Question 1

The notion of structural plasticity:
A) has been demonstrated in animal studies, but there is no evidence for structural plasticity in humans.
B) is the idea that learning, active practice, or environmental stimulation can cause physical changes in the brain's structure.
C) led to the idea of surgically cutting the corpus callosum as a possible treatment for severe cases of epilepsy.
D) is the idea that the brain has the ability to shift functions from damaged to undamaged brain areas.

Accepted Answer

Structural plasticity is the idea that learning, active practice, or environmental stimulation can cause physical changes in the brain's structure. This concept has been demonstrated in both animal and human studies, and is considered a key mechanism underlying learning and memory.

Question 2

In studies with primates, specifically adult macaque monkeys, psychologist Elizabeth Gould and her colleagues found evidence:
A) of limited neurogenesis in brain stem structures but not in more sophisticated brain regions.
B) for structural plasticity but not for functional plasticity.
C) that new neurons develop and migrate to multiple brain regions.
D) for functional plasticity but not for structural plasticity.

Accepted Answer

The article states that Gould and her colleagues found evidence that new neurons developed and migrated to multiple brain regions in adult macaque monkeys.

Question 3

Functional plasticity:
A) refers to the brain's ability to change its physical structure in response to learning, active practice, or environmental influences.
B) has been demonstrated in research with primates but not with humans.
C) refers to the brain's ability to shift functions from damaged to undamaged areas of the brain.
D) refers to the fact that the brain's physical structures are hard-wired or fixed for life.

Accepted Answer

Functional plasticity refers to the brain's ability to shift functions from damaged to undamaged areas, allowing for recovery of abilities after injury.

Question 4

Diffusion spectrum imaging tracks:
A) changes in blood flow due to neural activity.
B) electrical activity of neurons produced by postsynaptic potentials.
C) magnetic fields produced by action potentials of neurons.
D) movement of water molecules in brain tissue along the axons.

Accepted Answer

Diffusion spectrum imaging is a type of magnetic resonance imaging that tracks the movement of water molecules in brain tissue along the axons. This can provide detailed information about the organization of white matter tracts in the brain. It does not track changes in blood flow, electrical activity, or magnetic fields produced by neurons.

Question 5

Diffusion spectrum imaging can produce three-dimensional images of the neural pathways that connect one part of the brain to another. These neural pathways, sometimes called tracts, are made up of:
A) cell bodies of neurons.
B) astrocytes.
C) dendrites of neurons.
D) bundles of myelinated axons.

Accepted Answer

Diffusion spectrum imaging specifically targets and visualizes the white matter tracts of the brain, which are made up of bundles of myelinated axons.

Question 6

At 70 years old, Alice decided to take up juggling. According to research described in a Focus on Neuroscience feature in Chapter 2, what kind of brain changes might result from Alice's new hobby?
A) increased complexity in the corpus callosum
B) gray matter increases in brain regions involved in perceiving and anticipating complex visual motions
C) damage to the cerebellum
D) No changes would result; plasticity has not been demonstrated in the aging brain.

Accepted Answer

Research has shown that learning new skills, like juggling, can lead to increases in gray matter in brain regions involved in visual motion perception, demonstrating brain plasticity even in older adults.

Question 7

A Focus on Neuroscience section in the text describes a research study involving participants who learned how to juggle. What was the purpose of the study?
A) to test the effects of enriched environments on balance and motor skills
B) to compare the motor skills of jugglers versus nonjugglers
C) to determine whether learning a new skill caused structural changes in the brain
D) to determine whether juggling involves primarily the left or the right cerebral hemisphere

Accepted Answer

The purpose of the study was to determine whether learning a new skill (juggling) caused structural changes in the brain, specifically in the visual cortex. The study found evidence of structural changes in the brain of the participants who learned to juggle.

Question 8

A new brain-scanning technique called diffusion spectrum imaging allows neuroscientists to:
A) produce three-dimensional images of the neural pathways that connect one part of the brain to another.
B) use electromagnetic techniques to examine blood flow in the brain.
C) trace the metabolism of radioactive glucose in the brain.
D) examine the structure of the brain using combined X-rays.

Accepted Answer

Diffusion spectrum imaging is a brain scanning technique that produces three-dimensional images of the neural pathways that connect different parts of the brain. It works by measuring the diffusion of water molecules along these pathways, providing researchers with a detailed understanding of the brain's structure and connectivity.

Question 9

The brain's ability to physically change in response to learning, active practice, or environmental stimulation is called:
A) lateralization of function.
B) neurogenesis.
C) structural plasticity.
D) functional plasticity.

Accepted Answer

Structural plasticity refers to the changes in the physical structure of the brain in response to learning, active practice or environmental stimulation. This can include changes in the number and shape of synapses, as well as the growth of new neural pathways.

