often said that "life doesn't exist in a vacuum." However, the emptiness of ________ is critical for brain functioning.

Which of the following could be considered as always taking a "working vacation"?

Explain how action potentials change in response to stimulus intensity. Use an example from the human visual system to illustrate this process.

Explain the concept of experience-dependent plasticity in the brain. Provide a hypothetical example of how this might occur in a young child.

Determining the sequence of DNA in humans was a major scientific advance that opened the door to new ideas about illness and approaches to treatment. An individual's unique DNA sequence is similar to which of the following?

What is a key difference between dendrites and axons?

Describe how neurons communicate. Mention the key components of the neurons that are involved. Explain the process whereby the electrical signal (the information) is transferred from one neuron to another.