Question 1

Taylor has to have brain surgery to remove a tumour from her temporal lobe. As the surgery progresses, the surgeon plans to map out specific brain function in the areas adjacent to the tumour. What method is the surgeon is most likely to use?

Accepted Answer

To map out specific brain function in the areas adjacent to the tumour during brain surgery, the surgeon is most likely to use electrical stimulation of the brain (ESB). This involves sending electrical impulses to specific areas of the brain and observing the patient's responses in real-time. This method helps the surgeon identify which areas of the brain are responsible for specific functions, such as language or movement, and avoid causing damage during the surgery. PET scanning and CT scanning can provide information about the structure and activity of the brain, but they cannot be used in real-time during surgery. Stereotaxic lesioning involves damaging specific areas of the brain with a probe, which is not the goal of this surgery.

Question 2

Which of the following research techniques is least likely to be used to study the human brain?

Accepted Answer

Lesioning involves damaging parts of the brain to study its function, which is more invasive and less commonly used in human studies compared to non-invasive techniques like EEG or electrical stimulation.

Question 3

Dr. Smith destroys a small piece of tissue in the forebrain of a rat in order to determine whether that area is important for maze-learning. What is this technique called?

Accepted Answer

Lesioning involves damaging or destroying a specific area of the brain in order to observe the effects on behavior or cognitive function, which is what Dr. Smith is doing in the given scenario. Stereotaxic inversion, ESB (electrical stimulation of the brain), and tumor ligation are not relevant techniques to this specific situation.

Question 4

Which technique results in effects that are similar to that of lesioning?

Accepted Answer

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) involves applying a magnetic pulse to a specific area of the brain, temporarily disrupting its function. This can result in effects similar to those seen with lesioning, such as changes in behavior or cognition. Stereotaxic plotting, electrical stimulation of the brain, and magnetic resonance imaging can all provide information about brain structure and function, but do not directly produce effects similar to lesioning.

Question 5

Sigourney's doctors think she might have a tumour, and they would like to use a brain-imaging technique that will provide them with an accurate image of her brain structure. What technique are they most likely to use?

Accepted Answer

A CT scan is the most effective brain-imaging technique for identifying tumours and providing a detailed image of the brain structure. PET scans are useful for detecting brain activity and ESB and EEG recordings are more commonly used for studying brain function rather than identifying structural abnormalities.

Question 6

Which brain area would you stimulate if you wanted to alter alertness or wakefulness?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Which brain area would you stimulate if...

Question 7

Which technique introduces radioactively tagged chemicals into the brain and then monitors where the chemicals appear in the brain?

Accepted Answer

Positron emission tomography (PET) introduces radioactively tagged chemicals into the brain and then monitors where the chemicals appear in the brain. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), electrographic tomography, and computerized tomography (CT) do not use radioactively tagged chemicals to monitor brain activity.

Question 8

What is the key advantage to using fMRI rather than just an MRI?

Accepted Answer

fMRI allows for the assessment of brain function, whereas traditional MRI only provides anatomical images.

Answer: C 
 fMRI has better spatial resolution than traditional MRI, which allows for more precise localization of brain activity.

Answer: B and D are incorrect 
 While fMRI may be more comfortable for patients and more efficient in some cases, these are not the key advantages of using fMRI over traditional MRI.

Question 9

In the Featured Study that examined the areas of the brain that are active during certain cognitive tasks, it was determined that the left and right prefrontal cortex is active during different types of tasks. Which portion is active during which type of task?

Accepted Answer

The answer of In the Featured Study that examined the...

Question 10

Which brain structure controls unconscious but essential functions such as breathing and circulation?

Accepted Answer

The medulla, located in the hindbrain, controls essential functions such as breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure, among others.

Question 11

Ricardo just came back from seeing a neurologist. Ricardo tells you that he will be having a test in which images of his brain will be recorded after radioactive chemicals have been injected into his bloodstream. What test will his neurologist be using?

Accepted Answer

The test that Ricardo's neurologist will be using is a positron emission tomography (PET) scan, as it involves injecting radioactive chemicals into the bloodstream to produce images of the brain. A CT scan and MRI scan use different methods to produce images of the brain, without the use of radioactive chemicals. Electrical stimulation of the brain (ESB) is a different type of neurological test that involves directly stimulating the brain with electrical impulses.

Question 12

Electrical stimulation of its lateral hypothalamus causes an animal to overeat and become obese. Therefore, what could we expect to be produced by lesioning the lateral hypothalamus?

Accepted Answer

Lesioning the lateral hypothalamus has been shown to cause a decrease in eating behavior and therefore lead to weight loss. This is because the lateral hypothalamus is responsible for stimulating hunger and appetite, so damaging it would result in a loss of appetite. Therefore, the animal would be expected to undereat and lose weight.

Question 13

Imagine that you are looking at a printout from an electroencephalograph and you see a change from fairly short waves that are close together to waves that are tall and farther apart. What could you infer has happened to the person whose waves have been recorded?

Accepted Answer

The change from short waves that are close together to tall and farther apart waves is characteristic of the transition from a waking state to a relaxed state, typically associated with sleep. Therefore, the person whose waves have been recorded has likely fallen asleep.

Question 14

Ian has been in a coma since he was in a serious car accident. He is still on life support because he is unable to breathe on his own. Which area of Ian's brain is likely damaged?

Accepted Answer

The medulla, located in the brainstem, controls important involuntary functions such as breathing and heart rate. Ian's inability to breathe on his own indicates damage to this area.

Question 15

Which of the following techniques is likely to be most useful for locating specific neurotransmitter activity in the brain?

Accepted Answer

Positron emission tomography (PET) is the most useful technique for locating specific neurotransmitter activity in the brain. PET involves injecting a radioactively labeled tracer substance into the bloodstream, which is then taken up by the brain and metabolized in a manner specific to the neurotransmitter being studied. The tracer emits positrons, which collide with electrons in brain tissue and produce gamma rays that can be detected by the scanning equipment, creating a map of neurotransmitter activity in different areas of the brain.

Question 16

Milo's doctors believe he might have schizophrenia, but before they make their final diagnosis they want to study detailed, three-dimensional images of Milo's brain structures. Which technique are the doctors most likely to use in this case?

Accepted Answer

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are the best choice for detailed, three-dimensional images of brain structures. PET scans and EEG recordings can show brain activity, while ESB involves direct stimulation of the brain and is not typically used for diagnosis.

Question 17

Which of the following is a hindbrain structure involved with sleep and arousal?

Accepted Answer

The pons is a hindbrain structure that is involved in regulating sleep and arousal. It contains nuclei that produce neurotransmitters important for sleep and wakefulness, and it serves as a bridge between the cerebellum and other brain regions involved in sleep and arousal. The cerebrum is part of the forebrain and is not directly involved in regulating sleep and arousal. The thalamus is a midbrain structure that relays sensory information to other brain regions, but it is not specifically involved in regulating sleep and arousal. The hypothalamus is a forebrain structure that plays a role in regulating sleep and wakefulness, along with other important biological functions such as appetite and temperature regulation. However, the pons is more directly involved in these processes.

Question 18

A victim who is shot in the head died instantly because the bullet entered a portion of the hindbrain that regulates breathing. Which portion would that be?

Accepted Answer

The medulla is located in the hindbrain and contains the respiratory center, which controls breathing. Therefore, damage to the medulla can cause immediate cessation of breathing and death.

Question 19

Paul is wide awake and studying for an upcoming exam. While he is studying, his brain activity is being recorded using an electroencephalograph (EEG). Which type of waves is likely to dominate Paul's EEG readings?

Accepted Answer

When someone is wide awake and studying, their brain waves are dominated by low-voltage, high-frequency beta waves. Beta waves are associated with focused attention, alertness, and cognitive processing.

Question 20

Standing outside a football stadium and judging the excitement of the game by the crowd's screams is analogous to "eavesdropping" on the brain using which of the following?

Accepted Answer

An electroencephalograph (EEG) is a device that measures brain activity by detecting and recording electrical signals produced by the brain. Similarly, standing outside a stadium and listening to screams is like "eavesdropping" on the excitement of the game by detecting the sound waves produced by the crowd's reactions. MRI scanning and higher-order scanning do not directly measure brain activity, and electrical stimulation involves the application of electrical currents to the brain rather than monitoring its activity.

Quiz 3: A:The Biological Bases of Behaviour