Question 1

Following the analogy that it is more economical to renovate a home than to build a new one, what is a similar process that the brain uses to exhibit plasticity or change over time?

Accepted Answer

The brain exhibits plasticity through modifications in dendritic arborization patterns and spines, which is akin to renovating a home rather than building a new one. This process involves the restructuring and strengthening of existing neural connections rather than creating new neurons or cells.

Question 2

Research has revealed the two discrete areas of the mature mouse brain, including the ______ and ______ in which neurogenesis occurs.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that neurogenesis in the mature mouse brain occurs in two specific areas: the subgranular zone of the dentate gyrus in the hippocampus and the subventricular zone of the lateral ventricle. These areas are unique in their ability to generate new neurons throughout the life of the organism.

Question 3

In an example of top-down processing, what was the process being examined in the experiment where subjects were told to look in the opposite direction of a presented light stimulus?

Accepted Answer

Response inhibition is the process being examined in the experiment where subjects were told to look in the opposite direction of a presented light stimulus. This involves the ability to suppress actions that are inappropriate in a given context, demonstrating top-down control over behavior.

Question 4

Suggesting they are the product of an anomaly in normal maturation or development of the brain, which mental disorders are more likely to emerge during adolescence?

Accepted Answer

Depression, eating disorders, anxiety disorders, and schizophrenia are more likely to emerge during adolescence due to their association with developmental changes and maturation processes in the brain during this period. Disorders like dementia and Alzheimer's disease are typically associated with aging, and autism is usually identified in early childhood, not adolescence.

Question 5

Which of the following was evidence suggesting that musical training results in brain reorganization?

Accepted Answer

Enlarged cortical representation of the fingers in the right hemisphere, as reported in string players, suggests brain reorganization due to the specific demands of musical training, indicating that the brain adapts in structure to the skills being developed.

Question 6

The event of the plastic cap coming off the laces on old tennis shoes, leading to unraveling and overall less function, is a good analogy for what genetic element that underlies age-related decline?

Accepted Answer

Telomeres, like the plastic caps on shoelaces, protect the ends of chromosomes from deteriorating or fusing with neighboring chromosomes. As cells divide, telomeres shorten, which is associated with aging and age-related decline.

Question 7

Which statement would best describe the behavior in the radial arm water task following the injection of eotaxin into young mice?

Accepted Answer

Eotaxin, when injected into young mice, likely disrupts normal cognitive or physiological processes, leading to impaired performance in tasks such as the radial arm water maze, which would manifest as an increase in errors.

Question 8

What finding best describes the key differences between the brachyuric (BTBR) and normal mouse strain that suggests it might not be a useful animal model to understand autism spectrum disorder (ASD)?

Accepted Answer

The key difference that suggests BTBR mice might not be a useful model for understanding ASD is that they lack a corpus callosum, a feature not typically absent in ASD patients. This anatomical difference is significant and could impact the generalizability of findings from BTBR mice to humans with ASD.

Question 9

_________ is present in both males and females, can cross the blood-brain barrier to enter the central nervous system, and is used in treatment of traumatic brain injury.

Accepted Answer

Progesterone is a hormone present in both males and females that can cross the blood-brain barrier and has been researched for its potential in treating traumatic brain injury due to its neuroprotective properties.

Question 10

The conservative nature of brain and body evolution was reinforced by the drawings of the German zoologist ___________.

Accepted Answer

The German zoologist Ernst Haeckel is known for his contributions to evolutionary biology, including his famous, albeit controversial, drawings that emphasized the conservative nature of brain and body evolution across different species.

Question 11

The observation that seemingly instinctive tendencies for mammals to engage in the complex behavior of play is categorized in the specific discipline of __________.

Accepted Answer

Neuroethology is the study of the neural basis of natural animal behavior, focusing on how the brain controls behavior in response to natural stimuli, which includes instinctive behaviors such as play in mammals.

Question 12

Evidence indicates that certain areas of the thalamus, such as the __________, regulate somatosensory input necessary for choreographing specific play responses.

Accepted Answer

The parafascicular area of the thalamus is involved in regulating somatosensory input, which is crucial for coordinating specific play responses. This area helps in processing and integrating sensory information necessary for the execution of complex behaviors like play.

Question 13

Which famous neuroscientist stated that "the human brain is undoubtedly the most impressive, complex, and intricate organ that has evolved over time"?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which famous neuroscientist stated that "the human...

Question 14

According to a study by Herculano-Houzel and collegaues, the human brain contains 86 billion total neurons with 12-15 billion in the telencephalon, _____ billion in the cerebellum, and fewer than ____ billion in the brainstem.

Accepted Answer

The correct answer is A) 70 billion neurons in the cerebellum and fewer than 1 billion in the brainstem. This distribution highlights the significant number of neurons in the cerebellum, which is crucial for motor control and cognitive functions, and the relatively small number in the brainstem, which is involved in basic life functions.

Question 15

Genetic trends influenced by life events of a single generation that can extend beyond an individual's lifetime across several generations are termed _________ findings.

Accepted Answer

Transgenerational findings refer to genetic trends or effects that are not limited to an individual but can extend across several generations, influenced by the life events or conditions experienced by a single generation.

Question 16

________ refers to a mechanism in which genes can be modified by the addition of a methyl chemical compound to the cytosine nucleotide base in DNA.

Accepted Answer

DNA methylation is the process where a methyl group is added to the cytosine nucleotide in DNA, affecting gene expression without altering the DNA sequence itself. This modification can influence gene activity and is a key mechanism in epigenetics.

Question 17

At the earliest stages of development, new cells are considered _________, meaning that they are able to become many different types of cells, ranging from brain cells to the cells that produce fingernails.

Accepted Answer

Pluripotent cells have the ability to differentiate into almost any type of cell in the body, which is why they are crucial in the early stages of development.

Question 18

The remarkably resourceful neuroscientist Rita Levi-Montalcini set up her own makeshift laboratory in her bedroom and discovered this important neurochemical.

Accepted Answer

Rita Levi-Montalcini discovered the Nerve Growth Factor (NGF), a protein that plays a crucial role in the growth, maintenance, and survival of certain neurons. She conducted her pioneering research in her bedroom during World War II, due to the anti-Semitic laws in Italy that barred her from academic work.

Question 19

The ability of humans to exert cognitive control to override the impulse to orient toward new visual stimuli is referred to as __________.

Accepted Answer

Top-down processing involves the use of pre-existing knowledge to organize individual features into a unified whole. This concept is crucial in explaining how humans can exert cognitive control to ignore distracting stimuli and focus on a task at hand, which aligns with the ability to override the impulse to orient toward new visual stimuli.

Question 20

_________ are critical for keeping our genes intact during chromosome replication, a protective function that becomes increasingly important as we age.

Accepted Answer

Telomeres are the protective caps at the ends of chromosomes that play a crucial role in chromosome stability and integrity during replication. Their length and maintenance are essential for preventing the loss of genetic information and are indeed more critical as organisms age.

Quiz 5: Evolving Brains: Neural Development, Neuroplasticity, and Recovery of Function