Answer: D
 Functional plasticity refers to the brain's ability to shift functions from damaged to undamaged brain areas and to adapt to new environmental demands. This can involve changes in patterns of neural activity, and changes in the connectivity between neurons.

Therefore, both options C and D are correct as they both describe different types of brain plasticity.

Question 10

A Focus on Neuroscience section in the text describes a research study involving participants who learned how to juggle. What was the main conclusion of the research?
A) that learning and practicing a new skill had distinct physical effects on specific brain structures
B) that jugglers, as compared to nonjugglers, were more likely to show evidence of neurogenesis in the corpus callosum
C) that learning how to juggle helped the participants become more creative by enhancing their right-brain abilities
D) that jugglers, as compared to nonjugglers, had higher levels of endorphins

Accepted Answer

The main conclusion of the research was that learning and practicing a new skill, such as juggling, had distinct physical effects on specific brain structures. Specifically, the researchers found that the areas responsible for processing and controlling visual information had increased in gray matter volume in the brains of participants who learned how to juggle.

Question 11

Which of the following best defines neurogenesis?
A) the development of new neurons
B) the brain's ability to change function and structure
C) the brain's inability to change its physical structures after early adulthood
D) the influence of genes on the firing rate of neurons

Accepted Answer

Neurogenesis refers to the development of new neurons in the brain, typically occurring in the hippocampus and olfactory bulb. This process is important for learning, memory, and other brain functions.

Question 12

One of the Focus on Neuroscience sections in the text describes a study in which German neuroscientists studied people who learned to juggle. One of the findings of the study was that:
A) specific brain regions increased in size by 3 to 4 percent in the nonjugglers but did not change in the jugglers.
B) specific brain regions increased in size by 3 to 4 percent in the jugglers but did not change in the nonjugglers.
C) gray matter in two regions in the brains of novice jugglers decreased by 3 to 4 percent after seven days of daily practice.
D) gray matter in two regions in the brains of seniors who learned to juggle decreased by 3 to 4 percent after seven days of daily practice.

Accepted Answer

The study found that specific brain regions, specifically the mid temporal area and the left posterior intraparietal sulcus, increased in size by 3 to 4 percent in the jugglers but did not change in the nonjugglers.

Question 13

The brain's ability to change function and structure is referred to as:
A) synaptic transmission.
B) neurogenesis.
C) neuroplasticity.
D) cortical localization.

Accepted Answer

Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to change function and structure. This can include changes in connections between neurons, the growth of new neurons (neurogenesis), and changes in the strength of existing connections. It is a key factor in learning, memory, and recovery from brain injury. A) Synaptic transmission refers to the process by which neurons communicate with each other through the release of neurotransmitters. B) Neurogenesis specifically refers to the growth of new neurons. D) Cortical localization refers to the idea that specific functions are associated with specific areas of the brain.

Question 14

Diffusion spectrum imaging can produce three-dimensional images of the neural pathways that connect one part of the brain to another. These neural pathways, made up of bundles of myelinated axons, are sometimes called:
A) diffusions.
B) tracts.
C) the reticular formation.
D) action potentials.

Accepted Answer

Neural pathways made up of bundles of myelinated axons are called tracts. Diffusion spectrum imaging is a technique that produces three-dimensional images of these tracts. The reticular formation is a network of neurons in the brainstem, and action potentials are electrical signals that travel along neurons, but neither of these terms accurately describes the bundles of axons that diffusion spectrum imaging can visualize.

Question 15

Juliana began taking violin lessons as a young child. As a teenager, she participated in a research study in which MRI scans of teenagers who had played the violin for several years were compared to MRI scans of other teenagers who had never played a musical instrument. The MRI scans of the teenage violinists showed that brain regions devoted to control of the fine muscles of the hands and fingers were larger in the teenage musicians than in the others. This example illustrates the important phenomenon of:
A) functional plasticity.
B) structural plasticity.
C) lateralization of function.
D) myelin regrowth.

Accepted Answer

The example illustrates structural plasticity, which refers to changes in brain structure as a result of experience or learning. Specifically, the MRI scans showed that brain regions had physically changed in size as a result of Juliana's long-term practice of the violin.

Question 16

Jake received a severe brain injury in a motorcycle accident and was partially paralyzed on the left side of his body. After several months of intensive physical therapy, during which undamaged brain areas slowly began to assume responsibility for his lost functions, he gradually regained the use of his left leg and arm. This example best illustrates the principle of:
A) structural plasticity.
B) cortical localization.
C) functional plasticity.
D) neurogenesis.

