Biopsychology Review questions

Stimulation of the sympathetic nervous system most frequently results in which of the following? A. acceleration of heart and breathing rates and dilation of pupils B. stimulation of tearing, salivation, and peristalsis C. calming of the body D. contraction of the muscles of the hands and feet E. raising the perceptual threshold of olfactory and gustatory receptors

A. acceleration of heart and breathing rates and dilation of pupils

An individual was admitted to the hospital after experiencing a mild tingling on the right side of the face and a sudden inability to speak. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a doctor would likely find A. an abnormality in the brain tissue of the left hemisphere B. an increase in brain activity in the left frontal lobe C. an increase in blood flow to the right hemisphere D. an abnormal growth in the right frontal lobe E. a pattern of red and yellow highlighting activity in Broca's area

A. an abnormality in the brain tissue of the left hemisphere

Which of the following is the correct sequence of the neural chain of events set in motions by an environmental stimulus? A. receptors, afferent neurons, interneurons, efferent neurons, effectors B. receptors, efferent neurons, interneurons, afferent neurons, effectors C. interneurons, effectors, receptors, afferent neurons, efferent neurons D. effectors, interneurons, receptors, afferent neurons, efferent neurons E. effectors, receptors, afferent neurons, efferent neurons, interneurons

A. receptors, afferent neurons, interneurons, efferent neurons, effectors

Which of the following is true of a neuron in the resting state? A. the inside of the cell membrane is negative compared to the outside B. the outside of the cell membrane is negative compared to the inside C. the concentration of sodium ions is equal inside and outside of the cell membrane D. both the sodium and the potassium channels are open E. the neuron is not polarized

A. the inside of the cell membrane is negative compared to the outside

Curare blocks action at acetylcholine synapses and causes paralysis. This drug is an example of

Antagonist

Which of the following neurotransmitters has been linked to Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia? A. acetylcholine B. dopamine C. GABA D. norepinephrine E. serotonin

B. dopamine

Which of the following systems produces, circulates, and regulates levels of hormones in the body? A. circulatory system B. endocrine system C. limbic system D. sympathetic nervous system E. parasympathetic nervous system

B. endocrine system

Consistent with the concept of neuroplasticity, neurons in mammals have been found to change the way they function as a result of repeated stimulation by doing which of the following? A. closing the synaptic gap B. growing new dendritic spines C. increasing the speed of depolarization along the axon D. reducing the intensity of action potentials E. blocking reuptake of neurotransmitter molecules

B. growing new dendritic spines

Which of the following most accurately characterizes the role of the hypothalamus in the regulation of hunger? A. it primarily responds to such environmental cues as the sight and smell of food B. it acts with endocrine system to control hunger and satiety C. it monitors stomach contractions through the cranial nerves to determine the extent of hunger D. it is effective in triggering, but not in depressing, the sensation of hunger E. it produces a sense of satiety to counter hunger feelings that arise from stomach contractions.

B. it acts with endocrine system to control hunger and satiety

Juana accidentally touched a hot iron. She immediately drew back her hand. Which of the following is true about the withdrawal of her hand? A. it was initiated in the motor cortex B. it was initiated in the spinal cord C. it was a voluntary behavior D. it was due to instructions from the brain E. it was an operantly conditioned response

B. it was initiated in the spinal cord

It is well established that certain autonomic responses such as heart rate, perspiration, and respiration change under stress. In view of the fact that people generally have stronger autonomic responses when lying than when telling the truth, it follows that the polygraph would be a foolproof approach to lie detection. Which statement best explains why the polygraph is not more widely used in courtrooms and in testing of job applicants? A. most people can avoid detection when they lie B. physiological arousal is much the same for several emotions, so the polygraph cannot always reliably distinguish guilt from other reactions. C. a significant number of people show paradoxical autonomic reactions, responding more strongly when telling the truth than when lying D. in controlled studies, the polygraph has correctly identified guilty individuals in only a small percentage of cases E. the polygraph has been shown to be r

B. physiological arousal is much the same for several emotions, so the polygraph cannot always reliably distinguish guilt from other reactions.

