Biological Psychology Exam 2

Parvocellular cells responds strongly to moving stimuli and large overall patterns.

False

A complex cell responds to a pattern of light in a particular orientation.

True

Diaschisis refers to the decreased activity of surviving neurons after damage to other neurons.

True

Epigenentics deals with how experiences can alter the expression of genes.

True

Simple cells are found exclusively in the primary visual cortex.

True

On given trait, high heritability suggest that ____. a. Adopted children will closely resemble their biological parents. b. Adopted children will closely resemble their adoptive parents. c. Identical twins will be less similar to each other than adopted siblings. d. Fraternal twins will be more similar to each other than identical twins.

a. Adopted children will closely resemble their biological parents.

The areas of the cortex used by expert video game players are most likely to ______ than the same cortical areas of those who do not play video games. a. Be thicker b. Have smaller, but a greater number of neurons c. Have faster action potentials d. Be more resistance to transcortical stimulation

a. Be thicker

The name of the point at which the optic nerve leaves the retina is called the _________. a. Blind spot b. Fovea c. Optic Chiasm d. Ganglion

a. Blind spot

Chromosomes consist of large, double-stranded molecules of __________. a. Deoxyribonucleic acid b. Ribonucleic acid c. Autosomal genes d. Recombination genes

a. Deoxyribonucleic acid

Which factor appears to be particularly important for branching of neurons during brain development? a. Engaging in physical activity b. Playing logic games c. Having good teachers d. Having a sterile environment

a. Engaging in physical activity

A person with two recessive genes is considered to be _________ for that trait. a. Homozygous b. Hterozygous c. Unitary d. Marginal

a. Homozygous

In the vertebrate retina, which cells are responsible for lateral inhibition? a. Horizontal cells b. Ganglion cells c. Bipolar cells d. Glial cells

a. Horizontal cells

Apoptosis ______. a. Is a programmed mechanism of cell death. b. Promotes the survival and growth of the axon. c. Promotes the survival and growth of dendrites. d. Promotes the activity of neurons.

a. Is a programmed mechanism of cell death.

Daryl is studying for a quiz on the visual system. He records in his notes that axons from the project to the ______ of the cerebral cortex. a. LGN; occipital lobe b. V1; occipital c. V1; parietal d. LGN; parietal

a. LGN; occipital lobe

As a human, Lino is really good at detecting motion. This is because of his ________. a. Magnocellular neurons in the periphery b. Parvocellular neurons tightly packed in the periphery c. No cones in the periphery d. The strength of the eye muscles

a. Magnocellular neurons in the periphery

The Iris of the eye is basically a _________. a. Muscle b. Lens c. Bundle of axons d. Part of the retina

a. Muscle

The ability of the brain to change its anatomy over time, within limits, is known as ______: a. Plasticity b. Regression c. Connectivity d. Long term potentiation

a. Plasticity

Nerve growth factor (NGF) _______: a. Promotes the survival and growth of the axon. b. Is a fuel metabolized by neurons. c. Promotes programmed cell death. d. Is a hormone first released at puberty.

a. Promotes the survival and growth of the axon.

In the human retina, messages go from receptors at the back of the eye to ________. a. Retina cells b. Bipolar cells c. Ganglion cells d. Spiny cells

b. Bipolar cells

Chemically, what is the route from genes to their expression? a. DNA to proteins to RNA b. DNA to RNA to proteins c. Proteins to DNA to RNA d. RNA to DNA to proteins

b. DNA to RNA to proteins

If you want to see something in fine detail, you should focus the light on which part of your retina? a. Optic nerve b. Fovea c. Area containing mostly rods d. Cornea

b. Fovea

Proteins called _______ bind DNA into a shape that is more likely string wound around a ball. a. Enzymes b. Histones c. Esters d. Acetyl groups

b. Histones

Why is it that all neurons in a health adult brain have made appropriate connections? a. Chemical messages from our muscles tell our brain how many neurons to form. b. If an axon does not make the appropriate connections by a certain age, it dies. c. We are born with all connections formed. d. Connections form rapidly, but we learn to use whatever connections have formed.

b. If an axon does not make the appropriate connections by a certain age, it dies.