Accepted Answer

The principle of functional plasticity refers to the brain's ability to adapt and reorganize itself by transferring functions from damaged to undamaged brain areas. This is demonstrated in the example of Jake, as undamaged brain areas gradually assumed responsibility for his lost functions through physical therapy. Structural plasticity refers to changes in the physical structure of the brain, such as the growth of new neural connections, while cortical localization refers to the specific areas of the brain that are responsible for specific functions. Neurogenesis refers to the growth of new neurons in the brain. None of these principles fully capture the process described in the example of Jake's recovery.

Question 17

According to Focus on Neuroscience: Juggling and Brain Plasticity, a study investigating how long it takes for learning a new task to translate into changes in the brain detected tiny structural changes in the _____ after participants spent _____ playing a new video game.
A) hypothalamus; seven days
B) amygdala; three months
C) cerebellum; seven weeks
D) hippocampus; two hours

Accepted Answer

The study detected tiny structural changes in the hippocampus after participants spent two hours playing a new video game, indicating that learning a new task can translate into changes in the brain in a relatively short amount of time. Choices A, B, and C are incorrect because they either refer to different brain regions or longer timeframes than what was found in the study.

Question 18

German researchers conducted a study investigating what happens to the brain when we learn a new, challenging skill. Participants learned to juggle and then underwent MRI brain scans. What changes did the MRI scans reveal?
A) a 3 to 4 percent increase in gray matter in two brain regions involved in perceiving, remembering, and anticipating complex motions
B) a 3 to 4 percent increase in white matter in a brain region involved in language production and comprehension.
C) a 3 to 4 percent decrease in white matter in two brain regions involved in perceiving, remembering, and anticipating complex visual motions
D) There were no brain changes identifiable in the scans.

Accepted Answer

The MRI scans revealed a 3 to 4 percent increase in gray matter in two brain regions involved in perceiving, remembering, and anticipating complex motions.

Question 19

The brain's ability to shift functions from damaged to undamaged areas is called:
A) aphasia.
B) neurogenesis.
C) structural plasticity.
D) functional plasticity.

Accepted Answer

The term that refers to the brain's ability to shift functions from damaged to undamaged areas is functional plasticity. This is the process by which the brain is able to adapt and reorganize itself in response to injury or environmental changes. Structural plasticity refers to the physical changes that occur in the brain in response to these same factors. Aphasia refers to a language disorder that can result from brain damage, while neurogenesis is the process by which new neurons are generated in the brain.

Question 20

Neuroplasticity, or simply plasticity, refers to the brain's ability to:
A) generate new neurons.
B) change function and structure.
C) change structure but not function.
D) change function but not structure.

Accepted Answer

Neuroplasticity refers to the brain's ability to change both its function and structure based on experiences, learning, and environment. This means that the brain can form new neural connections, reorganize existing ones, and even create new neurons in response to different stimuli. Therefore, option A is partially correct, but plasticity is not only limited to generating new neurons. Option C is incorrect because plasticity impacts both structure and function, while option D is incorrect because changes in function are often accompanied by structural changes in the brain.

Quiz 2: Neuroscience and Behavior

The notion of structural plasticity:

In studies with primates, specifically adult macaque monkeys, psychologist Elizabeth Gould and her colleagues found evidence:

Functional plasticity:

Diffusion spectrum imaging tracks:

Diffusion spectrum imaging can produce three-dimensional images of the neural pathways that connect one part of the brain to another. These neural pathways, sometimes called tracts, are made up of:

At 70 years old, Alice decided to take up juggling. According to research described in a Focus on Neuroscience feature in Chapter 2, what kind of brain changes might result from Alice's new hobby?

A Focus on Neuroscience section in the text describes a research study involving participants who learned how to juggle. What was the purpose of the study?

A new brain-scanning technique called diffusion spectrum imaging allows neuroscientists to:

The brain's ability to physically change in response to learning, active practice, or environmental stimulation is called:

A Focus on Neuroscience section in the text describes a research study involving participants who learned how to juggle. What was the main conclusion of the research?

Which of the following best defines neurogenesis?

One of the Focus on Neuroscience sections in the text describes a study in which German neuroscientists studied people who learned to juggle. One of the findings of the study was that:

The brain's ability to change function and structure is referred to as:

Diffusion spectrum imaging can produce three-dimensional images of the neural pathways that connect one part of the brain to another. These neural pathways, made up of bundles of myelinated axons, are sometimes called:

According to Focus on Neuroscience: Juggling and Brain Plasticity, a study investigating how long it takes for learning a new task to translate into changes in the brain detected tiny structural changes in the _ after participants spent _ playing a new video game.

German researchers conducted a study investigating what happens to the brain when we learn a new, challenging skill. Participants learned to juggle and then underwent MRI brain scans. What changes did the MRI scans reveal?

The brain's ability to shift functions from damaged to undamaged areas is called:

Neuroplasticity, or simply plasticity, refers to the brain's ability to: