Neuroscience quizzes

the ventral horn in the spinal cord contains these neurons a. lower motor neurons b. upper motor neurons c. retinal ganglion cells d. all of the above

a. lower motor neurons

Astrocytes are critical for a large number of functions in the central nervous system. Which of the following is NOT a function of astrocytes? a. make cerebral spinal fluid b. release of chemical signals c. physical structural support d. repair of injury in the central nervous system

a. make cerebral spinal fluid

A diffuse network of midbrain cells known as the midbrain ______________ plays a central role in regulating states of consciousness a. reticular formation b. red nucleus c. locus coeruleus d. substantia nigra

a. reticular formation

Which brain structure has many "windows" into the blood-brain barrier, allowing for sampling of hormone levels. a. the hypothalamus b. the amygdala c. the hippocampus d. the thalamus

a. the hypothalamus

during an fMRI experiment, a participant views pictures of houses. which area lights up when pics are shown? a. the parahippocampal place region b. the primary motor cortex c. the fusiform face area d. primary auditory cortex

a. the parahippocampal place region

cones have high spatial resolution because they are connected to both a. their own bipolar cell and their own retinal ganglion cell b. the pupil and the iris c. rods and photons d. the lens and the retina

a. their own bipolar cell and their own retinal ganglion cell

If a single neuron fires rapidly when a person is looking at his cat, we can assume that a. this particular neuron is responsive to looking at this particular cat b. this particular neuron is responsive to looking at all animals c. only this particular neuron is responsive to cats d. this particular neuron is responsive to looking at all cats

a. this particular neuron is responsive to looking at this particular cat

Sensory neurons use _________, rather than single spikes, to encode stimuli a. time coding b. rate coding c. alternating coding d. spatial coding

b. rate coding

the activation-synthesis model proposes that dreams: a. are meaningless b. contain secret and important meanings c. can only help us solve problems if we believe they can d. are an evolutionary advantage

a. are meaningless

When you digest your lunch or your heart rate speeds up, you are using the _________ nervous system a. autonomic b. central c. automatic d. somatic

a. autonomic

if people reject a logically valid argument merely because the conclusion is difficult to accept, they are accepting: a. belief bias b. anchoring bias c. confirmation bias d. affect heuristic

a. belief bias

an action potential has just reached the axon terminal. what happens next? a. calcium channels open and calcium floods the terminal b. sodium is released into the synaptic cleft c. potassium channels open and potassium floods the cell d. neurotransmitter vesicles are absorbed back into the cell

a. calcium channels open and calcium floods the terminal

spider toxins, noxious gases, and even some cooing spices can cause pain. these are sensed by the a. chemical nociceptors b. mechanical nociceptors c. chemoreceptors d. thermal nociceptors

a. chemical nociceptors

A man believes that all foreigners are unintelligent. Seeking out websites with similar opinions and ignoring information that contradicts his opinion demonstrates which cognitive bias? a. confirmation bias b. affect heuristic c. belief bias d. availability heuristic

a. confirmation bias

A scientist wants to use a noninvasive technique to compare neural tracts between two groups of people. The scientist will likely use: a. diffusion tensor imaging b. CT scans c. microelectrodes d. microdialysis probes

a. diffusion tensor imaging

In the spinal cord, sensory input enters the _________ side and motor output exits the ________ side a. dorsal; ventral b. ipsilateral; contralateral c. rostral; caudal d. medial; lateral

a. dorsal; ventral

while taking a walk, your eyes focus on a passing car. Your eyes take this information and convert it into a. electrical signals b. perceptions c. axons d. chemical messengers

a. electrical signals

the golgi tendon organs keep your muscles from ___________. a. tearing b. over-contracting c. hurting after monitor exercise d. growing too fast

a. mechanoreceptors

an individual suffering from hemineglect will display the bizarre symptom of a. noticing objects and people only on one side of the body b. losing the ability to sing c. believing that their body is behaving as normal after an impairment d. believing that one of their body parts belongs to someone else

a. noticing objects and people only on one side of the body

schachter and singer's two-factor theory of emotion includes which two actors? a. physiological stimuli and situational context b. physiologial responses and feelings of an emotion c. situational context and physiological responses d. feelings of an emotion and physiological stimuli

