PSYCH 233 CASADA PHYSIOLOGICAL PSYCH FINAL, Module 2.1 Quiz
Orexin, produced by neurons in the hypothalamus, appears to be necessary for ____.
staying awake
In the middle of the menstrual cycle, an increased release of estradiol causes a(n) ____.
sudden surge in the release of luteinizing hormone
Many female mammals become very attentive after delivering their babies largely because of a sudden ____.
surge of prolactin and oxytocin
Specialized junctions between neurons are called ____.
synapses
Women on the average have a greater density of neurons in part of the ____
temporal lobe
A certain weak stimulus produces no reflexive response, but a rapid repetition of that stimulus may produce such a response. What is this phenomenon called?
temporal summation
A means of controlling sex offenders has involved reducing ____.
testosterone levels
Which structure provides the main source of input to the cerebral cortex?
thalamus
Blindsight refers to ____.
the ability to localize visual objects within an apparently blind visual field
What determines whether a mammal develops male or female external genitals?
the amount of testosterone during prenatal development
The presymptomatic test for Huntington's disease enables one to predict not only who will get the disease but also ____.
the approximate age of onset
According to rodent studies, testosterone exerts a major part of its effect on ____.
the hypothalamus
Light from the right half of the world strikes which part of the retina?
the left half
What measurable differences are apparently related to homosexual versus heterosexual orientation in adult men?
the size of certain parts of their hypothalamus
Sherrington deduced that transmission at a synapse must be slower than conduction along an axon. This was based on what kind of evidence?
the speed of reflexive responses
Where does the optic nerve send most of its information?
to the lateral geniculate
The interstitial nucleus 3 of the anterior hypothalamus is known to be more than ____.
twice as large in heterosexual men as in women
Which hormone, released by the posterior pituitary, both raises blood pressure and enables the kidneys to reabsorb water?
vasopressin
The visual paths in the temporal cortex collectively are referred to as the ____.
ventral stream
The fluid-filled cavity of the developing neural tube becomes the ____.
ventricular system
A hermaphrodite is an individual ____.
whose genital anatomy is intermediate between male and female
A graded depolarization is known as an ____.
EPSP
How does the development of external genitalia differ from the development of the internal reproductive structures?
Genitals for males and females develop from a single unisex structure; reproductive structures develop from separate Wolffian and Müllerian structures.
How do sound waves ultimately result in the production of receptor potentials?
Hair cells in the cochlea vibrate, causing ion channels to open in their membrane.
What happens to acetylcholine after it attaches to a receptor on the postsynaptic cell?
It is broken down into two components.
What is the relationship of genetics to Huntington's disease?
It is caused by a dominant gene on chromosome 4.
Why is it important for sound vibrations to be amplified as they pass through the ear?
More force is needed to create waves in fluid.
What is the relationship between the lateral tract and the medial tract?
Most movements rely on both, which work in a cooperative fashion
PGO waves are associated with ____.
REM sleep
With regard to sleep and arousal, the locus coeruleus is ____.
almost completely inactive during sleep
The basic building blocks for the majority of neurotransmitters are ____.
amino acids
What dimension determines the intensity of a sound wave?
amplitude
What is a dermatome?
an area of the skin innervated by a given spinal nerve
A presynaptic terminal is also known as:
an end bulb
Which muscle is "antagonistic" to a flexor muscle in the right arm?
an extensor muscle in the right arm
Electrical stimulation of a rat's lateral hypothalamus would most likely result in ____.
an increase in food seeking behaviors
Vigorous use of fast-twitch fibers results in fatigue because the process is ____.
anaerobic
Areas bordering the primary auditory cortex are important for ____.
analyzing the meaning of sounds
Leptin directly activates receptors in the part of the hypothalamus known as the ____.
arcuate nucleus
Dendrites___
are branching fibers that get narrower near their ends
"Second messengers" carry their messages to ____.
areas within the postsynaptic cell
At what point do the sodium gates begin to close, shutting out further entry of sodium into the cell?
at the peak of the action potential
Ordinarily, stimulation of a neuron takes place___.
at the synapse
when a neuron is at rest, what is primarily responsible for moving potassium ions into the cell?
both the sodium-potassium pump and electrical gradient
Studies on conscious decisions regarding voluntary movements suggest that ____.
brain activity for the movement begins before we are conscious of our decision
What structure is composed of the medulla, pons, the midbrain, and certain central structures of the forebrain?
brain stem
The proteins PER and TIM, originally discovered in insect but now found in mammals also, influence circadian rhythms by ____.
building up during the day and declining during sleep
Chronically high insulin levels lead to increased appetite by ____.
causing a high percentage of available glucose to be stored as fat
A saccade is initiated by impulses from the ____.
cerebellum
If you have trouble with rapid, ballistic movement sequences that require accurate timing, you probably have suffered damage to the ____.
cerebellum
What effect does the hormone angiotensin II have?
constriction of blood vessels
The visual path in the parietal cortex is referred to as the ____.
dorsal stream
Which of the following would be easiest for someone who is motion blind?
dressing themselves
Tinnitus may be ____.
due to a phenomenon like the phantom limb
Taste and smell axons converge onto many of the same cells in an area called the ____.
endopiriform cortex
A graded depolarization is known as an ____.
epsp
Depolarization is to ____ as hyperpolarization is to ____.
excitation; inhibition
After damage to the preoptic area, an animal ____.
fails to shiver and sweat sufficiently
Which muscles are especially important when running up a flight of stairs at full speed?
fast-twitch muscles
The cell membrane is comprised of two layers of:
fat
Bipolar cells send their messages to ____, which are located close to the center of the eye.
ganglion cells
nodes of ranvier are
gaps in the myelin of axons
Obesity in Prader-Willi syndrome is linked to a problem with ____.
ghrelin
what is the main source of nutrition for vertebrate neurons?
glucose
Alcohol suppresses the release of ____, the brain's main excitatory transmitter.
glutamate
Neurons in the prefrontal cortex ____ than neurons in other cortical areas.
have more dendritic spines
The nuclei of the cerebellum (as opposed to the cerebellar cortex) are most important in ____.
holding a finger in a steady position
Releasing hormones are synthesized in the ____ and released in the ____.
hypothalamus; anterior pituitary
Vesicles are located ____.
in presynaptic terminals
In a reflex arc, the coordination between contraction of certain muscles and relaxation of others is mediated by ____.
interneurons
The main advantage of a neuron releasing more than one neurotransmitter is that:
it can send more complex messages
What is the perception of the intensity of a sound wave called?
loudness
What sound characteristics can be compared between the two ears to locate the source of the sound?
loudness and timing
Humans expend most of their energy on which activity?
maintaining basal metabolism
Homeothermic organisms include ____.
mammals and birds
In contrast to dendrites, axons:
may be covered in myelin
As axons from the spinal cord enter the skull, which structure do they enter?
medulla
Breathing, heart rate, vomiting, salivation, coughing, and sneezing are all controlled by which structure?
medulla
Young adults deprived of a night's sleep show deficits on ____ tasks.
memory
Membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord are called ____.
meninges
Most young mammals stop nursing, at least partly, due to the loss of what ability?
metabolizing the sugar in milk
The nuclei for cranial nerves I through IV are located in the ____.
midbrain and forebrain
Conductive deafness is also known as ____.
middle ear deafness
Watching another person shoot a basketball is most likely to activate ____ neurons in the brain of the person who is watching.
mirror
As an option for treating Parkinson's patients, transplantation of stem cells appears to be ____.
modestly effective, as with other treatments
Once within the cerebral cortex, the magnocellular pathway continues, with a ventral branch sensitive to ____.
movement
The cerebellum contributes to the control of what function?
movement
What does the vestibular system detect?
movement of the head
A motor program is a ____.
movement that, once triggered, continues automatically until its completion
What kind of deafness is the result of damage to the cochlea or the hair cells?
nerve
What are the two kinds of cells in the nervous system?
neurons and glia
Which structure receives input from the hypothalamus and basal ganglia and sends axons that release acetylcholine to widespread areas in the cerebral cortex?
nucleus basilis
Olfactory receptors carry their message to the ____.
olfactory bulb
The tympanic membrane connects to three tiny bones that transmit the vibrations to the ____.
oval window
Being able to detect fine details of a color painting would depend most on which type of ganglion cells?
parvocellular
Together, the somatic nervous system and the autonomic nervous system make up the ____ nervous system.
peripheral
When the neuronal membrane is at rest, the potassium leak channels___.
permit potassium ions to pass slowly
Many women living in a college dormitory will gradually begin to synchronize their menstrual cycles. The research indicates that this is, at least in part, based on ____.
pheromones
The nuclei for most of the cranial nerves are located in the ____.
pons and medulla
One part of the reticular formation that contributes to cortical arousal is known as the ____.
pontomesencephalon
Damage to the prefrontal cortex is most likely to result in ____.
poorly planned movements
A proprioceptor is sensitive to the ____.
position and movement of a part of the body
Pacinian corpuscles respond best to ____.
rapid mechanical pressure
Which pattern of post-synaptic excitation will most likely result in an action potential?
rapid sequence of EPSPs
Anti-inflammatory drugs, such as ibuprofen, relieve pain by ____.
reducing the release of chemicals from damaged tissues
compared to passive transport, the major disadvantage of active transport is that it:
requires expenditure of energy
The prefrontal cortex ____.
responds to lights, noises, and other signals for a movement.
