chapter 3: neuroscience and behavior

Ralph went into a psychology lab and had a magnet held over his skull. When the magnet was placed over a particular region, he was unable to speak. Ralph probably experienced:

TMS

Neurons _____ connected physically and communicate with each other at the _____.

are not; synapse

Monozygotic twins share _____ of their genes.

100%

As presented in the textbook chapter, there are _____ different types of neurons, each responsible for a different kind of function.

3

_____ prevent reuptake of norepinephrine and dopamine and increase the activation of their receptors; this means they are agonists.

Amphetamine and cocaine

Which brain area is involved in the production of language?

Broca's area

_____ refers to the fact that each hemisphere in the brain controls the functions of the opposite side of the body.

Contralateral control

A person who suffers from seizures because of too much glutamate might be prescribed a drug containing _____, because this type of neurotransmitter inhibits information transmission.

GABA

Who most likely suffered from a lower spinal cord injury? Melissa, who has to breathe with the help of a respirator Cory, who cannot move her arms or legs for a year Haley, whose legs are paralyzed but can move her arms Terri, who is a quadriplegic

Haley, whose legs are paralyzed but can move her arms

Which point about heritability is FALSE? Heritability tells nothing about an individual. [[Heritability only tells about a population, not a single individual. Heritability tells nothing about specific genes that contribute to a trait. Heritability is not fate. Heritability is not dependent on the environment.

Heritability is not dependent on the environment.

Which statement is false? Heritability is an abstract concept. Heritability is dependent on the environment. Heritability tells us which treatments will and won't work for particular people. Heritability is a population concept.

Heritability tells us which treatments will and won't work for particular people.

The specialization of neurons by location is exemplified by _____, which connect the cerebellum to the rest of the brain and spinal cord.

Purkinje cells

_____, which are found in the cerebral cortex, have a single, long dendrite and several smaller dendrites.

Pyramidal neurons

_____ delivers a magnetic pulse that deactivates neurons in the cerebral cortex for a short time.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

A person who has damage to _____ area would likely show problems understanding spoken instructions.

Wernicke's

Steve had a stroke and is now having difficulty understanding what others say to him, even though he can form coherent sentences. Based on this deficit, Steve's _____ area was likely damaged during the stroke.

Wernicke's

Harold had a stroke and is now having difficulty understanding what others say to him, even though he can form coherent sentences. Based on this deficit, Harold's _____ was likely damaged during the stroke.

Wernicke's area

An electroencephalograph (EEG) is:

a device used to record electrical activity in the brain.

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is:

a technique that can simulate brain damage.

Thomas is studying the heritability of schizophrenia and is hoping to find out which genes are involved in this disorder. Thomas will not find his answer by looking at heritability, because it is a(n) _____ concept.

abstract

Alex recently quit smoking. Now he has trouble concentrating at work and forgets simple things. What neurotransmitter is most likely causing Alex's symptoms?

acetylcholine (ACh)

Functional magnetic imaging (fMRI) directly measures the:

activity of oxygenated hemoglobin in the blood.

Cheryl is suffering from depression. Her doctor may give her an SSRI, which is a serotonin _____ that works to increase levels of this neurotransmitter in the synapse.

agonist

Cocaine, which prevents the reuptake of dopamine and thus results in more dopamine in the synapse, would be classified as a(n):

agonist

Drugs that increase the action of a neurotransmitter are called:

agonists.

The action potential is referred to as a(n) _____ event because stimulation below a threshold leads to no action potential and stimulation above it always produces one.

all or none

The myelinated sheath of an axon:

allows for the faster transmission of signals.

As part of the limbic system, the _____ attaches significance to previously neutral events that are associated with fear, punishment, or reward.

amygdala

The _____ is an area of the brain that plays a role in emotional processes and the formation of emotional memories.

amygdala

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI):

applies magnetic pulses to the brain and detecting twisting of molecules in the blood.

_____ are composed of neurons that help provide sense and meaning to information registered in various parts of the cortex.

association areas

Unlike the _____, people have voluntary control over the _____ .

autonomic nervous system; somatic nervous system

In one study, stimulation of the reticular formation in sleeping cats caused them to:

awaken immediately

The synapse is typically located between the ______ of the first (sending) neuron and the _______ of the second (receiving) neuron.

axon; dendrite

A person who can think about wanting to pick up a coffee mug, but who cannot actually initiate the movement, may have damage to a set of subcortical structures called the _____.

basal ganglia

_____ cells have a single axon and a single dendrite.

bipolar

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a technique that can simulate _____.

brain damage

If the neurotransmitter dopamine is released into the synapse, and the receiving dendrites have dopamine and serotonin receptors, the dopamine:

can bind only to the dopamine receptors.

The three basic parts of a neuron include the:

cell body, axon, and dendrites.

Compared to vertebrates, invertebrates lack a hierarchical organization of their:

central nervous system

compared to vertebrates, invertebrates lack a hierarchical organization of their:

central nervous systems.

The _____ has a wrinkled surface and is responsible for complex aspects of perception, emotion, and thought.

cerebral cortex

Which is NOT one of the functions that can be performed by a neuron in the human body? change the chemical structure of hormones in the endocrine system carry messages from the spinal cord to muscles to produce movement convey sensory information from the sensory organs to the brain communicate with other neurons

change the chemical structure of hormones in the endocrine system

Neurons are not connected physically and communicate _____with each other at the _____.

chemically; synapse

Neurons are not connected physically but communicate _____with each other at the _____.

chemically; synapse

_____ is a condition that is a form of progressive brain damage that can cause cognitive and emotional deficits and has been linked to repeated concussions. deficits in afflicted individuals, including inability to concentrate, memory loss, irritability, and depression, usually beginning within a decade after repeated concussions and worsening with time.

chronic traumatic encephalopathy

Neurons do all of the following EXCEPT: collect sensory input from the environment. send messages to the body. communicate with one another to process information. receive input from the body.

collect sensory input from the environment

The medulla is an extension of the spinal cord into the skull that:

controls heart rate, circulation, and respiration.

A split-brain procedure involves surgeons severing the _____ to alleviate the severity of seizures.

corpus collosum

Functional neuroimaging techniques, such as PET and fMRI, allow researchers to _____ brain activity in certain areas with particular behaviors.

correlate

Timmy is a split-brain patient and he is presented with a picture of a phone on the left side of a computer screen and a picture of a cake on the right side. If he were asked to say what object he saw on the left side of the screen, he:

could not verbalize that he saw anything

Michael Meaney's research with rats on the effect of having an affectionate mother (high LG) vs. a cold, unresponsive mother (low LG) found that those adults who had low LG mothers;

decreased serotonin in the hippocampus which reduced the stress response.

The _____ receives information from other neurons, and the _____ sends that information on to the next neuron.

dendrite; axon

The first stage of communication between neurons consists of a(n) _____ signal down the axon, and the second stage consists of a(n) _____ signal across the synapse.

electrical; chemical

Heritability depends upon the _____; this means that certain genetic influences occur in specific contexts.

environment

Joanne and Margie are investigating single neurons in the primary visual cortex of mice and have found a neuron that responds only to a circular shape. They have identified a(n):

feature detector neuron

Henry is extremely skilled at mathematics and can perform very complex calculations in his head. His _____ is the area of the brain that allows Henry to do this.

forebrain

Which demonstrates the appropriate order of forebrain development from the least to the most complex?

frogs, birds, cats, humans

The _____ lobe is responsible for movement, abstract thinking, and planning.

frontal

A heritability score of 0 means that _____ account(s) for none of the differences in a particular trait. in a population rather than abilities within an individual.

genes

The myelin sheath is composed of:

glial cells

_____ is/are an excitatory neurotransmitter that enhance(s) transmission of information throughout the brain.

glutamate

The main focus of the nervous system is to:

have nerve fibers pass information throughout the body.

A spinal injury that occurs _____ typically predicts more severe loss of abilities.

higher on the spine

Which major area of the brain deals with information coming in from and going out through the spinal cord?

hindbrain

The brain can be organized into areas that perform simple functions and areas that perform complex functions. Which answer choice begins with the area that is most simple in its functions and ends with the area that is most complex in its functions?

hindbrain, midbrain, forebrain, cerebral cortex

Patients with amnesia who cannot form new memories usually have damage to the:

hippocampus.

Carl Wernicke's patient had damage to an area in the upper-left temporal lobe and showed: critical to producing and understanding language.

impairments in language comprehension but not speech production

Which is NOT caused by the parasympathetic nervous system? decreased sweating activates digestive system increased respiration slowed heart rate

increased respiration

Heritability scores between 0 and 1.00 indicate the:

interaction between genetics and the environment in producing a particular trait.

The President's Commission for the Study of Ethical Problems in Medicine and Biomedical and Behavioral Research defined brain death as:

irreversible loss of all functions of the brain.

When an action potential travels down an axon, it _____ from node to node, rather than traveling the entire axon.

jumps

An electroencephalogram is a beneficial tool for:

linking brain structures and regions to particular behavior responses.

_____ acts both as an agonist and as an antagonist to alter neurotransmitters that affect perception and interpretation of visual images.

methamphetamine

_____ affects dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine, influencing the systems that help people perceive visual images.

methaphetamine

Which major area of the brain deals with orienting a person toward or away from pleasurable or threatening stimuli?

mid brain

Research has shown that when certain groups of animals observe another engaging in a particular behavior, some of the same neurons also become active in the observer animal. This is due to the action of _____ neurons.

mirror

____ are activated when watching another animal's behavior and are involved in social behavior.

mirror neurons

Norepinephrine and serotonin are both involved in the regulation of:

mood and arousal

Which has been related to low levels of norepinephrine?

mood disorders

The tegmentum is the portion of the midbrain responsible for:

movement and arousal

Beta-blockers, which are antagonists for norepinephrine, are prescribed for all of the following EXCEPT: movement disorders. reducing agitation. excessive nervousness. racing heart.

movement disorders

The _____ forms the basis of the spinal cord in prenatal development.

neural tube

The _____ is the structure formed when the embryo forms a ridge and folds together to close the groove; it eventually became the basis of the spinal cord.

neural tube

_____ are among the billions of cells in the human brain that process information, resulting in cognitive processes and behaviors.

neurons

Cajal was the first to note that:

neurons could communicate with each other.

Chemicals that pass information across the tiny gap between neurons are called:

neurotransmitters

Beta-blockers are antagonists that block the effects of the neurotransmitter:

nonepinephrine

Beta blocker drugs prevent the action of _____ in the heart, resulting in a slower heart rate.

norepinephrine

Beta-blockers are antagonists that block the effects of the neurotransmitter _____.

norepinephrine

The area of the midbrain called the tectum:

orients organism to environment

Low levels of dopamine have been linked to:

parkinsons

The _____ of the brain refers to how it develops within a particular species.

phylogeny

Nancy recently had a new baby, and is having difficulty in breastfeeding. When she visits the doctor to find out the problem, her doctor tells her that her _____ is not releasing enough of the hormone oxytocin.

pituitary gland

The brain is remarkably adaptive and the functions of areas that are damaged may be taken over by other areas of the brain. This phenomenon is known as _____.

plasticity

When the neuron is at the resting potential, there is a high concentration of _____ ions inside the cell membrane and a high concentration of _____ ions outside the cell membrane.

potassium (K+); sodium (NA+)

All of a person's thoughts, feelings, and behaviors spring from neurons, which:

process information and produce output.

Cardiovascular exercise affects brain structures in nonhuman animals by:

promoting neuron growth and increased synaptic connections in the hippocampus.

In order, the three steps for information processing in a neuron are _____, coordinating, and transmitting.

receiving

In order for a neurotransmitter to affect surrounding neurons, the molecular structure of the neurotransmitter must fit into the _____ like a key fits into a lock.

receptor

The part of a neuron that is stimulated by a neurotransmitter into initiating or preventing a new electrical signal is called a(n):

receptor

The typical sequence of events for neuronal activity is:

resting potential, action potential, refractory period.

The basal ganglia are a set of subcortical structures involved in:

the direction of intentional movement.

