Question 1

A nerve net is the type of nervous system that would be found in which of the following organisms?

Accepted Answer

Jellyfish possess a nerve net, which is a simple type of nervous system consisting of interconnected neurons lacking a central brain. This system allows for basic responses to environmental stimuli. Other options listed have more complex nervous systems with centralized structures.

Question 2

Outside the CNS, groups of neuronal cell bodies that are clustered together to perform basic functions are termed

Accepted Answer

Ganglia are clusters of neuronal cell bodies located outside the central nervous system (CNS) that are involved in processing and relaying information to or from the CNS, performing basic functions.

Question 3

Inside the CNS, groups of neuronal cell bodies that are clustered together to perform basic functions are termed

Accepted Answer

Nuclei are clusters of neuronal cell bodies within the central nervous system (CNS) that work together to perform basic functions. Unlike ganglia, which are similar structures found in the peripheral nervous system, nuclei are specific to the CNS.

Question 4

cephalization refers to the trend for animals with more complex body types to

Accepted Answer

Cephalization refers to the trend for animals with more complex body types to concentrate nervous tissue in the anterior (head) end of the animal.

Question 5

Which of the following are NOT found in the "gray matter" of the human brain?

Accepted Answer

Gray matter primarily consists of neuronal cell bodies (soma), dendrites, and unmyelinated axons, not myelinated axons, which are found in the white matter.

Question 6

The meninges surrounding the CNS include the

Accepted Answer

The meninges are the protective coverings of the central nervous system (CNS) and include the dura mater, pia mater, and arachnoid mater.

Question 7

The fluid filling the space around the CNS is termed

Accepted Answer

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is the clear, colorless body fluid found in the brain and spinal cord. It acts as a cushion or buffer for the brain, providing basic mechanical and immunological protection to the brain inside the skull.

Question 8

The sympathetic nervous system is part of the

Accepted Answer

The sympathetic nervous system is a part of the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary body functions such as heart rate, digestion, and respiratory rate.

Question 9

The motor division of the PNS in a vertebrate can be divided into

Accepted Answer

The motor division of the peripheral nervous system (PNS) is divided into the somatic system, which controls voluntary movements, and the autonomic system, which controls involuntary functions.

Question 10

The autonomic nervous system regulates

Accepted Answer

The autonomic nervous system regulates involuntary body functions, including blood pressure, heart contractions, and digestive system function, but not skeletal muscle contractions, which are under voluntary control.

Question 11

The challenges in movement experienced by people with Parkinson disease are due to loss of dopamine-secreting neurons in which of the following areas?

Accepted Answer

The basal nuclei (also known as basal ganglia) are involved in the control of movement. The loss of dopamine-secreting neurons in this area is a hallmark of Parkinson's disease, leading to the movement challenges experienced by those with the condition.

Question 12

Collectively, the amygdala, olfactory bulbs, hippocampus, and parts of the thalamus and hypothalamus are said to form

Accepted Answer

The amygdala, olfactory bulbs, hippocampus, and parts of the thalamus and hypothalamus are components of the limbic system, which is involved in emotion, memory, and behavior.

Question 13

Which of the following regions is especially important for functions related to emotion such as understanding emotional situations or being able to recognize displays of emotion by other individuals?

Accepted Answer

The amygdala plays a crucial role in processing emotions and is particularly involved in understanding emotional situations and recognizing emotional expressions in others.

Question 14

The site of integration for sensory and motor information in humans is the

Accepted Answer

The cerebral cortex is the site of integration for sensory and motor information in humans, playing a key role in processing complex cognitive tasks, sensory information, and motor commands.

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT one of the lobes of the cerebral cortex?

Accepted Answer

The cerebral cortex is divided into four lobes: frontal, parietal, occipital, and temporal. The basal is not a lobe of the cerebral cortex; instead, it refers to structures related to the basal ganglia, which are involved in controlling movement and are located deep within the brain, not in the cerebral cortex.

Question 16

Humans have a particularly good ability to recognize other individual humans. This ability appears to be mediated by the ____ lobe of the cerebral cortex.

Accepted Answer

The temporal lobe of the cerebral cortex is particularly involved in processing auditory information and is also crucial for recognizing and processing faces, which is essential for identifying individual humans.

Question 17

Which of the following is a major neural connection between the right and left hemispheres of the human brain?

Accepted Answer

The corpus callosum is the largest white matter structure in the brain, consisting of 200–250 million contralateral axonal projections. It connects the left and right cerebral hemispheres, enabling communication between them.

Question 18

What is significant about the findings from "split brain" patients studied by Roger Sperry and his collaborators?

Accepted Answer

These studies by Roger Sperry and his team showed that the two hemispheres of the brain have specialized functions: the left hemisphere is more involved in language processing, while the right hemisphere is more involved in spatial and nonverbal tasks, such as recognizing shapes and textures.

Question 19

The genes microcephalin and ASPM have been implicated in what aspect of human evolution?

Accepted Answer

These genes are associated with brain size, particularly the development of the cerebral cortex, which is linked to the evolution of a larger brain in humans.

Question 20

What, if anything, distinguishes learning from memory?

Accepted Answer

Learning is the acquisition of new information or knowledge, while memory is the ability to store and retrieve that information over time.

Quiz 42: Neuroscience Ii: Evolution and Function of the Brain and Nervous Systems