Question 1

There are short, thin fibers protruding from neurons that are responsible for receiving impulses and transmitting them into the cell body. Those are known as:

Accepted Answer

Dendrites branch out from neurons and conduct electrochemical messages from other cells to the soma (cell body) of the neuron they extend from.

Question 2

Which type of neuron is responsible for carrying information from the central nervous system to glands and muscles?

Accepted Answer

Motor neurons carry information from the CNS to muscles and glands. Sensory neurons are responsible for translating external stimuli (via the five senses) into internal stimuli. Dendrites are one part of a neuron, and CNS neurons include many types of neurons.

Question 3

Multiple sclerosis is caused by damage to which of the following parts of the central nervous system (CNS)?

Accepted Answer

Myelin sheaths, which surround axons in the brain and spinal cord, are damaged in cases of MS. That damage interferes in communication between the brain and spinal cord, causing a broad range of signs and symptoms.

Question 4

The forebrain controls many different processes, including the ability to learn and store complex information, the control of forceful emotions, and formation of memories. Which of the following is not part of the forebrain?

Accepted Answer

The medulla oblongata is located in the brainstem and more specifically, in the hindbrain. The medulla is involved in automatic bodily functions, such as breathing and blood pressure.

Question 5

The limbic system is part of the central nervous system. Which of the following is a feature or function of the limbic system?

Accepted Answer

The limbic system is part of the forebrain and includes the hippocampus, amygdala, anterior thalamic nuclei, and limbic cortex. This system plays a role in emotion, behavior, long-term memory, and olfaction functions

Question 6

General adaptation syndrome (GAS), developed by Hans Selye, is a model of response to severe stress, and identifies particular stages an individual goes through. In which of those stages is the body alert, but also more vulnerable to physical symptoms of stress (like headaches and fatigue)?

Accepted Answer

There are three stages of GAS. During the first, alarm, the body activates the sympathetic nervous system to cope with stress and becomes highly alert, but is also vulnerable to illness and physical symptoms. The second stage, resistance, is when the alarm reaction subsides-the body adapts to the stressor and becomes more resistant to illness than usual. The third stage, exhaustion, is in response to chronic constant stress and marked by a loss of stress hormones (the body's resources). It is in this last stage that an individual is most vulnerable to serious health effects.

Question 7

Dementia is defined as short- or long-term memory impairment, coupled with at least one of four other conditions. Which of the following conditions is not a sign of dementia?

Accepted Answer

Dystonia is a neurological movement disorder; it is not one of the four indicators of dementia. Those are: aphasia (language disturbance), agnosia (object recognition disturbance), apraxia (motor disturbance), and disturbance in executive functioning (planning or abstracting tasks).

Question 8

Amnestic disorders involve impairments in short- or long-term memory that significantly interfere with functioning. Korsakoff's syndrome, most often expressed in anterograde amnesia, is thought to be caused by what?

Accepted Answer

Korsakoff's syndrome is thought to be a result of chronic thiamine (vitamin B₁) deficiency, which can cause damage to neurons and other parts of the brain. Wernicke's encephalopathy sometimes accompanies Korsakoff's.

Question 9

Which of the following neuropsychological disorders is marked by normal speech patterns (rhythm, syntax, etc.) paired with incorrect or incoherent language content?

Accepted Answer

Wernicke's aphasia is characterized by normal speech patterns (rhythm, syntax, etc.) paired with incorrect or incoherent language content and an inability to name objects. It is not similar to Wernicke's encephalopathy.

Question 10

Broca's aphasia, a neuropsychological disorder, is characterized by difficulty in both speech and writing. Speech is uneven and word recall is poor; patients have trouble constructing sentences. Damage to which parts of the brain is responsible for Broca's aphasia?

Accepted Answer

Broca's aphasia is caused by damage to anterior regions such as the inferior frontal gyrus (though not limited to that area). This area of the brain is known as Broca's area, and is critical for speech production.

Question 11

What neuropsychological occurrence or disorder is characterized by purposeless movements or short losses of time (a few seconds)?

Accepted Answer

Petit mal seizures, or absence seizures, are often characterized by purposeless movements such as ark jerking or rapid blinking, and/or short losses of time (a few seconds). Absence seizures can present simply as a few seconds of staring into space during which there are short lapses in consciousness.

Question 12

The thalamus, located between the cerebral cortex and the midbrain, is responsible for relay of mist sensory modalities. Which of the following is NOT relayed through the thalamus?

Accepted Answer

The thalamus is responsible for transmitting all sensory types except olfaction, which is relayed through the olfactory bulb and olfactory cortex. The olfactory system of the brain is considered the most primitive sensory system.

Question 13

The limbic system is the part of the brain significantly responsible for emotions. Which of the following brain structures is NOT part of the limbic system?

Accepted Answer

The cerebellum is not part of the limbic system; however, the limbic system is contained within the cerebellum.

Question 14

Gerstmann's syndrome results in finger agnosia (people are not able to recognize their fingers as part of their body) and right-left disorientation. Which part of the brain is associated with this syndrome?

Accepted Answer

Gerstmann's syndrome is caused by lesions on the dominant parietal lobe, which is just behind the frontal lobes. This syndrome also results in agraphia (deficiency in writing ability) and acalculia (deficiency in learning or understanding math).

Question 15

The automatic nervous system controls involuntary or automatic functions. There are two subsystems of the automatic system. Which one is responsible for decreasing the processes of digestion and elimination?

Accepted Answer

The sympathetic nervous system is responsible for decreasing the processes of digestion and elimination. It is also known as the "fight or flight" system; it is the system that takes over during times of stress. It releases hormones that also increase heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure. The parasympathetic nervous system complements the sympathetic nervous system-it takes over in times of relaxation and performs in an opposite manner.

Question 16

Severe, treatment-resistant epilepsy is sometimes treated with surgery resulting in split-brain. Which part of the brain is surgically altered?

Accepted Answer

Split-brain results from severing the corpus callosum, which connects the right and left hemispheres. Following this surgery, the two hemispheres can no longer communicate. A classic study of split-brain patients flashed the letters "HE" in the left visual field and the letters "ART" in the right visual field. Patients were able to verbalize "ART" since it registered in the left hemisphere, but could not verbalize the word (HEART).

Question 17

Which of the following degenerative disorders is most often treated by using L-dopa to increase the functional level of dopamine in the brain?

Accepted Answer

Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system and affects motor skills, speech, and other neurological processes. L-dopa is the most widely-used treatment; however, it eventually becomes counterproductive by inhibiting endogenous formation of L-dopa.

Question 18

CNS stimulants are the primary drug treatment for ADHD. Which of the following statements is not true regarding this treatment?

Accepted Answer

Lower doses of CNS stimulants are used to improve attention and may have no effect on social behavior.

Question 19

There are different types of antidepressant medications: Tricyclics, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs), Monoamine-Oxidase Inhibitors (MAOIs), and unclassified types. Which of the following brand name medications is not an SSRI?

Accepted Answer

Wellbutrin is an unclassified antidepressant; it does not work selectively on serotonin levels. SSRIs include: Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Cymbalta, Strattera, Sarafem, Luvox, Celexa, and Lexapro.

Question 20

Antipsychotics are one class of drug used to treat certain disorders, such as schizophrenia, brief psychotic disorder, and delusional disorder. Which of the following is considered a novel (or atypical), rather than traditional, antipsychotic?

Accepted Answer

Clozaril was the first atypical antipsychotic to be developed, in 1990. Atypical antipsychotics are known as such because they do not work in the same way as typical and older antipsychotics do-by blocking dopamine receptors in the brain.

Quiz 2: Biological Bases of Behavior