What is the name of the rapid eye movement occurring when a person moves his or her eyes from one focus point to another?
saccade
In addition to problems with balance and coordination, a person with damage to the cerebellum will likely have problems with ____.
shifting attention between auditory and visual stimuli
Exercising at a high altitude where there is less oxygen is most likely to affect ____.
slow-twitch fibers
Which of the following is most likely to cross the cell membrane by simple diffusion?
small, uncharged molecules
What type of muscle controls movements of internal organs?
smooth
Olfaction also plays a subtle role in ____.
social behavior
When cells in the middle temporal cortex respond to visual stimuli, their response depends mostly on the ____.
speed and direction of movement
According to the activation-synthesis hypothesis, it should be possible to predict (with better than chance accuracy) the content of a person's dreams if we know what information about the person?
stimuli currently acting on the body and areas of spontaneous brain activity
A physician who asks you to cross your legs and then taps just below the knee is testing your ____ reflexes.
stretch
A muscle spindle responds to the ____.
stretch of the muscle
Muscle spindles respond to changes in muscle ____; Golgi tendon organs respond to changes in muscle ____.
stretch; tension
What type of muscle is responsible for the movement of your body through the environment?
striated
What neurotransmitter is released by axons that carry pain information to the brain?
substance P
Timing differences can be used most accurately for localizing ____.
sudden-onset sounds
Cells in the prefrontal cortex, premotor cortex, and ____ prepare for a movement, sending messages to the primary motor cortex.
supplementary motor cortex
Damage to the ____ impairs the ability to organize smooth sequences of activities.
supplementary motor cortex
The sweat glands, adrenal glands, and muscles that constrict blood vessels have input from only the ____ nervous system.
sympathetic
You are walking after dark. A sudden noise frightens you. Your heart pounds, your pulse races, and your breathing rate increases. These responses are due to your ____.
sympathetic nervous system
A person who "sees" spoken language or music may be experiencing ____.
synesthesia
Acetylcholine is the only neurotransmitter released by ____.
the parasympathetic nervous system's postganglionic axons
What is the point from which an axon releases chemicals into the synapse?
the presynaptic terminal
The eardrum vibrates at ____.
the same frequency as the sound waves that hit it
Temporal summation is to ____ as spatial summation is to ____.
time; location
Cerebellum is to ____ as basal ganglia are to ____.
timing; voluntary movements
A recent hypothesis proposed that the role of REM is ____.
to shake the eyeballs back and forth in order to get sufficient oxygen to the corneas of the eyes
At the level of rods and cones, the ____ theory seems to fit best, while at the level of the bipolar cells, the ____ theory seems to fit best.
trichromatic; opponent process
Genes become more prevalent in a population if they contribute to reproductive success.
true
To determine the contributions of heredity and environment, researchers rely mainly on studies of monozygotic and dizygotic twins.
true
Early in development, the nervous system begins as a ____.
tube surrounding a fluid-filled cavity
Chemicals in the amphibian tectum guide the growth of axons from the retina to their correct location in the tectum by ____.
using a chemical gradient
The ____ nucleus of the thalamus is associated with pain perception of the body.
ventral posterior
An animal is most likely to eat more frequently and gain weight after damage to the ____.
ventromedial hypothalamus
The presynaptic terminal stores high concentrations of neurotransmitter molecules in ____.
vesicles
People with posterior parietal damage ____.
will not step over an obstacle, although they can accurately describe it
Which activity is an example of a motor program in a human?
yawning
How does the method of transcranial magnetic stimulation of brain areas differ from magnetic inactivation?
Brain activation results from mild, brief magnetic stimulation
The primary difference between an EPSP and an action potential is that ____
EPSPs are subthreshold events that decay over time and space
The primary difference between an EPSP and an action potential is that ____.
EPSPs are subthreshold events that decay over time and space
Which statement characterizes the fovea?
It has the greatest perception of detail
Why does the fovea provide the clearest, most detailed visual information?
It has tightly packed receptors.
Which statement is TRUE with regard to the duration of a self-generated sleep/activity cycle?
It is highly consistent in a given individual in a given environment.
What is the effect of MPTP?
It kills the neurons that release dopamine.
If a female rat is exposed to highly stressful experiences late in pregnancy, what happens to the sexual development of her offspring?
The genetic males become responsive to male partners.
Which statement is TRUE of the cortical areas that are sometimes known as "association areas"?
They are best described as additional sensory areas.
An astronaut orbiting earth experiences 45-minute periods of daylight alternating with 45-minutes periods of darkness. What is likely to happen?
They sleep poorly during rest periods.
Suppose you work on a submarine with only artificial light. You are required to follow a schedule of working for 12 hours and then sleeping for 6. What rhythm, if any, will your alertness and body temperature show?
They will follow the usual rhythm of 24 hours.
A normal, healthy animal never contracts the flexor muscles and the extensor muscles of the same leg at the same time. Why not?
When the interneuron sends excitatory messages to one, inhibitory messages go to the other.
A polysomnograph displays ____.
a combination of EEG and eye-movement records
The most effective way to stimulate sexual behavior in a female rodent is to inject her with ____.
a combination of estradiol and progesterone
Which circumstance will be most likely to cause a genetic male to develop a mostly feminine anatomy
a condition that prevents androgens from exerting their effects
What is the approximate resting potential of the inside of a neuron's membrane, relative to the outside.
-70 millivolts
When do the secretions of melatonin begin?
a couple of hours before a person naturally falls asleep
Which behavior is most likely to result from the activity of central pattern generators?
a dog shaking itself to dry off
What is strabismus?
a failure of the two eyes to focus on the same thing at the same time
The circuit from sensory neuron to muscle response is called ____.
a reflex arc
Autoreceptors monitor the ____.
amount of neurotransmitter released
What causes potassium ions to leave the axon just after the peak of the action potential?
A continuing concentration gradient and the opening of the potassium gates
the information sender of the neuron, conveying an impulse toward either other neurons or a glans or muscle is called the:
Axon
Why is it that every axon in an adult mammal has a target cell (muscle cell or other neuron) with which it makes synaptic contact?
Axons that fail to find a target cell die.
What do temporal summation and spatial summation have in common?
Both enable a reflex to occur in response to weak stimuli.
When food distends the duodenum, the duodenum releases which hormone?
CCK
Which of the following contributed most to Cajal's ability to find that neurons are separate from one another?
Camillo Golgi's cell staining method
What is the process called when a primitive neuron begins to develop dendrites and an axon?
Differentiation
In the brain, an arrangement of endothelial cells:
Does not allow most molecules to pass because the cells are so tightly packed
Evoked potentials in the brain are most likely to be detected by a(n) ____.
EEG
Which statement is TRUE about the spontaneous firing rates of neurons?
EPSPs increase the frequency.
If you were to accidentally touch a hot stove with your hand, you would quickly pull your hand away. the information carried to the muscles in your arm to make them contract was carried by:
Efferent Neurons
____ respond to a particular feature of a stimulus.
Feature detectors
What evidence do we have that the preoptic area controls body temperature?
