Psych1101: Chapter 2 The Biological Perspective
The spinal cord's outer section is made up of _______ and the inner section is made up of _______.
axons and nerves; cell bodies of neurons
A branch of the life sciences that deals with the structure and functioning of the nervous system is
neuroscience
The specialized cell that sends and receives messages in the nervous system is called a(n)
neuron.
A functional MRI (fMRI) and a PET scan both
provide a way to measure the functioning of the brain.
_________ carry messages from the senses to the spinal cord.
Afferent neurons
__________ involves mapping "slices" of the brain by computer, and it is the imaging method of choice when there is metal in the body.
Computed tomography
________ promotes the release of glucose, which provides energy for the brain during stress.
Cortisol
Endocrine glands differ from other glands, in that they release ______ which flow directly into the bloodstream to affect target organs.
Hormones
Which of the following is TRUE about deep lesioning?
It is only done on animals.
Which of the following is TRUE about an agonist?
It mimics or enhances the effects of a neurotransmitter.
Which of the following diagnostic tools involves injecting a person with radioactive glucose to map brain function?
PET scan
Which statement most accurately explains the difference in functioning between the right hemisphere of the brain and the left hemisphere?
The right processes information all at once, whereas the left breaks things down into parts.
Why is the cortex so wrinkled?
The wrinkles allow it to fit inside the skull.
Cassie's mother suffered a stroke. Since then, she sometimes says strange things, such as, "I need to go to the store to buy some canaries," when she means to say that she needs groceries. Cassie's mother seems to be suffering from
Wernicke's aphasia
The neurotransmitter ______ does not go through the reuptake process.
acetylcholine
The first identified neurotransmitter was
acetylcholine.
The venom of a black widow spider is an example of a(n) __________ , which mimics or enhances the effects of neurotransmitters.
agonist
The peripheral nervous system is made up of
all the nerves and neurons that are not contained in the brain and spinal cord.
If the neurotransmitter affected by an antagonist is inhibitory itself, the result will be _______ in the activity of the cell.
an increase
The involuntary muscles
are not under deliberate control.
The ______ is composed of the brain and the spinal cord.
central nervous system
Endorphins help the body
control pain.
The venom of a black widow spider causes neurons to release a flood of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. This can cause
convulsions and possible death.
Messages from other cells are received by the
dendrites.
If the pancreas secretes too little insulin, it results in
diabetes.
The adrenal glands are located right above
each kidney.
The neurons that carry messages from the central nervous system to the muscles of the body are the
efferent neurons.
Neurons fire
either full strength or not at all.
A(n) _____ is used to record the activity of large groups of cortical neurons just below the skull.
electroencephalograph
The ______ lobes are responsible for higher mental processes such as decision making.
frontal
The job of the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system is to
get the body ready to deal with stress.
The endocrine glands secrete
hormones.
If the pancreas secretes too much insulin, it results in a condition known as
hypoglycemia.
The part of the brain that controls life-sustaining functions, such as heartbeat, breathing, and swallowing, is the
medulla.
Special types of glial cells generate a protective fatty substance called
myelin.
When a neuron is at rest, the ions inside the cell are mostly_______ and the ions outside the cell are mostly _______
negatively charged; positively charged
The ____ is a network of cells that carries information to and from all parts of the body.
nervous system
Which of the following is most closely related to the functioning of the parasympathetic division?
normal breathing
The visual centers of the brain area are contained in the
occipital lobe
The part of the autonomic nervous system known as the eat-drink-and-rest system is the
parasympathetic division.
The ________ allows the brain and spinal cord to communicate with the sensory systems.
peripheral nervous system
One part of the ________ controls production of milk for nursing infants and the onset of labor.
pituitary gland
The "master gland" that controls or influences all of the other endocrine glands is the
pituitary gland.
Which area of the brain influences sleep and dreaming?
pons
According to the text, scientists are investigating the use of stem cells to
repair damaged or diseased brain tissue.
Unlike other glands, such as salivary or sweat glands, endocrine glands
secrete chemicals directly into the bloodstream.
What is the primary role of the adrenal glands?
secreting hormones that affect a variety of functions
Melissa is walking around barefoot and suddenly steps on a sharp nail. She feels the pain and immediately pulls her foot off the ground away from the nail. Which neurons were involved in her response?
sensory, motor, and interneurons
Which sense is the only one that is NOT processed through the thalamus?
smell
The ______ is the cell body, which contains the nucleus.
soma
Natalie sees a beautiful flower, so she walks over to touch and smell it. She is using the
somatic nervous system
The ______ is the division of the peripheral nervous system that carries information from the senses to the central nervous system (CNS) and from the CNS to the voluntary muscles of the body.
somatic nervous system
When people are walking, raising their hands in class or smelling a flower, they are using the
somatic nervous system.
A work-related accident left Bob with a paralyzed left arm and an inability to recognize the left side of his visual field. Bob's condition is called
spatial neglect.
The _____ serves two vital functions. The outer part transmits messages to and from the brain, and the inner part controls lifesaving reflexes.
spinal cord
Scientists have learned a great deal about the specialization of the left and right hemispheres of the brain by studying
split-brain patients
Recent research has shown that some types of glial cells have properties similar to
stem cells.
The _____ division of the autonomic nervous system is also called the fight-or-flight system.
sympathetic
The saclike structures that are found at the end of a neuron's axon and that contain neurotransmitters are called
synaptic vesicles.
Which brain structure serves as a relay station for sensory information?
thalamus
Neuroplasticity is
the brain's ability to change both the structure and function of many cells in response to experience and trauma.
When the action potential gets to the end of the axon,
the message gets transmitted to another cell.
Which endocrine gland is located in the neck and regulates metabolism?
thyroid gland
Dorothy has spinocerebellar degeneration, a condition that is likely to cause her to have difficulty with
walking, speaking, and/or standing.
Without the spinal cord, the brain
would be useless.