Which of the following is a hormone that is most directly related to human sex drive? A. acetylcholine B. testosterone C. angiotensin D. dopamine E. norepinephrine

B. testosterone

The occipital lobe of the human brain contains the centers for A. hearing B. vision C. olfaction D. tactile sensation E. taste

B. vision

Metabolic activity in different areas of the brain can best be visualized by means of A. MRI B. CT scan C. PET scan D. EEG E. ESB

C. PET scan

In right-handed individuals, which of the following abilities is predominately a function of the right hemisphere of the brain? A. speech B. writing C. spatial reasoning D. Reading comprehension E. language comprehension

C. Spatial reasoning

Which of the following correctly pairs subdivisions with the major divisions of the human nervous system? A. somatic.... endocrine system B. central.... somatic and sympathetic C. autonomic.... sympathetic and parasympathetic D. peripheral.... central nervous system and the spinal cord

C. autonomic.... sympathetic and parasympathetic

Significant damage to which of the following parts of the brain will most likely cause a person to fall into a deep coma from which the person will be unable to awaken? A. hypothalamus B. frontal lobe C. reticular formation D. amygdala E. thalamus

C. reticular formation

Neurotransmitters are typically stored in which of the following parts of a neuron? A. the nodes of ranvier B. the myelin sheath C. the terminal buttons D. the soma E. the axon

C. the terminal buttons

An individual with damage to Wernicke's area is most likely to have difficulty

Comprehending a spoken request for information

A bundle of nerve fibers that interconnects the two brain hemispheres is the

Corpus callosum

Brain damage that leaves a person capable of understanding speech but with an impaired ability to produce speech most likely indicates injury to which of the following? A. the basal ganglia B. Wernicke's area C. the substantia nigra D. Broca's area E. the inferior colliculi

D. Broca's area

Computer-generated color images of the brain that provide information about glucose metabolism are produced by which of the following techniques? A. EEG B. EMG C. MRI D. PET E. CAT

D. PET

In which of the following techniques do researchers inject a harmless, radioactive substance into the living human brain to examine activity? A. lesioning B. EEG C. CAT D. PET E. MRI

D. PET

In an emergency situation, the adrenal glands secrete hormones that cause all of the following EXCEPT: A. increased heart rate B. increased blood pressure C. increased blood sugar level D. reduced mood swings E. reduced blood flow to digestive system

D. reduced mood swings

Which of the following provides information regarding brain function by monitoring the brain at work through metabolism of glucose? A. CT scan B. EOG C. EEG D. MRI E. PET scan

E. PET scan

Activation of the parasympathetic nervous system results in which of the following? A. an increase in pupil dilation B. an increase in respiratory rate C. a decrease in digestion D. a decrease in salivation E. a decrease in heart rate

E. a decrease in heart rate

Which of the following would most likely result from an injury to the medulla? A. visual problems that make spatial judgements difficult B. receptive aphasia that makes it difficult to understand what other people are saying C. retrograde amnesia that destroy previously established memories D. a problem of regulating hunger E. a life-threatening disruption of heartbeat and breathing

E. a life-threatening disruption of heartbeat and breathing

Researchers looking to create a drug to reduce the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease would most likely focus their efforts on which of the following neurotransmitters? A. GABA B. serotonin C. norepinephrine D. dopamine E. acetylcholine

E. acetylcholine

Damage to which of the following brain structures may cause the inability to detect the emotional significance of facial expressions, especially those demonstrating fear? A. hippocampus B. thalamus C. cerebellum D. hypothalamus E. amygdala

E. amygdala

A person with damage to Broca's area would most likely demonstrate which of the following symptoms? A. forgetfulness B. hearing difficulties C. difficulty controlling balance and coordination D. difficulty controlling emotions E. difficulty with speech production

E. difficulty with speech production

Most glands in the human body are a part of which system? A. circulatory B. skeletal C. respiratory D. renal E. endocrine

E. endocrine

After an electrode implanted in a cat's brain stimulates the cat's amygdala, the cat will most likely do which of the following? A. demonstrate maternal instincts B. Begin to eat uncontrollably C. begin to purr and seek physical contact D. immediately slip into REM sleep E. immediately withdraw in fear

E. immediately withdraw in fear

A participant in a study of music perception listens to music with electrodes attached to her scalp while data are collected on the activity of her brain. This technique is called

EEG

Which part of the nervous system is the most immediately activated by sudden fear?

Sympathetic nervous system

Damage to the occipital lobe would most likely affect a person's

Vision

Reuptake of a neurotransmitter refers to

absorption of the neurotransmitter into the terminal buttons of the sending neuron

Information is relayed to the spinal cord or the brain by

afferent neurons

The brain scans of people with amnesia are most likely to show damage to the

hippocampus

When people consume large amounts of alcohol, they are often unable to recall what they did and said while they were drinking. This occurs because alcohol interferes with the brain's ability to form new memories in the

hippocampus

The area of the brainstem that is important in controlling breathing is the

medulla

Which gland of the endocrine system controls the activity of other glands?

pituitary

The function of dendrites is to

receive information from other neurons

An image projected to the left visual field of a split-brained person will be processed in the

right visual cortex

In neurons, neurotransmitters are released at the

synaptic vesicles

What hormone seems to be most closely linkes with aggressive behavior?

testosterone

Immediately after firing, a neuron is incapable of responding to stimulation. This condition is referred to as

the absolute refractory phase

The sequence in shifts in the electrical charge of a neuron is called:

the action potential