a. physiological stimuli and situational context

After neurotransmitters have done their job, they are cleaned up, either by degradation, diffusion, or: a. reuptake b. transportation c. recalibration d. none of the above

a. reuptake

which neurotransmitter plays the larges role in emotion? a. serotonin b. GABA c. dopamine d. acetylcholine

a. serotonin

central pattern generators can be found in the a. spinal cord b. brain c. heart d. biceps

a. spinal cord

The _______ nervous system is activated when a predator approaches and we must prepare for fight or flight a. sympathetic b. parasympathetic c. central d. somatic

a. sympathetic

sensory transduction is the process of a. taking signals from the outside world and turning them into electrochemical signals b. reliving memories using sensory cortex c. converting perceptions into sensations d. converting perceptions into memories

a. taking signals and turning them into electrochemical signals

studies on anesthesia show that the _______ seems to be strongly connected with consciousness a. thalamus b. amygdala c. hypothalamus d. hippocampus

a. thalamus

When a region of the brain is activated during a task, we have established a __________ a. true b. correlational c. independent d. causal

b correlational

increased levels of SWS activity in specific regions of the brain indicate that: a. those areas are not involved in REM sleep b. learning is taking place in those regions c. not all of the brain is involved in sleep d. there may be damage in those regions

a. those areas are not involved in REM sleep

when would a doctor prescribe selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs)? a. low levels = depressed mood b. too high = depressed mood c. too low = manic mood d. too high = manic mood

a. too high = depressed mood

to follow the connections to and from a given neuron, scientists use chemical a. tracers b. tensors c. diffusors d. viruses

a. tracers

local field potential is the sum of electrical fields generated by neurons: a. within a given area b. perpendicular to the cortex c. that are approximately the same size d. found only in the prefrontal cortex

a. within a given area

If we assume local coding to be true, and your "older brother" cell died, what would happen? a. you might be unable to recognize your older brother b. a new "older brother" cell would grow in its place c. memories of your older brother would be transferred to other cells d. other cells would compensate for the loss of the "older brother" cell

a. you might be unable to recognize your older brother

an insect suddenly flying past your face and drawing your attention away from the television would be an example of a ______ shift in attention a. binocular b. bottom-up c. top-down d. monocular

b. bottom-up

Dorsal root neurons are connected to these divisions of the skin a. ruffini's endings b. dermatomes c. spindles d. mechanoreceptors

b. dermatomes

paying attention to a stimulus when cause stronger firing rates in particular neurons. this, in turn, will cause: a. change blindness b. larger networks of correlated activity c. unconsciousness d. a seizure

b. larger networks of correlated activity

if one starts to feel, and ceasing eating, we can assume that this protein was recently released a. insulin b. leptin c. cholecytokinin d. ghrelin

b. leptin

physial damage to the skin, such as a slap or cut, is sensed by the: a. mechanoreceptors b. mechanical nociceptors c. thermal nociceptors d. chemical nociceptors

b. mechanical nociceptors

A laboratory animal subject is displaying signs of increased levels of serotonin, a neurotransmitter. A neuroscintist may use _________ to sample the concentration of neurotransmitters directly from brain tissue. a. magnetoencephalography b. microdialysis probes c. electroencephalography d. voltammetry probes

b. microdialysis probes

what is the main source of serotonin in the CNS? a. neurons in the locus coeruleus b. neurons in the raphe nuclei c. the pituitary gland d. the substantia nigra and the ventral segmental area (VTA)

b. neurons in the raphe nuclei

The large cell whose main function is to wrap a layer of insulation around axons in the central nervous system is the a. node of ranvier b. oligodentrocyte c. astrocyte d. myelin sheath

b. oligodendrocyte

The action potential originates in the __________, which connects the soma to the axon a. cell body b. synaptic button c. axon hillock d. dendrite

b. soma

the mesolimbic pathway, which connects the ventral segmental areah (VTA) to the anterior cingulate cortex and the orbitofrontal cortex, is associated with a. thermoregulation and satiety b. stimulus evaluation and emotional regulation c. planning and cognition d. none of the above

b. stimulus evaluation and emotional regualtion

If, during a change detection experiment, the participant's brain is widely activated across multipule lobes, we can assume that a. the participant registered the change in stimulus, what was not conscious of change b. the participant registered the change in stimulus and was also conscious of the change c. the participant was not conscious of the change in stimulus, nor registered the change d. the participant was conscious of a change in stimulus, but did not register such a change

b. the participant was registered the change in stimulus and was also conscious of the change

A lesion study in the 1860s led to the discovery of the region of the brain linked to the production of language: a. the hippocampus b. the amygdala c. Broca's area d. the pons

c. Broca's area

Processing units called ensembles are comprised of a. a blockage in the brain b. two lobes of the brain c. two neurons d. large populations of neurons

d. large populations of neurons

measureing a _____ in an oddball paradigm would involve the use of a novel oddball thrown in amongst the usual oddballs a. central cue b. top-down mechanism c. bottom-up mechanism d. peripheral cue

c. bottom-up mechanism

the photoreceptors that are most sensitive to colors are a. rods b. retinas c. cones d. photons

c. cones

If one dreams during non-REM sleep, and is awoken while still in this stage, one usually: a. remembers vivid dreams, imaginative dreams b. feels afraid and even angry c. does not remember dreaming d. none of the above

c. does not remember dreaming

A neuroscientist want s to study how different regions of the brain respond to different images of spiders. The best method to use is: a. diffusion tensor imaging b. positron emission tomography (PET) c. functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) d. voxel-based morphometry

c. fMRI

increased attention occurs when there is synchronization at a. middle frequencies b. any frequency c. high frequencies d. low frequencies

c. high frequencies

changes in synchronization allow for changes in _____ across neurons a. location b. size c. information states d. frequency

c. information states

A person with epilepsy is undergoing surgery. A neuroscientist may impant ________ during the procedure in order to study the electrical activity of neurons a. voltammetry probes b. microdialysis probes c. microelectrodes c. glucose

c. microelectrodes

The ________ report on the length of the muscle and the speed of any stretching a. tendons b. mechanical nociceptors c. muscle spindles d. golgi tendon organs

c. muscle spindles

receptors that sense pain are referred to as a. chemoreceptors b. mechanoreceptors c. nociceptors d. thermoreceptors

c. nociceptors

the upper motor neurons are located in the a. medulla b. prefrontal cortex c. primary motor cortex d. spinal cord

c. primary motor cortex

A diffuse network of midbrain cells known as the midbrain ___ plays a central role in regulating states of consciousness a. red nucleus b. locus coeruleus c. reticular formation d. substantia nigra

c. reticular formation

once light enters the eye, information must pass from the eye to the brain. this information is passed by the a. amacrine cells b. horizontal cells c. retinal ganglion cells d. bipolar cells

c. retinal ganglion cells

synchronization is neurons in two distinct areas firing a. in sequence b. out of phase c. simultaneously d. alternatingly

c. simultaneously

this part of the brainstem is important for natural pain relief: a. the thalamus b. the prefrontal cortex c. the periaqueductal gray d. the insula

c. the periaqueductal gray

Which of the following abilities is not an emergent property of the brain? a. picking up the pieces b. turning your head to face a noise c. they are all emergent properties d. recalling a friend's name

c. they are all emergent properties

while ensembles of neurons are competing for attention to external cues, attention can still be directed by internal a. oddball stimuli b. central stimuli c. top-down mechanisms d. peripheral cues

c. top-down mechanisms

golgi staining and nissl staining are both methods of a. visualizing neurotransmitters b. blocking action potentials c. visualizing neurons d. creating neural spikes

c. visualizing neurons

If a child becomes blind in an accident, and many years later undergoes a cornea transplant, what should we expect to happen? a. the eyes will function normally and the brain will automatically begin to correctly process all visual input b. the eyes will not function normally, ant he brain will not be able to process visual input c. the eyes will not function normally, but the brain will be able to correctly process all visual input d. the eye

d. The eyes will not function normally, but the brain will be able to correctly process all visual input

when healthy volunteers have their brain stimulated with _________, they can experience involuntary movement of the left hand a. magnetoencephalography b. functioning magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) c. Positron emission tomography (PET) d. transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

d. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)

Feature selectivity is the term used for a. endogenous attention b. exogenous attention c. change blindness in experiments d. a neurons preference of certain specific stimuli over others

d. a neurons preference of certain specific stimuli over others

A sudden depolarizing voltage change in a neuron is known as a. an action potential b. a nerve impulse c. a spike d. all of the above

d. all of the above

According to the population view, any given neuron may a. recognize a variety of stimuli b. function as part of a coalition of neurons c. be a piece of many coalitions of neurons d. all of the above

d. all of the above

Continued neuroscience research has the potential for: a. developing more direct interfaces that allow for more seamless connections between our brain and external devices b. understanding the computational architecture of the brain at the microscopic scale of neural networks and interconnections c. developing tools that will help us stick to our resolutions and inhibit counterproductive impulses d. all of the above

d. all of the above

The somatosensory system is responsible for sensing a. body position b. the functioning of internal organs c. touch, temperature, and pain d. all of the above

d. all of the above

This area is involved in perceiving pain a. the amygdala b. the somatosensory cortex c. the thalamus d. all of the above

d. all of the above

the amygdala receives information about which sensory modality? a. audition b. olfaction c. vision d. all of the above

d. all of the above

what is a cognitive effect of sleep deprivation? a. impaired judgement b. memory lapses or loss c. the inability to concentrate on a task d. all of the above

d. all of the above

your chemoreceptors monitor the levels of _____ in the brain a. hydrogen b. oxygen c. nitrogen d. carbon dioxide

d. carbon dioxide

stimulation studies are useful because they can provide a _____ link between brain activity and function a. correlative b. negative c. positive d. causal

d. causal

one problem that arises in synesthesia is that signals cannot be a. used b. detected c. perceived d. differentiated

d. differentiated

One modern technique for identifying individual neurons within brain tissues requires inserting ____________ into the neurons so they will fluoresce under a specific color of light a. neurotransmitters b. somas c. nanomaterials d. genes

d. genes

The two basic building blocks of the nervous system are neurons and: a. dendrites b. neurotransmitters c. proteins d. glial cells

d. glial cells

internal drives are associated with which brain structure a. thalamus b. hippocampus c. amygdala d. hypothalamus

d. hypothalamus

Visceral motor neurons are the output neurons of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, sending control signals to the body a. skin b. cranial nerves c. muscles d. internal organs

d. internal organs

if there is a signal that we lack the receptor for, what happens when that signal is present in our environment? a. there are no signals we lack receptors for b. we can sense it using a combination of the available receptors c. we can sense it only if we are first aware that the signal is present d. nothing, we cannot sense it

d. nothing, we cannot sense it

the human eye transduces visible light through the use of a. retinal ganglion cells b. photons c. horizontal cells d. photoreceptors

d. photoreceptors

An excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) occurs when a. positively charged ions flow out of the neuron b. EPSP does not involve charged ions c. negatively charged ions flow in the neuron d. positively charged ions flow into the neuron

d. positively charged ions flow into the neuron

Neurotransmitter molecules are released by the presynaptic cells, then float through the synaptic cleft until they bind onto: a. synaptic vesicles b. amino acids c. transporters d. receptors

d. receptors

Confirming earlier findings by repeating the same experiment multiple times is called: a. statistics b. generalization c. peer review d. replication

d. replication

The photoreceptors that are most sensitive to light are a. cones b. retinas c. photons d. rods

d. rods

The main source of the neurotransmitter dopamine for the motor system is the: a. red nucleus b. locus coeruleus c. reticular formation d. substantia nigra

d. substantia nigra

Whether we say a neurotransmitter is excitatory or inhibitory depends on: a. how the neurotransmitter is cleaned up b. the type of neurotransmitter c. the charge of the neurotransmitter d. the action of the receptor the neurotransmitter binds to

d. the action of the receptor the neurotransmitter binds to

the central nucleus of the amygdala is critical in communication with which brain structure? a. the hippocampus b. the cortex c. the thalamus d. the hypothalamus

d. the hypothalamus

anosognosia is a. the inability to perceive differences in scent b. the combining of sensory signals c. loss of memory d. the lack of awareness about impairment

d. the lack of awareness about an impairment

this system is activated during REM, even more so than during the awake state a. the parasympathetic system b. the sympathetic system c. the arousal network d. the limbic system

d. the limbic system

damage to the posterior insula would most likely affect feeling a. disgusted b. anxious c. angry d. tired

d. tired