Chapter 2: Biological Foundations of Behavior

Shalanda's daughter touches her hand. Sensory receptors in Shalanda's skin transmit information about this sensation to Shalanda's spinal cord and brain. Which type of neuron is responsible for this process?

Afferent

Which of the following situations is the type of physical functioning primarily influenced by the parasympathetic nervous system?​

Betty meditates and visualizes positive outcomes every morning upon awakening.

Shelley drinks two caffeinated grande lattes every morning. In terms of neurotransmission, what is happening in Shelley's body?​

Caffeine in the coffee serves as an agonist that increases the availability of glutamate.

During his first three years of life, Jason has developed many motor skills like crawling, walking, and running that require his muscles to move efficiently and smoothly. In terms of brain function, Jason's motor development is the result of which process?​

Development of the myelin sheath

Regarding the organization of the cerebral cortex and cerebrum, which of the following statements is FALSE?​

The cerebral cortex is divided into four parts, with the occipital and parietal lobes in the right hemisphere and the frontal and temporal lobes in the left hemisphere.

Regarding the frontal cortex, which of the following statements is FALSE?​

The frontal lobes contain the motor cortex and the somatosensory cortex.

Regarding the nervous system, which of the following statements is FALSE?

There are more neurons than glial cells in the nervous system.

Which of the following is NOT true of action potentials?​

They all travel at the same speed.

During the past hour, nine-month-old Heather has engaged in each of the following actions. Which action was NOT controlled by her medulla?​

Wind caused her mobile to move, and she smiled.

hippocampus

a neural center located in the limbic system that helps process explicit memories for storage.

hypothalamus

a neural structure lying below the thalamus; directs eating, drinking, body temperature; helps govern the endocrine system via the pituitary gland, and is linked to emotion

Broca's area

area of the left frontal lobe involved in speech

Wernicke's area

area of the left temporal lobe involved in processing written and spoken language

frontal lobe

areas of the cortex associated with movement, the sense of self, and higher mental functions

gene

areas that are specific on a strand of DNA that carry hereditary information

basal ganglia

assemblage of neurons lying in the forebrain that is important in controlling movement and coordination

Which part of the brain is best described as responsible for piecing together sensory input to form meaningful perceptions of the world?

association areas

Which part of a neuron may range in size from a few thousandths of an inch to several feet long?​

axon

Which is a cluster of nerve cells that can be described as playing a key role in regulating voluntary movement such as walking?​

basal ganglia

plasticity of the brain

brain's ability to adapt and reorganize itself following trauma or surgical alteration

sympathetic nervous system

branch of the autonomic nervous system that accelerates bodily processes and releases stores of energy needed to meet increased physical demands

parasympathetic nervous system

branch of the autonomic nervous system that regulates bodily processes, such as digestion, that replenish stores of energy

soma

cell body of a neuron that contains the nucleus of the cell and carries out the cell's metabolic functions

glial cells

cells found throughout the nervous system that provide various types of support for neurons

The fact that alcohol often causes problems with balance and coordination suggests that it may have an effect on the​

cerebellum

action potential

change that is brief in a neuron's electrical charge, or neural impulse

neurotransmitters

chemical messengers that transport nerve impulses from one nerve cell to another

fraternal twins

conceived from two separate eggs

Which brain structure is described as the connection between the two cerebral hemispheres?​

corpus callosum

Actor Michael J. Fox and boxing great Muhammad Ali have a disease that leads to progressive loss of their motor functioning. This condition results from a shortage of​

d

identical twins

develop from a single egg

EEG (electroencephalograph)

device that records electrical activity in the brain

antagonists

drugs that block the actions of neurotransmitters by occupying the receptor sites in which the neurotransmitters dock

agonists

drugs that either increase the availability or effectiveness of neurotransmitters or mimic their actions

glutamate

excitatory neurotransmitter that keeps the central nervous system aroused

limbic system

formation of structures in the forebrain that includes the hippocampus, amygdala, and parts of the thalamus and hypothalamus

all-or-none principle

foundation stating once a neuron begins firing an action potential, it fires all down axon

cerebral cortex lobes

frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal

when a neuron is at rest

greater concentration of sodium ions remains outside the nerve cell

epinephrine and norepinephrine

help prepare the body to deal with stress by speeding up bodily processes, such as heart rate and respiration rate

gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)

helps regulate nervous system activity by preventing neurons from overly exciting their neighbors

Dr. Williamson conducts research examining the effects of electrical stimulation in certain parts of the brain. Dr. Williamson has found that stimulation of this part of the brain in laboratory rats will result in changes to the rats' mating, eating, and socialization behaviors. Based on this description, which part of the brain is Dr. Williamson most likely to be studying?​

hypothalamus

Your heartbeat, digestion, and pupil contractions are ______ processes regulated by the ______ nervous system.​

involuntary; autonomic

forebrain

largest and most complicated region of the brain, including the thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system, and cerebrum

cerebrum

largest mass of the forebrain, consisting of two cerebral hemispheres

myelin sheath

layer of protective insulation that covers the axons of certain neurons and helps speed transmission of nerve impulses

hindbrain

lowest and, in evolutionary terms, oldest part of the brain; includes the medulla, pons, and cerebellum

excitatory effect

make an action potential more likely to occur

brain

mass of nerve tissue encased in the skull that controls virtually everything we are and everything we do

endorphins

natural chemicals released in the brain that have painkilling and pleasure-inducing effects

neurons

nerve cells

interneurons

nerve cells within the central nervous system that process information

efferent neurons (motor neurons)

neurons that convey nerve impulses from the central nervous system to muscles and glands

afferent neurons (sensory neurons)

neurons that transmit information from sensory organs, muscles, and inner organs to the spinal cord and brain

dopamine

neurotransmitter involved in controlling muscle contractions and in psychological processes involving learning, memory, and emotions

In neural communication, ______ is to key as ______ is to lock.​

neurotransmitter; receptor site

Although nerve cells don't actually touch each other, they communicate by means of

neurotransmitters that carry the neural impulse across the synapse

Approximately how thick is your cerebral cortex?

one-eighth inch

amygdala

part of the limbic system associated with emotional processing

peripheral nervous system (PNS)

part of the nervous system that connects the spinal cord and brain with the sensory organs, muscles, and glands

central nervous system

part of the nervous system that consists of the brain and spinal cord; controls bodily processes and enables higher mental functions, such as thinking, problem solving, and reasoning

somatosensory cortex

part of the parietal lobe that processes information about touch and pressure on the skin, as well as the position of the parts of our bodies as we move about

autonomic nervous system (ANS)

part of the peripheral nervous system that automatically regulates involuntary bodily processes, such as breathing, heart rate, and digestion

somatic nervous system

part of the peripheral nervous system that transmits information between the central nervous system and the sensory organs and muscles; also controls voluntary movements

temporal lobes

parts of the cerebral cortex lying beneath and somewhat behind the frontal lobes that are involved in processing auditory stimuli

occipital lobes

parts of the cerebral cortex, located at the back of both cerebral hemispheres, that process visual stimuli

frontal lobes

parts of the cerebral cortex, located at the front of the cerebral hemispheres, that are considered the "executive center" of the brain because of their role in higher mental functions

parietal lobes

parts of the cerebral cortex, located on the side of each cerebral hemisphere, that process bodily sensations

Trina has recently been having trouble staying awake throughout the day. Which area of Trina's brain is related to her difficulty?​

pons

inhibitory effect

put the brakes on an action potential, making it less likely to occur

motor cortex

region of the frontal lobes involved in regulating voluntary body movement

association areas

regions of cortex involved in connection or integration of sensory information, higher mental functions

serotonin

regulate mood states, feeling full after meals, and sleep

pons

relays sensory information to the cerebral cortex and helps regulate states of sleep and wakefulness

reflex

response to a stimulus that is innate and automatic

cerebral cortex

responsible for processing sensory information, for higher mental functions such as thought, problem solving, and language, and for controlling voluntary movement, among other functions

dendrites

rootlike structures at the end of axons that receive neural impulses from neighboring neurons

receptor site

site on the receiving neuron in which neurotransmitters dock

synapse

small fluid-filled gap between neurons through which neurotransmitters carry neural impulses

lateralization

specialization of the right and left cerebral hemispheres for particular functions

right hemisphere

specialized for spatial processing and other nonverbal tasks

left hemisphere

specialized for use of language and logical analysis

homeostasis

state of body equilibrium that is steady

thalamus

structure in the forebrain that serves as a relay station for sensory information and that plays a key role in regulating states of wakefulness and sleep

cerebellum

structure in the hindbrain involved in controlling coordination and balance

medulla

structure in the hindbrain involved in regulating basic life functions, such as heartbeat and respiration

midbrain

structure of the brain that connects the hindbrain with the forebrain

chromosome

structures that are rodlike in the cell nucleus that house an individual's genes

hormone

substances of a chemical nature that are released by the endocrine glands

terminal buttons

swellings at the tips of axons from which neurotransmitters are dispatched into the synapse

endocrine system

system of glands responsible for the release of hormones directly into the bloodstream

PET (positron emission tomography) scan

technique of imaging that measures metabolic activity to provide high-resolution images of brain functioning

functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

technique of imaging that records activity levels in various areas of the brain

The part of the nervous system that enables you to make sense of the world around you is the​

the central nervous system.

The peripheral nervous system is comprised of​

the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system.

Which part of the nervous system triggers changes that prepare the body to cope with stress?

the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system

corpus callosum

thick bundle of nerve fibers that connects the two cerebral hemispheres

axon

tubelike part of a neuron that carries messages away from the cell body toward other neurons

reticular formation

weblike formation of neurons involved in regulating states of attention, alertness, and arousal