The retina of the eye contains receptors that respond to different wavelengths of light, which allows humans to see different colors. These receptors connect to _____, which then send this signal to the brain.

sensory neurons

in order to process information from the external world, _____ receive input from the body and transfer the information to the brain through the spinal cord.

sensory neurons

The three major types of neurons include:

sensory neurons, motor neurons, and interneurons.

Prozac and other antidepressant drugs work on the _____ system.

serotonin

Suzanne has been having difficulty falling asleep and waking in the morning. She has also noticed that her appetite has changed and that she has become somewhat more aggressive. What neurotransmitter is MOST likely involved in Suzanne's symptoms

serotonin

Suzanne has been having difficulty falling asleep and waking up in the morning. She has also noticed that her appetite has changed and that she has become somewhat more aggressive. What neurotransmitter is MOST likely involved in Suzanne's symptoms?

serotonin

Generally, _____ functions are performed at "lower" levels of the brain and _____ functions are performed at "higher" levels.

simpler; complex

The _____ is the part of the neuron responsible for coordinating information-processing tasks.

soma

The homunculus shown in the book illustrates how much of the _____ is devoted to each area of the body.

somatosensory cortex

In neuroimaging research performed with those who are in a persistent vegetative state, it was discovered that;

some seemed to show signs of intentional mental activity.

_____ of neurons occurs because the brain must process a wide variety of types of information.

specialization

The ______ branches down from the brain and allows messages to be sent to different parts of the body.

spinal chord

_____ studies revealed that certain tasks and behaviors seem to be localized to either the left or right hemisphere.

split-brain

The benefit of using _____ brain imaging techniques is that they allow researchers to produce static pictures of the brain that help locate damaged areas.

structural

The _____ is/are the area(s) of the forebrain below the cerebral cortex, near the center of the brain.

subcortical structures

If the human autonomic nervous system was compared to a car, the _____ nervous system functions like the car's accelerator, and the _____ nervous system functions like the car's brake.

sympathetic; parasympathetic

The thalamus receives information from the sensory systems, including:

taste, vision, touch, and sound.

The portion of the midbrain responsible for movement and arousal is the:

tegmentum

A stroke or other damage in the _______ lobes can lead to deficits in hearing and language.

temporal

Ceclia recently was in a car accident and afterward developed an inability to produce language. She most likely suffered damage to her _____ lobe.

temporal lobe

The _____ relays and filters information from the senses and transmits the information to the cerebral cortex.

thalamus

which parts make up the major components of the peripheral nervous system?

the autonomic and somatic nervous systems

The synapse is a small gap between neurons where information from:

the axon of one neuron is sent to the dendrite of another neuron.

Which area of the brain controls the most basic functions of life?

the hind brain

Which part of the brain forms first in prenatal development?

the hindbrain

Which two portions of the central nervous system are absolutely essential to survival.? coming into and out of the spinal cord.

the hindbrain and the midbrain

Damage to this area of the brain can be deadly as this structure controls heart rate, respiration, and circulation.

the medulla

Vijay has problems orienting to sounds. For example, he cannot tell which direction music is coming from, either the television or the stereo. What area of his central nervous system is likely malfunctioning?

the midbrain

Information that is received on the left side of the body is processed in _____ of the brain.

the right hemisphere

Olu is hiking in the woods when he comes across a bear. What part of the nervous system is coordinating his body as he decides whether he should run away or stay and fight?

the sympathetic nervous system

If the dendrites of a neuron can be compared to a telephone receiver, then the axon can be compared to:

the telephone line

A split-brain patient is shown a picture of a dog on the left side of a computer screen and a picture of a tree on the right side of a computer screen. When asked to say what object he saw he will report tree and when asked to use his right hand to draw the object he saw he will draw a picture of a

tree

A split-brain patient is shown a picture of a dog on the left side of a computer screen and a picture of a tree on the right side of a computer screen. When asked to say what object he saw, he will report _____ and when asked to use his right hand to draw the object he saw, he will draw a picture of a _____ .

tree; tree

The _____ brain is hierarchically organized, while the invertebrate brain is not.

vertebrate