Question 1

The available data suggest that:

Accepted Answer

Current scientific consensus suggests that while stress alone is not a direct cause of cancer, it can influence the growth and spread of cancer cells in those already diagnosed with the disease. Stress can affect the body's immune response, potentially impacting how the body fights cancer and how cancer cells grow or spread.

Question 2

A cancer of connective tissues that includes cartilage, bone, tendons, adipose tissue, lymphatic tissue and components of blood cells describes:

Accepted Answer

Sarcoma is the correct answer because it specifically refers to a type of cancer that originates in the connective tissues of the body, which includes cartilage, bone, tendons, adipose tissue, and other supportive tissues.

Question 3

Psychological factors can influence perceptions of pain. For instance, it was suggested that civilians and soldiers who both experienced similar injuries differed regarding in that:

Accepted Answer

Wounded soldiers infrequently asked for morphine, whereas injured civilians were more likely to request painkillers.

Question 4

Which two regions within the central nervous system operate as a 'salience network', which predicts and interprets impeding pain?

Accepted Answer

The anterior insula and anterior cingulate cortex are known to work together as part of the salience network, which is involved in detecting and processing emotional and sensory stimuli, including the prediction and interpretation of pain.

Question 5

It was found that individuals who are told to alter their perceptions to heat stimuli were able to do so. Under similar circumstances, imaging studies found that the neurological pain signature was unaltered. What instead did the researchers find during imaging studies?

Accepted Answer

Alternate connections to the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex were activated, suggesting that while the neurological pain signature remained the same, the brain's response to pain can indeed be influenced by cognitive processes. This indicates that the perception of pain can be modulated through changes in brain activity, specifically in areas involved in cognitive control and reward processing.

Question 6

Steve has suffered from chronic back pain ever since he experienced a sports-related injury in high school. Though he could easily be prescribed medication to subdue the pain, Steve's girlfriend believes that yoga will help reduce the pain. Despite strongly not believing that it will do any benefit, Steve takes a 12-week yoga program at his university. After the program ended, Steve was not surprised when his chronic back pain seemed unaltered. What sort of effect does the scenario exemplify?

Accepted Answer

The scenario exemplifies the nocebo effect, where negative expectations of the individual regarding a treatment lead to a more negative outcome than would otherwise occur. Steve's strong disbelief in the benefits of yoga for his condition likely contributed to the lack of improvement in his chronic back pain.

Question 7

There are two sub-cortical regions within the midbrain believed to be involved in the analgesic placebo effect. Which are they?

Accepted Answer

The periaqueductal grey and limbic brain regions are involved in the analgesic placebo effect, as they are associated with pain modulation and emotional processing.

Question 8

Rachel has recently gone through a breakup. Despite it being amicable, Rachel still misses the companionship of her ex-boyfriend. Whenever she thinks of him now, she suffers from stomach pains that are only subdued when she calls one of her close friends. What word best describes the origins of Rachel's pain?

Accepted Answer

Rachel's stomach pains are psychogenic, meaning they originate from psychological factors rather than physical causes. Her emotional distress over the breakup is manifesting as physical symptoms.

Question 9

Angie is at her wits-end. No one believes her, not even her doctor, regarding her being unwell, and many have argued that it is her way of seeking attention. She often complains of being very tired, depressed and in chronic pain. She has sought the help of many doctors, including seeking homeopathic remedies to no avail. Given the knowledge presented in this chapter, what would you describe Angie as having?

Accepted Answer

Chronic fatigue syndrome is characterized by extreme fatigue, depression, and chronic pain, and is often misunderstood or dismissed by others, similar to Angie's experience.

Question 10

A common response to banging one's head is to rub the site of injury. This results in _______ being activated, causing inhibition of interneurons, and hence pain changes.

Accepted Answer

Rubbing the site of an injury activates Aβ fibers, which are large-diameter, myelinated sensory fibers involved in the transmission of touch and vibration sensations. This activation can inhibit the transmission of pain signals through a mechanism known as "gate control theory," thereby altering the perception of pain.

Question 11

Certain types of pain medication are more effective than others depending on the type of damage that has occurred. When there has been damage to nerves, what type of compounds are most effective?

Accepted Answer

Compounds that affect GABA release, such as pregabalin, are most effective when there has been damage to nerves.

Question 12

Many factors are believed to contribute to the development of addiction to substances including prescription medication. Which of the following factors is not considered one of them?

Accepted Answer

The cost of the drug is not typically considered a direct factor in the development of addiction. Factors like the dose used, the route of administration, the speed of onset of the drug's effects, and interactions with other substances are directly related to how addictive a substance might be. The price of the drug might influence accessibility but does not inherently affect the physiological or psychological potential for addiction.

Question 13

Phil was in a bad automobile accident that left him with damage to the lower regions of his spine, resulting in constant discomfort and back pain. In an attempt to use non-pharmacological agents to minimize the pain, Phil has come to believes that hypnosis might do the trick. After a few sessions he finds considerable pain relief. Given your knowledge of hypnosis and pain management, what might explain the effectiveness of Phil's treatment?

Accepted Answer

Hypnosis can be effective for pain management, especially in individuals who are highly suggestible and expect positive outcomes from the treatment. Phil's belief in the effectiveness of hypnosis likely contributed to his pain relief.

Question 14

It is suggested that hypnosis alters brain connectivity, particularly between brain regions involved in pain and pain perception. How did brain connectivity differ when an individual was asked (i) to relive positive experiences compared to (ii) hypnotic suggestions to reduce pain?

Accepted Answer

Reliving positive experiences typically increases brain connectivity, especially in regions associated with memory and emotion, enhancing overall brain activity and communication. Hypnotic suggestions to reduce pain, on the other hand, can lead to decreased brain activity in areas responsible for pain perception, effectively reducing the experience of pain by altering how the brain processes pain signals.

Question 15

George was severely wounded in combat, resulting in the loss of his arm. Despite not having his arm, he experiences excruciating pain where his arm once was. This phantom limb syndrome, might be a result of a memory trace of the former limb. What enzyme may underlie the memory of the former painful event?

Accepted Answer

PKMzeta is implicated in the maintenance of long-term memories, including potentially the memory of pain associated with a limb that is no longer present, as in phantom limb syndrome.

Question 16

Physical and emotional pain may share neurochemical connections, such as the

Accepted Answer

The anterior cingulate cortex is involved in the emotional aspect of pain perception, indicating a neurochemical connection between physical and emotional pain.

Question 17

Which neurotransmitter is most strongly associated with reward?

Accepted Answer

Dopamine is most strongly associated with the brain's reward system, playing a key role in motivation, pleasure, and reinforcement learning.

Question 18

The mesolimbic dopamine system comprises neurons traveling from cell bodies in the _______ to the _______.

Accepted Answer

The mesolimbic dopamine system includes neurons that originate in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and project to the nucleus accumbens, playing a key role in the reward circuit of the brain.

Question 19

What significant role does dopamine play with respect to certain stimuli?

Accepted Answer

Dopamine plays a crucial role in modulating the saliency of stimuli, meaning it affects how significant or attention-grabbing a stimulus is perceived to be. This is part of the brain's reward system, influencing motivation and desire for certain stimuli.

Question 20

Compulsive and impulsive behaviors in addiction are most associated with which neurotransmitter?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Compulsive and impulsive behaviors in addiction are...

Quiz 1: Health Psychology