Question 1

Chemicals that may be released from neurons or from endocrine glands and that affect the functioning of neurotransmitters are known as

Accepted Answer

Chemicals that affect the function of neurotransmitters, but are not neurotransmitters themselves, are known as neuromodulators. They can be released from neurons or endocrine glands and can modify the activity of neurotransmitters. Adrenotransmitters, reuptake inhibitors, and reuptake facilitators are not terms used to describe these chemicals.

Question 2

What two chemical compounds are known to be particularly important neurotransmitters in the brain?

Accepted Answer

Serotonin and dopamine are two important neurotransmitters in the brain. Serotonin is involved in regulating mood, appetite, and sleep, while dopamine plays a role in motivation, pleasure, and reward. Dysfunction in these neurotransmitters has been linked to various psychiatric and neurological disorders.

Question 3

A police officer pulls over a driver suspected of driving under the influence of alcohol.The driver is asked to exit the car and walk a straight line.This test is designed to detect the effects of alcohol on the

Accepted Answer

The test of walking in a straight line is called a field sobriety test, which is designed to detect impairment in the cerebellum. The cerebellum is responsible for coordinating and controlling movement, and alcohol can impair its function, making it difficult for an intoxicated person to walk in a straight line. The hypothalamus, temporal lobe, and limbic system are not directly involved in motor control and would not be the primary targets of this test.

Question 4

How is information transmitted between nerve cells?

Accepted Answer

Information is transmitted between nerve cells by the release of neurotransmitters at the synapse. When an action potential reaches the presynaptic terminal, it triggers the release of neurotransmitters, which then bind to receptors on the postsynaptic membrane and induce a new action potential in the next neuron.

Question 5

Basic bodily functions such as heart rate,blood pressure,and respiration are regulated by which region of the brain?

Accepted Answer

The medulla region of the brain is responsible for regulating basic bodily functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, and respiration. The pons and midbrain are involved in other functions such as relaying sensory information and controlling movement. The corpus callosum is involved in connecting the left and right hemispheres of the brain.

Question 6

A synapse is a

Accepted Answer

A synapse is a fluid-filled gap between two neurons where information is transmitted through the release of chemical signals called neurotransmitters. The cell body and nerve cell are not accurate descriptions of a synapse, and while neurotransmitters are involved in the function of a synapse, they are not the synapse itself.

Question 7

What term is used to describe the pattern of behavior that is apparent before a disorder develops?

Accepted Answer

Premorbid history refers to the pattern of behavior or functioning before the onset of a disorder. It can provide important insight into the individual's characteristics and potential risk factors for the development of the disorder.

B) Prognosis refers to the expected outcome or course of a disorder.

C) Homeostasis refers to the ability of the body or a system to maintain stability, balance, and functioning despite internal or external changes.

D) Developmental history refers to the individual's past experiences, milestones, and growth across the lifespan.

Question 8

Which of the following neurotransmitters was first implicated in the development of schizophrenia?

Accepted Answer

Dopamine was first implicated in the development of schizophrenia based on the observation that drugs that enhance dopamine activity (e.g. amphetamines) can cause psychosis similar to schizophrenia, while drugs that decrease dopamine activity (e.g. antipsychotics) are effective in treating schizophrenia symptoms.

Question 9

What is the process by which some neurotransmitters in the synapse return to the axon terminals of the neuron that released them?

Accepted Answer

The process by which some neurotransmitters in the synapse return to the axon terminals of the neuron that released them is called reuptake. This allows for the recycling of neurotransmitters and helps regulate their levels in the synapse.

Question 10

Most of a neuron's metabolism and maintenance control and performance originate from the

Accepted Answer

The soma, or cell body, contains the nucleus and organelles necessary for the majority of a neuron's functions, including metabolism, maintenance, control, and performance. While dendrites receive signals and axon terminals release them, these processes are supported by the soma's metabolic processes. Vesicles function in the transport and release of neurotransmitters, but they do not contribute significantly to the neuron's basic metabolism and maintenance.

Question 11

You are watching a movie about a mental hospital.In one scene two mental health professionals are talking about a patient.One of them asks about the patient's prognosis.The response to this question will deal with the patient's

Accepted Answer

Prognosis refers to the predicted course or outcome of a condition, so the response to the question about prognosis would relate to the patient's predicted course rather than their diagnosis, premorbid history, or developmental norm.

Question 12

The study of neuroanatomy and neurophysiology is the domain of a multidisciplinary field of what research?

Accepted Answer

Neuroanatomy and neurophysiology are subfields of neuroscience, which is a multidisciplinary field that combines aspects of biology, psychology, medicine, and computer science to study the nervous system and its functions. Anatomy and zoology are more specific fields that do not encompass the breadth of neuroscience. While neurology is closely related to neuroscience, it specifically refers to the medical diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders.

Question 13

Developmental psychopathology is a new approach to abnormal psychology that emphasizes the importance of analyzing behavior in terms of

Accepted Answer

Developmental psychopathology emphasizes analyzing behavior in terms of comparisons of individual behavior to age-based norms. This approach considers the developmental context of abnormal behavior and how it relates to normative development over time. Other factors, such as early childhood trauma and learned patterns, may also be considered, but they are not the primary focus of this approach.

Question 14

What are the four major anatomic components of a neuron?

Accepted Answer

The four major anatomical components of a neuron are the soma (cell body), dendrites (receiving extensions), axon (long transmitting extension), and axon terminal (ending of axon where neurotransmitters are released). Choice B includes all four of these components. Choice A includes "nerve" as one of the components, which is incorrect terminology as a nerve is a bundle of axons. Choice C includes "nerve ending" and "transmitter" as components, which are actually parts of the synapse, not the neuron itself. Choice D includes "receptor," which is not a component of the neuron.

Question 15

What has been suggested as a way that neurotransmitters could play a role in abnormal behavior?

Accepted Answer

An oversupply of a certain neurotransmitter has been suggested as a way that neurotransmitters could play a role in abnormal behavior. For example, an oversupply of dopamine has been linked to schizophrenia, and an oversupply of serotonin has been linked to anxiety disorders.

Question 16

A correlation may result from causation,but there are two alternatives: reverse causality and

Accepted Answer

The alternative to a correlation resulting from causation is third variables. Reverse causality can be ruled out as a possibility if the two variables being studied logically follow a certain sequence in time.

Question 17

A report of research on physiological psychology contains a description of a substance that can influence communication among neurons and can act some distance from where the substance was released.What is the topic of this report?

Accepted Answer

The substance described is a neuromodulator, which is a type of chemical that can affect communication between neurons and can act at a distance from where it was released. The other options, axons and neurotransmitters, are more specific types of structures or chemicals involved in neuronal communication, while "humors" is not typically used in modern physiological psychology.

Question 18

Neuroanatomy focuses on brain _________ while neurophysiology focuses on brain __________.

Accepted Answer

Neuroanatomy focuses on the structure of the brain, while neurophysiology studies the functions of the brain.

Question 19

Once information within a neuron has been transmitted to the dendrites and cell body,what is next in its path?

Accepted Answer

After the information has been transmitted to the dendrites and cell body, it then travels down the axon of the neuron towards the axon terminal where it will be passed on to the next neuron or target cell.

Question 20

Dualism refers to the out-of-date idea that

Accepted Answer

Dualism posits that the mind and body are two separate entities that interact with one another, which is an out-of-date idea in modern psychology. This view has been criticized for lacking empirical evidence and being difficult to test. Therefore, the most appropriate answer is A.

Quiz 2: Causes of Abnormal Behavior