Heating or cooling the preoptic area leads to sweating or shivering
A temporary hyperpolarization is known as an ____.
IPSP
What is one current recommendation for raising children who have intersex conditions?
Identify the child as male or female based mainly on the predominant external appearance.
What is a limitation of using L-dopa for Parkinson's disease?
It can contribute to a greater loss of dopamine neurons
Which of the following is true for nerve deafness?
It can result from damage to the cochlea.
If a new species were found with legs composed almost completely of fast-twitch muscles, what could we infer about its behavior?
It could chase prey only over short distances.
what happens to a virus that manages to cross the blood-brain barrier and enter the brain?
It stays in the nervous system throughout the person's life.
What is the most common drug in the treatment for Parkinson's disease?
L-dopa
Glial cells whose function most closely resembles that of the immune system are called:
Microglia
the insulating material which covers many vertebrate axons is called the:
Myelin Sheath
What process is predicted by the gate theory of pain?
Non-pain information can inhibit pain information.
What area of the brain is largely responsible for detecting osmotic pressure?
OVLT and subfornical organ
what type of glial cells myelinate axons in the brain and spinal chord?
Oligodendrocytes
Which method is dependent upon injecting a radioactive chemical into the blood to measure blood flow?
PET
Which widely branching cells are responsible for all of the output from the cerebellar cortex to the nuclei of the cerebellum?
Purkinje cells
During ____, cells in the pons send messages that inhibit the motor neurons that control the body's large muscles.
REM sleep
Which of the following is most clearly under the control of a circadian rhythm in most animals?
SLEEP
which type of glia builds myelin sheaths around axons in the periphery of the body?
Schwann cells
The action potential of a neuron depends mostly on what movement of ions?
Sodium ions entering the cell
What is the primary difference between temporal summation and spatial summation?
Spatial summation depends on contributions from more than one sensory neuron.
What is signaled by nerve growth factor (NGF)?
That a target cell has "accepted" an axon
If we compare either different species or different ages, what trend emerges?
The more total sleep, the higher the percentage of REM sleep
What happens when a neurotransmitter is released by a presynaptic cell?
The neurotransmitter passively spreads across the synaptic cleft
What do dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine share in common?
They are all synthesized from the same amino acids.
What is unusual about olfactory receptors compared to most other mature mammalian neurons?
They are replaceable when old neurons die.
Why did mammals evolve a body temperature of 37 degrees Celsius?
They benefit from being as warm as possible and as fast as possible.
What do the corpus callosum and anterior commissure have in common?
They both connect the two hemispheres
Three small bones connect the tympanic membrane to the oval window. What is the function of these bones?
They convert airwaves into waves of greater pressure.
Which statement is TRUE of EPSPs?
They decay over time and space.
Why is the speed of conduction through a reflex arc slower than the speed of conduction of an action potential along an axon?
Transmission between neurons at synapses is slower than along axons
How much alcohol, if any, can a pregnant woman drink without worrying about the negative effects on her child?
Unknown, and therefore abstention is recommended
Visual imagery is to ____ as auditory imagery is to ____.
V1; A1
Area ____ is particularly important for color constancy.
V4
What is the mechanism that prevents or slows some chemicals from entering the brain, while allowing others to enter?
a blood- brain barrier
Which hypothesis/theory suggests that the primary motor cortex is suppressed so arousal during sleep cannot lead to action?
a clinico-anatomical hypothesis
Damage to the basal ganglia would most likely result in ____.
a movement disorder
the all-or-none law states that___
a neuron produces an action potential of maximum strength, or none at all
Migration requires ____.
a precise chemical environment
A set point refers to ____.
a very narrow range that the body works to maintain at a stable level
What is the shape of the receptive field to which a simple cell in the primary visual cortex responds?
bar in a particular orientation
Which structure is likely to be damaged in Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and other conditions that impair movement?
basal ganglia
The areas of the cortex used by expert video game players are most likely to ____ than the same cortical areas of those who do not play video games.
be thicker
Which of the following increases risk of sleep apnea?
being obese
In the human retina, messages go from receptors at the back of the eye to ____.
bipolar cells
Parvocellular neurons most likely receive input from ____.
bipolar cells that receive input from cones
The name of the point at which the optic nerve leaves the retina is called the ____.
blind spot
Some drugs used to treat allergies may produce drowsiness if they ____.
block histamine
Which of the following are selective as axons form synapses with target cells?
both axons and target cells
An individual with damage to the primary somatosensory cortex would most have problems with ____.
ability to locate where they are being touched
Animals produce endogenous circadian rhythms that last ____.
about a day
The ability to hear a note and identify it perfectly is called ____.
absolute pitch
The large intestine ____.
absorbs water and minerals
Which neurotransmitter is primarily used by the parasympathetic nervous system?
acetylcholine
Each receptor responds to a wide range of stimuli and contributes to the perception of each of them. This type of coding is referred to as ____.
across-fiber
By what means does the brain find out about the nutrient content of food in the stomach?
activity of the splanchnic nerves
The brain finds out about the degree of stretch of the stomach from ____.
activity of the vagus nerve
Who is most likely to suffer from a thiamine deficiency
alcoholics
Light energy converts 11-cis-retinal to ____.
all-trans-retinal
In sham-feeding, animals are ____.
allowed to chew and swallow, but the food never enters the stomach
Which hormone(s) is/are likely to be found more abundantly in males than in females?
androgens
Like vasopressin, ____ constricts the blood vessels, compensating for the drop in blood pressure.
angiotensin II
Hypovolemia induces thirst by the production of which hormone?
angiotensin II
Moving a leg or arm back and forth requires opposing sets of muscles called ____.
antagonistic muscles
Sympathetic ganglia ____.
are closely linked and often act as a single system
which type of glia remove waste material in the nervous system?
astrocytes
The most widely used and most effective birth control pill is one that contains which hormone(s)?
both estrogen and progesterone
"Transporter" proteins transport neurotransmitters ____.
back into the presynaptic neuron
The structure composed of the caudate nucleus, putamen, and globus pallidus is the ____.
basal ganglia
According to the frequency theory, the ____.
basilar membrane vibrates in synchrony with a sound, producing action potentials at the same frequency
On the basis of what evidence were the properties of synapses first inferred?
behavioral observations
On the basis of what evidence were the properties of synapses first inferred?
behavioral observations
Most of the axons of the medial tract go to which side of the body?
bilateral
A drug that blocks the sodium gates of a neuron's membrane will____.
block the action potential
Leptin is produced by ____.
body fat
Each spinal nerve has ____.
both a sensory and a motor component
When an action potential reaches the end of an axon, it evokes the release of neurotransmitters by opening ____ channels in the axon terminal
calcium
Hypovolemic thirst ____.
can be satisfied better by salt water than by pure water
A metabotropic synapse, by way of its second messenger, ____.
can influence activity in much or all of the postsynaptic cell
In contrast to people with posterior parietal damage, people with damage to certain parts of the occipital cortex outside the primary visual cortex ____.
cannot accurately describe what they see but can reach out to grasp it
You are eating a food containing tryptophan. What can you consume with it to increase its entry to the brain?
carbohydrates
water, oxygen, and__ most freely flow across a cell membrane
carbon dioxide
What type of muscle controls movements of the heart?
cardiac
Large-diameter pain axons ____.
carry sharp pain information
Which basal ganglia structure(s) is/are important for receiving input from sensory areas of the thalamus and the cerebral cortex?
caudate nucleus and putamen
One interpretation of how the hormone CCK promotes satiety is that it ____.
causes the stomach to fill more quickly
Speaking, piano playing, athletic skills, and other rapid movements would be most impaired by damage to which structure?
cerebellum
the major disadvantage of a blood-brain barrier is that:
certain required chemicals must be actively transported
Which process will most likely result in an IPSP?
chloride ions entering the cell
Which cell responds most strongly to a stimulus moving perpendicular to its axis?
complex
In adult humans, the taste buds are ____.
concentrated along the outside edge of the tongue
The hormone aldosterone results in the ____.
conservation of sodium
Homeostasis is to ____ as allostasis is to ____.
constant; variable
Vasopressin raises blood pressure by ____.
constricting the blood vessels
Activity of a muscle spindle is to ____ as activity of the Golgi tendon organ is to ____.
