General Psychology Chapter 2
What is the approximate resting potential of a neuron?
-70 mV
Humans have _____ chromosomes.
23 pairs of
There are ______ types of neurons in the human nervous system and these are called ______.
3; sensory, motor, and interneurons
Delta Epsilon fraternity sponsors a Beer Fest every October, where party-goers consume large amounts of alcohol. At the neurotransmitter level, what is happening to the party-goers?
Alcohol increases sensitivity of receptor sites for gamma-amniobutyric acid (GABA).
Regarding neurotransmission, which of the following statements is FALSE?
All neurotransmitters have both excitatory and inhibitory effects.
Of the following people, who is most likely to be relying primarily on the use of the right hemisphere?
Eduardo is listening to music.
Which of the following best explains the roles of genetics and environment in determining personality?
Genetic factors interact with environmental factors to determine our personalities.
Which of the following is secreted by the glands that make up the endocrine system?
Hormones
Why is the thalamus referred to as the "gateway to the cortex"?
Input from most of our sensory systems travels first to the thalamus, which then funnels the information to the cerebral cortex.
The pituitary gland is important for all of these reasons EXCEPT:
It controls the parts of the brain that regulate breathing, heart rate, and blood pressure.
Regarding Parkinson's disease, which of the following statements is FALSE?
It involves an excess of the neurotransmitter glutamate.
Which statement about the spinal cord is NOT true?
It is the most important element of the peripheral nervous system.
______ is the brain's ability to adapt and reorganize itself following trauma or surgical alteration.
Plasticity
During the past hour, nine-month-old Heather has engaged in each of the following actions. Which action was NOT controlled by her medulla?
She smiled when she saw the wind move her mobile.
Regarding terminal buttons, which of the following is FALSE?
Terminal buttons are the most common type of neuron in the nervous system.
Melanie, a graduate student working in a neuroscience lab, grows neurons in a petri dish to study the effects of environmental toxins on neuronal communication. During one of Melanie's e
The neuron will not be able to transmit information to other cells.
Molly, a second year neuroscience graduate student, treats neurons grown in a petri dish with drugs that "block" the function of neuronal receptors. What is a consequence of the drug treatment?
The neurons will not be able to "sense" neurotransmitters, blocking neuronal communication.
Regarding a neuron's soma, all but which of the following are TRUE?
The soma conducts outgoing messages to other neurons.
Regarding the nervous system, which of the following statements is FALSE?
There are more neurons than glial cells in the nervous system.
Regarding handedness, which of the following statements is FALSE?
When one parent is left-handed and one parent is right-handed, the chances of their offspring being left-handed are 1 in 2.
The majority of the cerebral cortex is made up of the
association areas.
Which part of the brain controls balance and coordination?
cerebellum
The thin layer of cells that covers the surface of the forebrain is called the ____.
cortex
Psychologists believe that irregularities in ______ transmission may help explain symptoms of schizophrenia.
dopamine
Chemicals produced in the brain that have many of the same properties as morphine are called ____.
endorphins
The resting potential of a neuron is a result of the
high concentration of sodium ions outside the cell.
Twenty-three-year-old Thomas has schizophrenia. Familial association studies suggest that which of Thomas's relatives is most likely to also have schizophrenia?
his monozygotic twin
Juan eats a meal full of sugar and starches. In response, his pancreas releases insulin into the bloodstream which stimulates his cells to draw more glucose from his blood. This decreases the level of glucose in Juan's body and, eventually, the pancreas reduces its insulin secretion. Juan's endocrine system is engaging in which process?
homeostasis
Scientists use the term ______ to describe the division of functions between the right and left hemispheres of the brain.
lateralization
The fundamental building block of the nervous system is the ________.
neuron
Which chemicals are described as both neurotransmitters and hormones?
norepinephrine and epinephrine
In the cerebral cortex, ______ is to vision as ______ is to hearing.
occipital; parietal
Somatosensory information is processed by which lobe?
parietal
One of the functions of the limbic system is to ____.
regulate motivational and emotional behaviors
Glial cells function most like which of the following?
staples
Damage to which portion of the cerebral cortex would most likely interfere with a person's hearing?
temporal lobe
The knoblike swellings at the ends of axons are called
terminal buttons.
The brain area that MOST distinguishes us from animals is the ____.
the cortex
Positron emission tomography (PET) scans work by ____.
tracing the amount of glucose used in different parts of the brain
Which of the following is NOT true of action potentials?
They all travel at the same speed.
In twin studies, the ______describes the percentages of cases in which both members of twin pairs share the same trait or disorder.
concordance rate
Which part of a neuron could best be described as a "docking station"?
dendrite
Which of the following descriptions of the cerebral cortical lobes is INCORRECT?
parietal—involved with motor behaviors
Hormones released from the ____ gland control the production and release of sex hormones by the ovaries and testes, initiating puberty and maintaining fertility.
pituitary
