Question 1

The greater ability of adults to integrate thoughts and emotions may be attributable to

Accepted Answer

Progressive myelination refers to the process of increasing production of myelin sheaths around axons in the brain, which promotes faster and more efficient communication between neurons. This increase in myelination is associated with cognitive development, including the ability to integrate thoughts and emotions. Therefore, option B is the best choice. Options A, C, and D do not directly relate to this process.

Question 2

Maggie was born with a pituitary gland that did not produce enough growth hormone,and her parents opted not to have the condition treated.Now that Maggie is an adult,what is her likely height?

Accepted Answer

Maggie's condition, a deficiency in growth hormone from the pituitary gland, would likely result in significantly reduced growth, making her shorter than average. Without treatment, individuals with this condition often do not reach a height beyond 4 feet as adults.

Question 3

Androgens do all of the following EXCEPT

Accepted Answer

Androgens play a role in male sexual development and contribute to sexual motivation in both males and females, as well as trigger the adolescent growth spurt in both sexes. However, androgens do not cause ovulation in women as that is primarily controlled by the release of hormones from the pituitary gland.

Question 4

The endocrine glands

Accepted Answer

Endocrine glands secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream, which are then carried to target organs and tissues throughout the body to regulate various physiological processes.

Question 5

Neurons communicate with one another

Accepted Answer

Neurons communicate with one another by releasing neurotransmitters into the synapse, which is the small gap between two neurons. When an action potential reaches the end of a neuron, it triggers the release of neurotransmitters, which then bind to receptors on the next neuron, allowing for the transmission of the signal. This process is known as synaptic transmission. The other options listed (B, C, and D) are not involved in the direct communication between neurons.

Question 6

A researcher says,"The video you are about to watch contains scenes of neurogenesis." As such,you should expect to see

Accepted Answer

Neurogenesis refers to the process of creating new neurons, so it can be inferred that the video would contain scenes of this process. The other options (migration, pruning, and differentiation) are important processes in neuron development, but are not specific to neurogenesis.

Question 7

Catch-up growth is most likely to occur

Accepted Answer

Catch-up growth is most likely to occur following a period of malnutrition or illness, as the body tries to compensate for the lack of growth that occurred during that time. It is not necessarily more common in males or during late puberty, and hormone replacement therapy is not usually the cause of catch-up growth.

Question 8

As a result of an earlier brain injury,the right hemisphere of Glenn's brain will sometimes "pitch in" and provide assistance when his left hemisphere cannot process language.Where does this information cross between the hemispheres?

Accepted Answer

The information crosses between the hemispheres through the corpus callosum, which is a large band of nerve fibers that connects the two hemispheres of the brain.

Question 9

Which best exemplifies the concept of brain plasticity?

Accepted Answer

Brain plasticity refers to the brain's ability to change and adapt in response to experiences. Choice A best exemplifies this concept by explicitly stating that the brain changes due to experience. The other choices are not related to brain plasticity.

Question 10

Dimitri loves to climb to the top of very high locations with no safety equipment,where he takes selfies to share with his high school friends.Dimitri's dangerous daredevil antics are likely due to a lack of development in the

Accepted Answer

The prefrontal cortex, located in the front of the brain, is responsible for decision-making, impulse control, and risk assessment. Dimitri's willingness to engage in dangerous activities with no safety equipment suggests a lack of development in this area of the brain.

Question 11

During his second year of life,Titus suffered a long and severe illness that left him well below his expected weight and height.After recovering from the illness,Titus suddenly experienced rapid gains in both height and weight.This event is best explained by

Accepted Answer

Catch-up growth is a phenomenon in which an individual experiences a period of accelerated physical growth after a period of slow or stunted growth due to illness or malnutrition. This describes the situation in which Titus experienced a long and severe illness that left him underweight and undersized, but later experienced rapid gains in both height and weight, indicating catch-up growth.

Question 12

Myelin is important to the nervous system because it

Accepted Answer

Myelin is a substance that surrounds the axon of a neuron, which increases the speed at which neural impulses travel. This makes communication between neurons more efficient, allowing for faster and more accurate responses.

Question 13

Jill came tumbling down the hill and sustained a serious head injury.As a result,her language skills have been seriously impaired.Which part of Jill's brain was most likely damaged?

Accepted Answer

Language skills are primarily controlled by the left hemisphere of the brain, so if there is an injury in this area, it can lead to language impairment.

Question 14

Maya was born with a thyroid deficiency that was not diagnosed as such until she was three years old.What is the likely outcome for Maya?

Accepted Answer

Untreated congenital hypothyroidism, which is a thyroid deficiency present at birth, can lead to intellectual disability due to the crucial role thyroid hormones play in brain development, especially if not diagnosed and treated early.

Question 15

Which of the following characterizes the typical aging brain?

Accepted Answer

The typical aging brain is characterized by both degeneration (loss of neurons, synapses, and brain volume) and plasticity (the brain's ability to adapt and reorganize itself). While degeneration is a natural aspect of the aging process, brain plasticity can reduce the impact of age-related changes and improve cognitive function. Therefore, both degeneration and plasticity are important factors in understanding the aging brain.

Question 16

When has the brain's developmental process generally concluded?

Accepted Answer

The answer of When has the brain's developmental process generally...

Question 17

Melissa is 15 years old.All of her friends have become notably "adolescent" in appearance.They have pubic hair and underarm hair and have experienced the "adolescent growth spurt." Melissa has no pubic or underarm hair,and still looks much more like a young girl than an adolescent.The most likely culprit for Melissa's plight is a malfunction of the

Accepted Answer

The ovaries are responsible for producing the hormones that trigger the development of secondary sexual characteristics, such as pubic hair and underarm hair.

Question 18

The right brain hemisphere

Accepted Answer

The right brain hemisphere controls the left side of the body and is known for its skills in simultaneous processing, handling tasks related to creativity, spatial ability, and context. This contrasts with the left hemisphere, which is more involved in sequential processing and analytical tasks.

Question 19

Lateralization refers to the

Accepted Answer

Lateralization specifically refers to the specialization of the two hemispheres of the cerebral cortex. This specialization includes different functions such as language processing being primarily localized in the left hemisphere and spatial processing being primarily localized in the right hemisphere.

Question 20

Hector's parents are both left-handed,so the probability that Hector will be left-handed is closest to

Accepted Answer

Left-handedness is a partially hereditary trait. While having two left-handed parents increases the likelihood of a person being left-handed, it is not a guarantee. Studies have shown that approximately 10% of people are left-handed, so the probability of Hector being left-handed is higher than average, but still most likely around 50%.

Quiz 5: Body, Brain, and Health