contraction; inhibition of contraction
If one structure is on the left side of the body and another is on the right, they are said to be ____ to each other.
contralateral
Glucagon stimulates the liver to ____.
convert glycogen to glucose
A hormone is a chemical that is ____.
conveyed by the blood to other organs, whose activity it influences
Which plane shows brain structures as they would be seen from the front?
coronal
The medulla controls a number of reflexes through ____.
cranial nerves
Reduced response to one taste after exposure to another is referred to as ____.
cross-adaption
A function of the cerebrospinal fluid is to ____.
cushion the brain
When an action potential reaches the end of an axon, the depolarization causes what ionic movement in the presynaptic cell?
calcium into the cell
the net effect of each cycle of the sodium-potassium pump is to___.
decrease the number of positively charged ions within the cell
An axon that does not receive enough neurotrophins from a target cell will ____.
degenerate and die
After the migrating neuron reaches its destination, ____ begin to form.
dendrites
The branching fibers that form the information-receiving pole of the nerve cells are called:
dendrites
A cross section of the spinal cord indicates that gray matter is ____.
densely packed with cell bodies and dendrites
An EPSP is to ____ as an IPSP is to ____.
depolarization; hyperpolarization
Along each strip of somatosensory cortex, different sub-areas respond to ____.
different areas of the body
Damage to the primary auditory cortex results in ____.
difficulty in responding to sequences of sounds
What is one of the main symptoms of Parkinson's disease?
difficulty initiating movements
The primary method for disposal of peptide neurotransmitters is ____.
diffusion
The small intestine ____.
digests proteins, fats, and carbohydrates
A dopamine pill is ineffective for treating Parkinson's disease because it ____.
does not cross bbb
What type of pathway in the substantia nigra deteriorates in Parkinson's disease?
dopamine
Parkinson's disease is caused by degeneration of a pathway of neurons that releases which neurotransmitter?
dopamine
After maturity, the apoptotic mechanisms become:
dormant
After maturity, the apoptotic mechanisms become:
dormant
The cell bodies of sensory neurons that are in clusters of neurons outside the spinal cord are called ____.
dorsal root ganglia
COMT and MAO are ____.
enzymes that convert catecholamines into inactive chemicals
A neuron excretes neurotransmitters through its membrane by a process called ____.
exocytosis
Eating salty potato chips increases the concentration of sodium in the ____.
extracellular fluid
The eye muscles can be moved with greater precision than the biceps muscles because ____.
eye muscles have a lower ratio of muscle fibers to axons
Which technique is dependent upon the release of oxygen from hemoglobin molecules?
fMRI
Sex-linked genes are usually found on the Y chromosome.
false
Pitch is a perception related to which aspect of sound?
frequency
The ____ of a sound is the number of compressions per second.
frequency
The fact that the refractory period limits the firing rate of a neuron is problematic for which of the following?
frequency theory only
____ cells axons make up the optic nerve.
ganglion
The greater the number of Purkinje cells activated, the ____.
greater the collective duration of the response
radial glia:
guide the migration of neurons during embryonic developement
Vibrations in the fluid of the cochlea causes ____.
hair cells to displace
A "true hermaphrodite" is someone who ____.
has both testicular and ovarian tissue
If the prefrontal cortex is damaged, an individual may ____.
have difficulty remembering where s/he just placed the keys
The term rhombencephalon refers to the ____.
hindbrain
the function of a mylelin sheath is to___.
increase the velocity of transmission along an axon
High levels of leptin are associated with ____.
increased activity and decreased eating
Vasopressin and angiotensin II are similar in that they both promote ____.
increased blood pressure
Which hormone controls the rate at which glucose leaves the blood and enters the cells?
insulin
What makes nitric oxide unique among neurotransmitters?
it is a gas
Which of the following are NOT a characteristic of a dendrite?
it is in contact with the dendrites of other neurons
The "spontaneous firing rate" of a neuron refers to ____.
its rate of producing action potentials even when it is not stimulated
A disruption of circadian rhythms due to crossing time zones is known as ____.
jetlag
The posterior parietal cortex ____.
keeps track of the position of the body relative to the world
Each receptor responds to a limited range of stimuli and sends a direct line to the brain. This type of coding is referred to as ____.
labeled-line
what do neurons have that other cells do not
large branching cells
The difference between males and females in the sexually dimorphic nucleus is that it is ____.
larger in males than in females
Output from the paraventricular nucleus acts on the ____.
lateral hypothalamus
Which terms refers to a chemical that binds to another chemical?
ligand
What is the principal zeitgeber for land animals?
light
A group of forebrain structures is important for motivated and emotional behavior. What term refers to this group of structures?
limbic system
What causes hypovolemic thirst?
low blood volume
Once information is sent to the secondary visual cortex, it ____.
may return to the primary visual cortex
In the auditory system, hair cells are specialized receptors that respond to ____.
mechanical displacement
Movements near the midline of the body, such as bending and turning of the trunk, are controlled by which motor system?
medial tract
The receptors for taste are ____.
modified skin cells
A sudden stretch of a muscle excites a feedback system that opposes the stretch. This message starts in the ____.
muscle spindles
Which condition has often been interpreted as an intrusion of REM sleep into wakefulness?
narcolepsy
The vomeronasal organ (VNO) is a set of receptors located ____.
near, but separate from, the olfactory receptors
the resting potential is mainly the result of ____.
negatively charged proteins inside the cell
Receptor molecules for neurotransmitters that exert metabotropic effects are proteins that bind to ____ outside the membrane, and attach to ____ inside the membrane.
neurotransmitters; G-proteins
In addition to influencing other neurons, ____ increases blood flow to a specific area of the brain.
nitric oxide
Damage to the ventromedial hypothalamus leads to eating ____.
normal-sized meals, but eating them more frequently
Glial cells:
occupy the same total space as do neurons
Night terrors can be distinguished from nightmares in that night terrors ____.
occur during NREM sleep
The tendency of water to flow across a semipermeable membrane from the area of low solute concentration to the area of higher concentration is termed ____.
osmotic pressure
why do neurons rely so heavily on glucose as their source of nutrition?
other fuels do not readily cross the blood-brain barrier
Increased permeability to which type of ion would most likely result in an IPSP?
potassium
The part of the cortex that responds mostly to the sensory signals that lead to a movement is the ____.
prefrontal cortex
A ballistic movement ____.
proceeds automatically once it has been triggered
For most obese individuals, giving them leptin would ____.
produce little effect
When neuropeptide Y inhibits the paraventricular nucleus, it ____.
produces extreme overeating
The function of neurotrophins is to ____.
promote survival of axons
A boxer's ability to sense the position of his arm and hand before planning a punch is dependent on the sense of ____.
proprioception
Beyond about 40° or 41°C, ____ begin to break their bonds and lose their useful properties.
proteins
Light enters the eye through an opening in the center of the iris called the ____.
pupil
Which category of chemicals includes adenosine and several of its derivatives?
purines
Damage to the dorsal stream may interfere with ____.
reaching out to grasp an object
A person with visual agnosia is unable to ____.
recognize visual objects
To measure temporal summation in single cells, researchers ____.
record depolarizations of the postsynaptic neuron
To measure temporal summation in single cells, researchers ____.
record depolarizations of the postsynaptic neuron
Difficulty distinguishing between ____ and ____ is the most common form of color vision deficiency.
red; green
Taste perception in the brain depends on ____.
relative activity of different taste neurons
Color and brightness constancy are best explained by the ____ theory of color vision.
retinex
Which two structures provide information about vestibular sensation?
semicircular canals and otolith organs
In order to elicit movement, the motor cortex ____.
sends axons to the brainstem and spinal cord
In comparison to the rods, cones are more ____.
sensitive to detail
What is the proper ordering of a reflex arc?
sensory neuron, interneuron, motor neuron.