Necrosis _______. a. Is a programmed mechanism of cell death. b. Is cell death caused by an injury or a toxic substance. c. Promotes the survival and growth of dendrites. d. Promotes the activity of neurons.

b. Is cell death caused by an injury or a toxic substance.

Which event is the most common cause of a stroke? a. Lack of glucose b. Ischemia from an obstruction of an artery c. Hemorrhage of an artery d. Blow to the head

b. Ischemia from an obstruction of an artery

Which statement is TRUE with regards to peripheral vision? a. It is very sensitive to detail. b. It is easier to recognize single objects in the periphery that are not surrounded by other objects. c. It is not very sensitive to light. d. It is most sensitive to color, which helps to differentiate multiple objects clearly.

b. It is easier to recognize single objects in the periphery that are not surrounded by other objects.

_______ cells proliferate after a stroke. a. Penumbra b. Microglia c. Ischemia d. Cancer

b. Microglia

A synonymous term for an antipsychotic medication is a _________. a. Antihistamine b. Neuroleptic c. SSRI d. Antidepressant

b. Neuroleptic

The area of the brain that loses the most cells during an individuals teen years is the _______. a. Frontal cortex b. Prefrontal cortex c. Visual cortex d. Auditory cortex

b. Prefrontal cortex

A trait not expressed when combined with a dominant trait is called a(n) __________ trait. a. Nurture b. Recessive c. Dominant d. Homozygous

b. Recessive

The primary visual cortex is also known as the _________. a. Lateral geniculate nucleus b. Striate cortex c. Area V2 d. Parvocellular area

b. Striate cortex

Which of the following best characterizes how axons arrive at the correct target cells? a. They follow electrical gradients. b. They follow chemical gradients from the target cell. c. Axons send out chemicals to the target cells. d. Target cells send out branches for the axons to follow.

b. They follow chemical gradients from the target cell.

According to the Young-Helmholtz theory, what is the basis for color vision? a. A different receptor for each color. b. Three kinds of cones. c. A single receptor that produces different responses for each color. d. The combined influences of rods and cones

b. Three kinds of cones.

Various types of ______ cells refine the input to ganglion cells, enabling the to respond specifically to shapes, movement, or other visual features. a. Receptors b. Geniculate cells c. Amacrine cells d. Optic nerves

c. Amacrine cells

In comparison to cones, rods _________. a. Are more common toward the center of the retina b. Are more sensitive to detail c. Are more sensitive to dim light d. Reach their peak firing levels slowly

c. Are more sensitive to dim light

An axon that does not receive enough neurotrophins from a target cell will _______: a. Branch out and form other synapses on other cells. b. Manufacture its own neurotrophins. c. Degenerate and die. d. Fail to reabsorb transmitters that have already been released.

c. Degenerate and die

Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors elevate the levels of ________ and __________. a. Norepinephrine and epinephrine. b. Norepinephrine and serotonin. c. Dopamine and lithium. d. They do not inhibit

c. Dopamine and lithium

Suppose "A" is a dominant gene for the ability to taste phenylthiocarbamide and "a" is a recessive gene for the inability to taste it. Which couples could possibly have both a child who tastes it and a child who does not? a. Father AA, mother aa b. Father Aa, mother AA c. Father Aa, mother Aa d. Father AA, mother AA

c. Father Aa, mother Aa

Complete recovery of the auditory and visual surgeries are statistically more successful with Children, _________. a. Only in toddlers b. Only in comparison to the elderly c. Is a true statement d. Is not true, the recover the same

c. Is a true statement

After you stare at a bright green object for a minute and look away, you see red. Which theory attempts to explain this finding? a. Young-Helmholtz theory b. Trichromatic theory c. Opponent-process theory d. Color-constancy theory

c. Opponent-process Theory

_______ are chemicals that release energy when struck by light. a. Phototransmitters b. Photosins c. Photopigments d. Photo ions

c. Photopigments

The receptive field of a receptor is the ________. a. Point at which the optic nerve exits the retina. b. Axon hillock c. Point in space from which light strikes the receptor d. Point where light shines on, and excites, the visual cortex.

