Question 1

Benita is playing a very exciting video game and she finds that she wants to keep playing it more and more.Benita's desire is most likely activating the neurons in her brain that produce more of the neurotransmitter

Accepted Answer

The neurotransmitter that is most likely activated by Benita's desire to keep playing the video game is dopamine. Dopamine is associated with feelings of pleasure and reward, and is involved in the brain's reward pathway. When we experience something rewarding or pleasurable, such as playing a fun video game, dopamine is released in the brain, which reinforces the behavior and motivates us to do it again.

Question 2

Roberto's grandmother has Alzheimer's disease.Therefore,you would expect to see too __________ of the neurotransmitter __________ in her brain.

Accepted Answer

Alzheimer's disease is characterized by a decrease in the levels of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Therefore, in Roberto's grandmother's brain, one would expect to see too little acetylcholine.

Question 3

The action of neurotransmitters is __________ by agonists and is __________ by antagonists.

Accepted Answer

Agonists increase the action of neurotransmitters by binding to their receptors and mimicking their effects, while antagonists bind to the same receptors without activating them, thereby blocking the actions of neurotransmitters. Therefore, agonists increase the action of neurotransmitters and antagonists decrease their action.

Question 4

The area of the brain that allows you to initiate voluntary motor activity is the

Accepted Answer

The midbrain contains the motor areas that control voluntary movements, such as the substantia nigra and the red nucleus. The hindbrain, occipital lobe, and temporal lobe are involved in other functions such as sensory processing, visual perception, and language processing.

Question 5

The part of your brain that makes it possible for you to learn how to ride a bike and stay balanced while doing so is the

Accepted Answer

The cerebellum is responsible for motor coordination, including the ability to learn and maintain balance while riding a bike. The thalamus is responsible for relaying sensory information, the amygdala plays a role in emotion and memory, and the hypothalamus is involved in the regulation of essential bodily functions like temperature and hunger.

Question 6

Marco has great difficulty walking.His doctor told him that this was due to a decreasing amount of a neurotransmitter in his brain.Which of the following neurotransmitters would be likely to cause this difficulty?

Accepted Answer

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that plays an important role in controlling movement. A decrease in dopamine levels can lead to difficulty with movement, a symptom commonly associated with Parkinson's disease. Epinephrine and norepinephrine are more commonly associated with the fight or flight response and the sympathetic nervous system. Glutamate is the most common excitatory neurotransmitter in the brain and is not typically associated with movement disorders.

Question 7

Which of the following is NOT a modern method for accurately measuring brain activity?

Accepted Answer

Phrenology is not a modern method for accurately measuring brain activity. It was a pseudoscientific theory popular in the 19th century that claimed personality traits could be determined by the shape of an individual's skull. B, C, and D are all modern methods for measuring brain activity that are widely used in neuroscience research today.

Question 8

The measure of brain activity that temporarily "turns off" parts of the brain to see how specific brain regions are affected is called

Accepted Answer

The measure that temporarily "turns off" parts of the brain is transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Phrenology is an outdated and discredited pseudoscience that claimed that bumps on the skull could reveal personality traits and mental abilities. fMRI and EEG are measures that detect brain activity but do not "turn off" parts of the brain to assess their function.

Question 9

A neurotransmitter that is important in muscle contraction is

Accepted Answer

Acetylcholine is released at the neuromuscular junction and binds to receptors on muscle cells, leading to muscle contraction. Epinephrine and norepinephrine are important in the fight or flight response, while serotonin plays a role in mood regulation and sleep.

Question 10

Suppose you begin feeling extremely depressed and want a prescription drug to alleviate your depression.The drug you should take should affect the neurotransmitter

Accepted Answer

Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that is linked to mood, and an imbalance in serotonin levels has been linked to depression. Prescription drugs such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) work by increasing serotonin levels in the brain to alleviate depression symptoms.

Question 11

Because nicotine increases how the neurotransmitter acetylcholine functions,it is an

Accepted Answer

Nicotine acts as an agonist, a chemical that enhances the effects of a neurotransmitter. In this case, nicotine mimics the action of acetylcholine and increases its function, leading to increased stimulation of the nervous system.

Question 12

Your motivations and emotions are controlled by the

Accepted Answer

The forebrain is responsible for our motivations and emotions. It includes the cerebral cortex, which is involved in conscious thought and decision-making, as well as the limbic system, which is involved in emotions, motivation, and memory. The hindbrain and cerebellum are more involved in regulating basic bodily functions and movements. The thalamus is a relay center for sensory information but is not directly involved in controlling emotions and motivations.

Question 13

Basic survival functions such as heart rate are controlled by the

Accepted Answer

The brain stem contains the medulla oblongata, which controls basic life-sustaining functions such as heart rate, breathing, and blood pressure. The thalamus is involved in relaying sensory information, the cerebellum is responsible for coordination and movement, and the hippocampus is associated with memory and learning.

Question 14

If a new drug interferes with how the neurotransmitter acetylcholine functions,then the drug

Accepted Answer

If a drug interferes with how a neurotransmitter functions, it is considered an antagonist. In this case, the drug is affecting acetylcholine, which is a neurotransmitter involved in many functions, including muscle movement and memory. If the drug is interfering with how acetylcholine functions, it is likely blocking or reducing its effects, making it an antagonist.

Question 15

You are running a 5-K race and suddenly you experience an adrenaline rush.This burst of energy is caused by your body releasing the neurotransmitter

Accepted Answer

An adrenaline rush is a burst of energy that is caused by the body releasing the neurotransmitter epinephrine. This is commonly referred to as the fight or flight response and is triggered by stress or perceived danger. It causes increased heart rate, blood pressure, and energy levels, preparing the body for action.

Question 16

Lisa has problems sleeping so she goes to a sleep clinic.At the clinic the researchers measure her brain's electrical activity as she sleeps by using the technique of

Accepted Answer

The technique used to measure Lisa's brain's electrical activity during sleep is electroencephalographs (EEG), which is commonly used in sleep clinics. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) are not typically used to measure brain activity during sleep, and phrenology is a debunked pseudoscience that attempts to predict personality traits based on the shape of the skull.

Question 17

Lionel has Parkinson's disease and has difficulty starting motor movements because the neurons involved with dopamine activity are

Accepted Answer

The answer of Lionel has Parkinson's disease and has difficulty...

Question 18

Drugs that increase the effects of the neurotransmitter GABA

Accepted Answer

Drugs that increase the effects of GABA are known as GABAergic drugs. They are commonly used to treat anxiety because GABA is the main inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, meaning that it reduces nerve activity. By increasing the effects of GABA, these drugs can reduce anxiety and promote relaxation.

Question 19

Which specialized area of the brain is crucial to the production of speech?

Accepted Answer

Broca's area, located in the left hemisphere of the frontal cortex, is essential for speech production. Damage to this area can result in a condition known as Broca's aphasia, which is characterized by difficulty in forming words and sentences. The amygdala is involved in emotion processing, the cerebellum in motor coordination, and the thalamus in sensory processing.

Question 20

Chemical substances that carry messages from one neuron to the next are called

Accepted Answer

Neurotransmitters are chemical substances that carry messages from one neuron to the next. Agonists mimic or enhance the effects of neurotransmitters, while antagonists block or decrease their effects. Hormones are chemical messengers produced by glands in the endocrine system.

Quiz 2: The Role of Biology in Psychology