Pregnant women often experience nausea because of the heightened activity of the ____ receptor.
serotonin 3
neurons differ most strongly from other body cells in their:
shape
What is the main site for absorption of digested food into the bloodstream?
small intestine
which would be MOST likely to cross the blood-brain barrier?
small uncharged molecules
Chemicals that cannot flow freely across a cell membrane enter a neuron through:
specialized protein channels
Even at rest, most neurons have periodic production of action potentials, known as the ____.
spontaneous firing rate
Even at rest, most neurons have periodic production of action potentials, known as the ____.
spontaneous firing rate
Sleep spindles and K-complexes are most characteristic of which sleep stage?
stage 2
Brain cells that are neither neurons nor glia, but which are capable of dividing and then differentiating into neurons or glia, are called ____.
stem cells
Ghrelin is associated with ____ in the periphery and ____ in the brain.
stomach contractions; excitation of the arcuate nucleus
The formation of new synapses is called ____.
synaptogenesis
ribosomes are part of a cell that
synthesizes new proteins
To what lobe of the cerebral cortex is auditory information sent?
temporal
What is the primary area of the cerebral cortex for auditory sensations?
temporal
Which lobe contributes most to the perception of movement and recognition of faces?
temporal lobe
A certain weak stimulus produces no reflexive response, but a rapid repetition of that stimulus may produce such a response. What is this phenomenon called?
temporal summation
Decreases in ____ levels generally decrease male sexual activity.
testosterone
An electroencephalograph measures ____.
the average activity of the cells in a given region of the brain
The somatosensory system involves sensation of ____.
the body and its movements
According to the activation-synthesis hypothesis, what do dreams reflect?
the brain's attempt to make sense of spontaneous neural activity
Which of the following is an advantage of having a resting potential?
the cell is prepared to respond quickly to a stimulus
An acceleration of the head at any angle causes ____.
the jelly-like substance in one of the semicircular canals to push against hair cells
What structure is composed of two layers of fat molecules that are free to flow around one another?
the membrane
When mechanical pressure bends the membrane of a Pacinian corpuscle, ____.
the membrane's resistance to the flow of sodium ions decreases
Cortical blindness may result from the destruction of ____.
the occipital cortex
What causes an EPSP?
the opening of sodium channels
Although slower than an action potential, synaptic transmission is still relatively fast because ____
the synaptic cleft is very narrow
Cells in the preoptic area of the hypothalamus monitor which temperatures?
their own and the skin
which of the following is a characteristic of glial cells in the human brain?
they are more numerous than neurons
What is a common symptom of Huntington's disease?
twitches, tremors, and writhing that interfere with voluntary movement
The eardrum is also known as the ____.
tympanic membrane
A distinctive feature of itch is that it relies on ____.
unusually slow axons
A graded depolarization is known as an ____.
EPSP
Which statement is TRUE with regard to peripheral vision?
It is easier to recognize single objects in the periphery that are not surrounded by other objects.
To what does "shape constancy" refer?
We can recognize objects even at different orientations.
It is believed that exposure to herbicides and pesticides is ____.
a contributing factor in some cases of Parkinson's disease
Sex differences are to ____ as gender differences are to ____.
anatomy; behaviors
The central nervous system is composed of the ____.
brain and spinal cord
Loewi demonstrated that synapses operate by the release of chemicals by ____.
collecting fluid from a stimulated frog's heart, transferring it to another frog's heart, and measuring that heart rate
At what point in the menstrual cycle, if any, are women who are NOT on birth-control pills most likely to initiate sexual activity?
during the periovulatory period
The choroid plexus ____.
forms the cerebrospinal fluid
During sleep, what happens in the brain?
increased firing by GABA neurons
A Golgi tendon organ responds to ____.
increases in muscle tension
Sildenafil (Viagra) works by ____.
increasing release of nitric oxide in the hypothalamus and penis
One way that estrogen increases sexual responsiveness is by ____.
increasing the sensitivity of nerves in the pubic area
Once within the cerebral cortex, the magnocellular pathway continues, with a dorsal branch important for ____.
integrating vision with action
During REM sleep, the EEG shows ____.
irregular, low-voltage fast waves
What is paradoxical about paradoxical sleep?
it is light sleep in some ways and deep sleep in other ways
The POA/AH monitors body temperature partly by monitoring ____.
its own temperature
The ability to detect movement better than color in our peripheral vision is largely due to ____.
magnocellular neurons in the periphery
Loss of orexin-containing neurons in the hypothalamus may contribute to ____.
narcolepsy
The SCN is located just above the ____.
optic chiasm
Ionotropic effects are characterized by ____.
rapid and short-lived effects
Which event is most likely to be dependent on ionotropic effects?
rapid muscle contraction
If you inject a male rat with estrogen shortly after birth, it will ____.
still develop into a male
The vagus nerve is to ____ as the splanchnic nerves are to ____.
stomach fullness; nutrient contents of the stomach
What is narcolepsy?
sudden periods of sleepiness during the day
Rods are to ____ as cones are to ____.
the periphery; the fovea
Gender identity can be defined as ____.
the sex one identifies with and calls oneself
What causes the primitive gonads to develop into masculine structures?
the sex region Y (SRY) gene
Computerized axial tomography creates an image from ____.
x-rays
Hormones are most essential to which aspect of mammalian parental behavior?
care for newborns during the first few days
Neuropeptides are synthesized in the ____
cell body
Which receptors are responsible for the perception of color?
cones only
What is a typical characteristic of insomnia?
consistently feeling sleepy during the day
If suprachiasmatic nucleus neurons are disconnected from the rest of the brain, they ____.
continue to produce activity that follows a circadian rhythm
Myelination in the human brain ____.
continues well into the adult years
Central pattern generators ____.
contribute to rhythmic patterns of movement
By blocking dopamine release, some antidepressant drugs that increase serotonin levels also ____.
decrease sexual activity
Immature neurons experimentally transplanted from one part of the developing cortex to another ____.
develop the properties characteristic of their new location
Male sexual behavior depends heavily on neurons in the medial preoptic area of the hypothalamus releasing which substance?
dopamine
After a lesion to the lateral preoptic area, a rat would react to an increase in sodium levels by ____.
drinking less and excreting highly concentrated urine
In general, when do hormones produce "organizing effects"?
during early stages in development
In comparison to activating effects, organizing effects of hormones take place ____.
earlier in life and produce more long-lasting effects
What would cause a genetic female to develop a partly masculinized anatomy?
exposure to more than the usual amount of testosterone during an early sensitive period
People with damage to the parietal cortex appear to lack ____ related to voluntary movements. a feelings of intention
feelings of intention
Nature's "default setting" is to make every mammal's external anatomy ____.
female
What does "endogenous" mean?
generated from within
In castrated male rats, the medial preoptic area ____.
has as much dopamine as normal rats, but the presence of a receptive female does not evoke much release of it
In the vertebrate retina, which cells are responsible for lateral inhibition?
horizontal cells
What are the dreamlike experiences at the onset of sleep that are difficult to distinguish from reality?
hypnagogic hallucinations
Your posterior pituitary is most likely to release antidiuretic hormone (ADH) ____.
if you are very thirsty
Compared to REM, research suggests that NREM is ____.
important for strengthening memories of lists of words
One objection to the use of the one-mate strategy in women is that ____.
in some cases, having multiple sex partners can result in more offspring
Compared to the earlier part, the later part of a night's sleep ____.
includes a larger percentage of REM sleep
In response to nervous system injury, neurotrophins ____.
increase regrowth of damaged axons
Research found that during REM sleep, activity ____.
increased in both the pons and the limbic system
The ascending portion of the reticular formation ____.
increases arousal and attention
L-Dopa, a common treatment for Parkinson's disease, is a drug that ____.
increases the brain's production of dopamine
The medulla is considered part of the brain rather than the spinal cord because it ____.
is contained in the skull
The estradiol normally found in the bloodstream of a female rat fetus neither masculinizes nor feminizes its development because it ____.
is prevented from entering the developing cells
The "spontaneous firing rate" of a neuron refers to ____.
its rate of producing action potentials even when it is not stimulated
Based on research, it has been determined that the human circadian rhythm appears to be ____.
just over 24 hours
The large-scale integration problem is the difficulty of ____.
knowing how the areas of your brain work together to create a combined perception
At this point, the conclusions of studies on the evolutionary interpretations of mating behavior suggest that these behaviors are ____.
lacking the scientific studies to allow us to draw a conclusion about them
What is responsible for sharpening contrast at visual borders?
lateral inhibition
Cutting the left optic nerve in front of the optic chiasm would result in blindness in the ____.