c. Point in space from which light strikes the receptor

Light enters the eye through an opening in the center of the iris called the __________: a. Retina b. Cornea c. Pupil d. Macula

c. Pupil

Brain cells that are neither neurons nor glia, but which are capable of dividing and then differentiating into neurons or glia, are called __________: a. Parallel fibers b. Intrinsic cells c. Stem cells d. Simple cells

c. Stem cells

In general, biologists who speak of sex-linked genes are typically referring to genes on ______. a. Autosomal chromosomes b. More than one chromosome c. The X chromosome d. The Y chromosome

c. The X chromosome

Examination of cortical regions of professional musicians is associated with _________. a. Small cortical regions b. Larger thalami c. Widespread changes in the somatosensory cortex d. Focal hand dystonia

c. Widespread changes in the somatosensory cortex

A husband and wife both carry a dominant gene for brown eye color (B) and a recessive gene for blue eye color (b). That is, they both carry the combination (B, b). If eye color were determined solely by this gene which outcome would produce a blue-eyed child? a. (B,b) b. (b,B) c. (B,B) d. (b,b)

d. (b,b)

If some of the axons innervating a given cell are destroyed or if they become inactive, what compensatory process takes place in the remaining presynaptic cells? a. Activation of previously silent synapses . b. Removal of toxins c. Denervation supersensitivity d. Collateral sprouting

d. Collateral sprouting

Heightened sensitivity to a neurotransmitter after the destruction of an incoming axon is known as _________: a. Axon supersensitivity b. Disuse supersensitivity c. Enervation supersensitivity d. Denervation supersensitivity

d. Denervation supersensitivity

In foveal vision, ________. a. Each ganglion cell excited by many receptors b. Ganglion cells respond poorly to color vision c. Ganglion cells respond well to dim light d. Each ganglion cell is excited by a single cone

d. Each ganglion cell is excited by a single cone

____________. Deal with how experiences can alter the expression of genes. a. Behavioral epidemiology b. Genetic psychology c. Behavioral genetics d. Epigenetics

d. Epigenetics

The field of epigenetics deals with how ______: a. Reproductive fitness can be altered b. Spontaneous mutations occur c. Genes determine behavior d. Experiences can turn genes on or off

d. Experiences can turn genes on or off.

Bipolar cells send their messages to ________, which are located close to the center of the eye. a. Spiny cells b. Cornea cells c. Bipolar cells d. Ganglion cells

d. Ganglion cells

The optic nerve is composed of axons from which kind of cell? a. Rods and cones b. Bipolar cells c. Horizontal cells d. Ganglion cells

d. Ganglion cells

Alcohol suppresses the release of _______, the brain's main excitatory transmitter. a. 5-HT b. DA c. GABA d. Glutamate

d. Glutamate

If most of the axons that transmit dopamine to some brain area die or become inactive, the remaining dopamine synapses become: a. Less responsive b. Less easily stimulated c. More resistant d. More responsive

d. More responsive

_________ steer new axonal branches and synapses in the right direction. a. Chemokines b. Immunoglobulin c. Glia d. Neurotrophins

d. Neurotrophins

__________ modify the ________ sensitivity to different wavelengths of light. a. Retinol; photopigments b. Opsins; retinol c. Photopigments; opsins d. Opsins; photopigments

d. Opsins; photopigments

According to the trichromatic theory of color vision, the most important factor in determining the color we see is the _____. a. Velocity of the action potential. b. Absolute activity of a single cone. c. Difference between cone and rod activity. d. Relative activity of short, medium, and long wavelengths.

d. Relative activity of short, medium, and long wavelengths.

Research on laboratory animals indicates that cannabinoids are most effective if taken ________: a. As soon as the stroke occurs. b. Within 20 minutes of the stroke. c. Steadily for one month. d. Shortly before the stroke.

d. Shortly before the stroke.

The lateral geniculate nucleus is part of the ______. a. Cerebral cortex b. Superior Colliculus c. Inferior Colliculus d. Thalamus

d. Thalamus