left eye
People with damage of the parietal cortex tend to have trouble ____
locating objects in space
The most common form of color vision deficiency is due to ____.
long- and medium-wavelength cones making the same photopigment
Which of the following best illustrates the organizing effects of sex hormones?
masculinization of the brain
The pineal gland releases the ____ hormone, which influences both circadian and circannual rhythms.
melatonin
EEG waves are larger when brain activity decreases because ____.
neurons are becoming more synchronized
Receptor molecules for neurotransmitters that exert metabotropic effects are proteins that bind to ____ outside the membrane, and attach to ____ inside the membrane.
neurotransmitters; G-proteins
In response to emotionally arousing events, the locus coeruleus releases ____.
norepinephrine
Sympathetic is to ____ as parasympathetic is to ____.
norepinephrine; acetylcholine
Dopamine stimulation of D2 receptors facilitates ____.
orgasm
According to the trichromatic theory of color vision ____.
our perception of color depends on the relative activity of three types of cones
Where would you find the dorsal root ganglia?
outside, but near, the spinal cord
Which of these is characteristic of sleep apnea?
periods without breathing during sleeping
During the menstrual cycle, estradiol and progesterone levels increase and decrease under the influence of hormones released by which gland?
pituitary
A stereotaxic instrument would most likely be used for ____.
placing an electrode in the brain
The receptive field of a receptor is the ____.
point in space from which light strikes the receptor
The sequence of the bursts of neural activity during REM sleep is ____
pons, lateral geniculate nucleus, and occipital cortex
A drug that inhibits the action of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase will have the effect of ____.
prolonging the action of acetylcholine at its synapses
Nerve growth factor (NGF) ____.
promotes the survival and growth of the axon
The lateral tract cross over point is in the ____.
pyramids of the medulla
Which pattern of post-synaptic excitation will most likely result in an action potential?
rapid sequence of EPSPs
Temporal summation most likely occurs with ____.
rapid succession of subthreshold excitation
The "decision" for a neuron to fire is determined by the ____.
ratio of EPSPs to IPSPs
Color constancy is the ability to ____.
recognize the color of an object despite changes in lighting
In addition to having difficulty recognizing faces, people with prosopagnosia may have difficulty____.
recognizing different kinds of plants and animals
Someone with prosopagnosia has difficulty with ____.
recognizing faces
Chemicals that prevent sodium from crossing the membrane ____.
reduce the intensity of salty tastes
Alpha waves are characteristic of what type of activity?
relaxed wakefulness
Suppose you fell into a cave and lost your watch. Without any time cues, your circadian rhythm would ____.
remain relatively stable
V1 neurons would be most strongly activated by viewing ____.
repeating stripes on a flag
The ____ is a structure that extends from the medulla into the forebrain.
reticular formation
Stereoscopic depth perception requires the brain to detect ____.
retinal disparity
A small branch of the optic nerve, known as the ____ path extends directly from the retina to the SCN.
retinohypothalamic
Horizontal cells receive their input from ____, and they send output to ____.
rods and cones; bipolar cells
A decrease in the amount of sleep most likely to affect the performance of migratory bird during ____.
seasons other than migration
After damage to the dorsal roots of the spinal cord, an individual will suffer what kind of loss?
sensation from the affected body area
What is the proper ordering of a reflex arc?
sensory neuron, interneuron, motor neuron.
How many pairs of cranial nerves do humans have?
12
What is the usual age of onset for Huntington's disease?
30-50 years old
Approximately what percent of the mammalian body is composed of water?
70%
With each succeeding stage of sleep (from 1 to 4), ____.
slow, large-amplitude waves increase in number
Compared to ionotropic effects, metabotropic effects are ____.
slower and longer lasting
What occurs to a tone as the frequency increases?
Pitch gets higher.
an axon has many branches, each of which swells at its tip. Theses are known as:
Presynaptic terminals
A normal, healthy animal never contracts the flexor muscles and the extensor muscles of the same leg at the same time. Why not?
When the interneuron sends excitatory messages to one, inhibitory messages go to the other.
The circuit from sensory neuron to muscle response is called ____.
a reflex arc
Two major classes of sex hormones are ____.
androgens and estrogens
The mechanism of fetal alcohol syndrome probably relates to ____.
apoptosis
Many kinds of information impinge onto two kinds of cells in one nucleus of the hypothalamus, which is regarded as the "master area" for control of appetite. That area is the ____.
arcuate nucleus
In comparison to NREM dreams, REM dreams ____.
are more likely to include complicated plots
One important difference between organizing effects and activating effects of hormones is that activating effects ____.
are shorter-term
Poikilothermic organisms have body temperatures that ____.
are the same as the temperatures of their environments
Sympathetic is to ____ as parasympathetic is to ____.
arousal; relaxation
one type of glia helps synchronize the activity of axons. they are called:
astrocyte
Which type of glia release chemicals that modify activity of neiboring neurons?
astrocytes
The nucleus basalis is a key part of the brain's system for ____.
attention
A tonotopic map refers to a(n) ____.
auditory cortex map of sounds
as a general rule, where do axons convey information?
away from their own cell body
Neurons typically have one___, but many____.
axon; dendrites
The reticular formation is contained within the ____.
brainstem
Once within the cerebral cortex, a mixed pathway of magnocellular and parvocellular cells is important for ____.
brightness and color
How do amphibians and reptiles control their body temperature?
by choosing an appropriate area of the environment
The lateral preoptic area and surrounding parts of the hypothalamus control ____.
drinking
Which characteristic tends to be more important for women than men in choosing a mate?
earning potential
After damage to the lateral hypothalamus, animals ____.
eat less
Studies with placebos and studies using hypnotism suggest that much of the reduction in pain is the result of decreased activation in the ____.
emotion areas of the brain.
One advantage of being homeothermic is that it ____.
enables the individual to stay active when the environment is cool
Depolarization is to ____ as hyperpolarization is to ____.
excitation; inhibition
Human newborns come into the world predisposed to pay more attention to ____ than any other stationary displays.
faces
Which action is an example of a motor program in chickens with featherless wings?
flapping wings if suddenly dropped
A mild degree of pain releases the neurotransmitter ____. A more intense pain also releases ____.
glutamate; substance P
Cell bodies of motor neurons would most likely be found in ____.
gray matter
People with posterior parietal damage ____.
have trouble converting vision into action
Itching is primarily the result of ____.
histamine release
Which plane shows brain structures as they would be seen from above?
horizontal
A sound shadow refers to ____.
how much louder a high-frequency sound is for the ear closest to the sound
How many kinds of olfactory receptors do we have?
hundreds
Olfactory information is coded in receptor cells through ____.
hundreds of types of receptor molecules, each responsive to a different chemical
What occurs when a stimulus shifts the potential inside a neuron from the resting potential to a more negative potential?
hyperpolarization
Inhibitory synapses on a neuron ____.
hyperpolarize the postsynaptic cell
The suprachiasmatic nucleus is found in the ____.
hypothalmus
An impairment of eating, drinking, temperature regulation, or sexual behavior suggests possible damage to which brain structure?
hypothalmus
Sodium-specific hunger is closely associated with ____.
hypovolemic thirst
under which conditions would the sodium-potassium pump likely be far less effective in creating a concentration gradient?
if selective permeability of the membrane did not exist
A person who is taking an antidepressant that increases serotonin or norepinephrine levels in the brain is most likely to have ____.
interrupted or shortened REM sleep
When a neuron's membrane is at rest, the concentration gradient tends to move sodium ___ the cell and the electrical gradient tends to move it ____ the cell
into; into
If all of a neuron's dendrites or axons were contained within the spinal cord, it would be considered a(n___ neuron
intrinsic
what would a neuron in the pons be called that receives information only from other cells in the pons and sends information only to other cells in the pons?
intrinsic
Glutamate opens sodium gates, enabling sodium ions to enter the postsynaptic cell. What type of effect is this?
ionotropic
Apoptosis ____.
is a programmed mechanism of cell death
The premotor cortex ____.
is active during preparations for a movement and less active during movement itself
A fever ____.
is part of the body's defense against an illness
The role of heredity in late-onset Parkinson's disease ____.
is probably not as great as with early onset Parkinson's disease
A human's body temperature over the course of 24 hours is usually highest ____.
mid to late afternoon
In which area of the brain would one find the tectum, tegmentum, superior and inferior colliculi, and substantia nigra?
midbrain
Morphine and other opiate drugs decrease sensitivity to pain by ____.
mimicking the effects of endorphins at the synapses
Repeated exposure to male pheromones may be associated with ____ in young women who are not sexually active.
more regular menstrual cycles
Research suggests that REM is ____.
most important for strengthening memories of motor skills
When does sleep walking occur?
mostly during slow wave sleep
The basal ganglia are most critical for learning ____.
motor habits that are difficult to describe in words
what receives excitation from other neurons and conducts impulses to muscle or gland cells?
motor neurons
Patients with damage in area MT have problems with perception of ____.
movement of objects and sounds
The resting potential of a neuron refers to the ___.
net negative charge on the inside of the neuron
the endoplasmic reticulum is a
network of thin tubes that transport newly synthesized proteins
The concept that neurons refine their many connections based on which ones are most successful is known as ____.
neural Darwinism
What is the name given to the synapse where a motor neuron's axon meets a muscle fiber?
neuromuscular junction
The taste nerves initially project to the ____.
nucleus of the tractus solitarius
Which group would most likely benefit from taking leptin?
obese people who fail to produce leptin
Some studies have linked male homosexuality to having a greater number of ____.
older brothers
____in the brain and spinal cord and___ in the periphery are specialized types of glia that build the myelin sheaths that surround neurons.
oligodendrocytes; schwann cells
according to the all-or-non law,____.
once an axon reaches threshold, the amplitude and velocity of an action potential are nearly equal each time
which of the following describes selective permeability?
only certain molecules are allowed to cross the membrane freely
When the potential across a membrane reaches threshold, sodium channels ____.
open to let sodium enter the cell rapidly
The brain chemicals known as endorphins produce effects similar to which substance?
opiates
After you stare at a bright green object for a minute and look away, you see red. Which theory attempts to explain this finding?
opponent-process theory
What kind of thirst is produced by an increased concentration of solutes in the blood?
osmotic
when a neuron's membrane is at rest, the concentration gradient tends to move potassium _____ the cell and the electrical gradient tends to move it _____the cell
out of; into
Hunger and satiety-sensitive neurons in the arcuate nucleus affect neurons in the ____, thereby affecting meal size.
paraventricular nucleus
Which area of the hypothalamus seems to be critical for the ending of meals?
paraventricular nucleus
Somatosensory information travels from the thalamus to which area of the cortex?
parietal lobe
Voltage-activated channels are channels for which a change in the voltage across the membrane alters their _____.
permeability
When the neuronal membrane is at rest, the potassium leak channels ____.
permit potassium to pass slowly
Humans localize low frequencies by ____ differences and high frequencies by ____ differences.
phase; loudness
Tryptophan enters the brain by an active-transport protein that it shares with ____ and other large amino acids.
phenylalanine
Chemicals that release energy when struck by light are called ____.
photopigments
If a female rat is injected with testosterone during the last few days before being born or the first few days afterward, at maturity her ____.
pituitary and ovaries will produce steady levels of hormones instead of cyclic levels of hormones
By both neural and hormonal pathways, the hypothalamus regulates activity of the ____.
pituitary gland
Secretions from which gland will also affect the secretion of hormones from the thyroid gland, adrenal gland, and ovaries or testes?
pituitary gland
In the otolith organs, the otoliths are calcium carbonate particles that ____.
push against hair cells when moved
The "decision" for a neuron to fire is determined by the ____.
ratio of EPSPs to IPSPs
According to the trichromatic theory of color vision, the most important factor in determining the color we see is the ____.
relative activity of short, medium, and long wavelengths
The absence of acetylcholine will cause a muscle to ____.
relax
A combination of the hormones aldosterone and angiotensin II leads to an increase in preference for ____ tastes.
salty
The psychological disorders that accompany Huntington's disease could be mistaken for which of the following?
schizophrenia
The increasing prevalence of obesity obviously relates to the increased availability of our diet and ____.
sedentary lifestyle
Pain receptors of the skin are ____.
simple, bare neuron endings
Another aspect of sleep's contribution to memory relates to:
sleep spindles
Morphine is effective in relieving ____.
slow, dull pain
the action potential of a neuron depends mostly on what movement of ions?
sodium ions entering the cell
in the normal course of an action potential, ____.
sodium remains much more concentrated outside than inside the neuron
Which division of the nervous system consists of neurons that deliver messages from the sensory organs to the central nervous system?
somatic
The sensory aspect of pain activates the ____ cortex, whereas the emotional aspect activates the ____ cortex.
somatosensory; cingulate
Myelin covers
some axons in vertebrates and none in invertebrates
In Parkinson's disease, which pathway in the brain degenerates?
substantia nigra to caudate nucleus and putamen
What determines whether a neuron has an action potential?
the combined effects of EPSPs and IPSPs
Most auditory information is sent to which hemisphere of the brain?
the contralateral side
The blood's glucose level ordinarily remains relatively constant because of the activity of ____.
the liver
What defines a homeostatic process?
the maintenance of certain body variables within a fixed range
What would be the likely outcome of a person who was blind at birth, and had vision restored later in life by the removal of cataracts (clouded lenses)?
trouble describing the shapes of objects
Diabetes insipidus literally means "passing without taste" because the urine is produced in such large quantities that it is tasteless. This disease is most likely caused by a problem with the production or release of ____.
vasopressin
Someone in a(n) ____ state alternates between periods of sleep and moderate arousal, although even during the more aroused state, the person shows no awareness of surroundings and no purposeful behavior.
vegetative
Superior colliculus is to ____ as inferior colliculus is to ____.
vision; hearing
An inability to recognize objects despite otherwise satisfactory vision is called ____.
visual agnosia
Which ability would be most impaired with damage to the vestibular senses?
visually tracking an object while dancing
What experience is similar to losing proprioception?
walking on a leg that has "fallen asleep"
Mirror neurons are active when ____.
watching others perform movements
We can identify a wide variety of bitter substances because ____.
we have many different bitter receptors
The current view of how we perceive high frequencies is based on ____.
where along the basilar membrane neurons fire most rapidly
According to the law of specific nerve energies, the brain tells the difference between one sensory modality and another by ____.
which neurons are active
If you are a supertaster, then ____.
you are more sensitive than the average person to nearly all tastes
Which mate-selection preference is stronger for men than for women?
youthfulness
Social stimuli - that is, the effects of other people - are weak ____, unless they induce exercise or other vigorous activity.
zeitgebers
For a normal person, about how long does a cycle of sleep (from stage 1 to stage 4 and back again) last?
90 minutes
Congenital adrenal hypertrophy is most likely to have which of these effects?
A genetic female develops looking partly masculinized.
What happens after damage to the suprachiasmatic nucleus itself?
Animals' activity patterns become less consistent and no longer respond to light and dark cycles.
What does the eating cycle of bulimia have in common with addictive drugs?
Both activate the brain's reinforcement areas.
What conclusion can be drawn from the unusual gender identity cases from the Dominican Republic?
Early child-rearing experiences are not the sole determinant of gender identity
Genetic males with testicular feminization (androgen insensitivity) develop looking and acting female. This condition develops because of a genetic mutation that has which effect?
It prevents testosterone from having its usual effects.
What is the role of the suprachiasmatic nucleus in circadian rhythms?
Its neurons generate a 24-hour rhythm by themselves.
If you could selectively damage the individual laminae of the cortex, damage to which layer would most likely affect visual sensation?
Layer IV of the occipital cortex
Which is true of androgens and estrogens?
Males and females both have androgens and estrogens, but in different amounts.
Why do humans perceive faint light better in the periphery of the eye?
More receptors in the periphery than in the fovea funnel input to each ganglion cell.
Which of the following is unique to genetic males early in development?
Müllerian inhibiting hormone
____ steer new axonal branches and synapses in the right direction.
Neurotrophins
____ modify the ____ sensitivity to different wavelengths of light.
Opsins; photopigments
Sometimes people find themselves unable to move their postural muscles immediately after awakening Why?
Part of the brain is still asleep
Of the various hypotheses based on hormone levels, which is the most plausible explanation for male homosexuality?
Prenatal testosterone levels were low during some sensitive period.
When examining the data on sexual orientation of twins and other siblings, what seems to be the most reasonable conclusion?
Sexual orientation is determined by genetics as well as other factors
Which parts of the brain deteriorate most strongly in Huntington's disease?
The caudate nucleus, putamen, and globus pallidus
What is the relationship between the motor neuron axons and muscle fibers?
The fewer muscle fibers a single axon innervates, the more precise the movements
After damage to the cerebellar cortex, an individual has trouble with which part of the finger-to-nose test?
The initial rapid movement to the nose
Which statement is TRUE about laminae in the cerebral cortex?
The laminae vary in thickness in different areas.
Which statement is TRUE of various types of somatosensation?
They are at least partly distinct all the way from the receptors to the cerebral cortex.
Which of the following best characterizes how axons arrive at the correct target cells?
They follow chemical gradients from the target cell.
What were the findings of a study of CAH girls in adolescence?
They read more sports magazines than the average for other teenage girls
Why is the speed of conduction through a reflex arc slower than the speed of conduction of an action potential along an axon?
Transmission between neurons at synapses is slower than along axons.
When traveling across time zones, how does the direction of travel affect one's adjustment to the new time zone?
Travel to the west is easier.
What is the best way to determine if an individual who claims to never dream does, in fact, have dreams?
Wake them up during REM sleep and ask them if they have been dreaming.
Which circumstance will be most likely to cause a genetic male to develop a mostly feminine anatomy?
a condition that prevents androgens from exerting their effects
Who would probably develop as an intersex?
a genetic female exposed to more testosterone than normal during early development
REM sleep is characterized by which of the following?
a high level of brain activity
What would cause a genetic female mammal to develop an anatomical appearance resembling a male's?
a high level of testosterone during an early stage of development
A Danish study correlating the weights of 540 adopted children with various adoptive and biological relatives found ____.
a higher correlation with biological relatives than adoptive relatives
Avoiding foods with lecithin, such as eggs and peanuts, would affect the levels of which neurotransmitter the most?
acetylcholine
Cells in the basal forebrain increase arousal and wakefulness by releasing ____.
acetylcholine
It appears from research with cats that one function of the messages from the pons to the spinal cord is to prevent us from ____.
acting out our dreams
Thus far, it appears that the brain feature most strongly correlated with IQ in humans is the ____.
amount of gray matter
What does cataplexy involve?
an attack of muscle weakness while awake
A sensitive period is ____.
an early period when a hormone has a long lasting effect
Certain individuals with an XY chromosome pattern have the genital appearance of a female. This condition is known as ____.
androgen insensitivity
The sexually dimorphic nucleus is located in the ____.
anterior hypothalamus
Follicle-stimulating hormone is released by the ____.
anterior pituitary
The relationship between sleep stage and dreaming is that dreams ____.
are more frequent and more vivid in REM sleep
In comparison to cones, rods ____.
are more sensitive to dim light
Lateral tract axons are responsible for movements in the ____.
arms, hands, and toes
The hormones LH, FSH, and estradiol reach a peak ____.
around the time of ovulation
The eighth cranial nerve contains both a(n) ____ component and a ____ component.
auditory; vestibular
Estradiol normally found in the bloodstream of a female rat fetus neither masculinizes nor feminizes its development because it is ____.
bound to alpha-fetoprotein
Each hemisphere of the cerebral cortex receives most of its input from the ____ side of the body and controls the muscles on the ____ side.
contralateral; contralateral
According to the retinex theory, we perceive color by ____.
contrasting the activity in one area of the visual field with that of the others
The precentral gyrus is essential for the ____.
control of fine movements
After damage to the ventral roots of the spinal cord, an individual will suffer what kind of loss?
control of the peripheral muscles in the affected body area
Olfactory information is processed by the ____.
cortex via the olfactory bulbs
Vision is to ____ as hearing is to ____.
cranial nerve II; cranial nerve VIII
Activation of autoreceptors tends to ____.
decrease further neurotransmitter release
In foveal vision, ____.
each ganglion cell is excited by a single cone
Steroid hormones produce their effects by ____.
entering cells and affecting gene expression
A "zeitgeber" is a(n) ____.
environmental cue that resets a biological clock
The catecholamines include ____.
epinephrine, norepinephrine, and dopamine
In normal female rats, release of dopamine in the medial preoptic area activity is primed by ____.
estradiol
Which hormone(s) is/are likely to be found more abundantly in females than in males?
estrogens
The law of specific nerve energies states that ____.
every stimulation of the optic nerve is perceived as light
Depolarization is to ____ as hyperpolarization is to ____.
excitation; inhibition
Research on circadian rhythms has shown that one of the best ways to increase the alertness and efficiency of workers on night shifts is to ____.
expose them to bright lights while they work
Researchers have demonstrated that the expression of the SCN genes can be changed through ____.
exposure of the eyes to light
What would cause a mammal to develop the anatomy of a male, regardless of its chromosomes?
exposure to high levels of testosterone during an early stage of development
Müllerian ducts are found in ____.
female and male fetuses early in development
Wolffian ducts are found in ____.
female and male fetuses early in development
Research indicates that the behavioral effects of the cerebellum may be due to its role in ____.
focusing attention and organizing sensory inputs
Mammals have circadian rhythms ____.
for a variety of activities, including sleep
The anterior pituitary is composed of ____ and the posterior pituitary is composed of ____.
glandular tissue; neural tissue
Which structure has the largest receptive fields and the greatest preferential sensitivity to highly complex visual patterns, such as faces?
inferior temporal cortex
When a vertebrate animal contracts the flexor muscles of a leg, it relaxes the extensor muscles of the same leg. Sherrington considered this evidence for the existence of ____.
inhibitory messages
Birth control pills prevent pregnancy by ____.
interfering with the feedback cycle between the ovaries and the pituitary
A receptor can directly open a channel and thereby exert a(n) ____ effect, or it can produce slower but longer ____ effects.
ionotropic; metabotropic
What do the EEG waves look like when brain activity is "desynchronized"?
irregular waves with low amplitude
Necrosis ____.
is cell death caused by an injury or a toxic substance
Meningitis is an inflammation of the ____.
membranes surrounding the brain
Cells in the inferior temporal cortex that are sensitive to a particular shape are also likely to respond to the shape's ____.
mirror-reversal
In one study, women in the follicular phase, when the probability of becoming pregnant is greatest, preferred male faces that were ____.
more masculine in appearance
Damage to the magnocellular pathway would most likely lead to the loss of ____.
motion perception
What is the first point in the digestive system where enzymes begin to break down food?
mouth
The esophagus brings food from the ____.
mouth to the stomach
People with REM behavior disorder ____.
move vigorously during REM, apparently acting out their dreams
Spatial summation refers to ____.
multiple weak stimulations that occur at the same time
Processes that reduce any discrepancies from the set point are known as ____.
negative feedback
The role of the reticular formation in arousal is that it is ____.
only one of several systems involved in arousal
A woman's hypothalamus and pituitary interact with the ____ to produce the menstrual cycle.
ovaries
What hormone is released during orgasm and is apparently responsible for the calmness and lack of anxiety after orgasm?
oxytocin
An increase in the size of meals is most likely to occur following damage to which area of the hypothalamus?
paraventricular
Someone who suddenly loses the ability to identify objects by feeling them has probably suffered damage to what area of the cerebral cortex?
parietal lobe
The ____ monitors all the information about eye, head, and body positions and passes it on to brain areas that control movement.
parietal lobe
The "binding problem" is the issue of how we ____.
perceive visual, auditory and other aspects of a stimulus as a single object
Repeated involuntary movements of the arms and legs that may prevent a person from falling asleep are known as ____.
periodic limb movement disorder
Increased permeability to which type of ion would most likely result in an IPSP?
potassium
The only area of the cerebral cortex known to receive input from ALL sensory modalities is the ____.
prefrontal cortex
In development, neurotrophins ____. During adulthood, they ____.
preserve neurons; increase neuronal branching
The role of the Golgi tendon organs is to ____.
prevent extreme muscle contractions
What is the primary target area in the cortex for information regarding muscle-stretch and joint receptors?
primary somatosensory cortex
An organizing effect differs from an activating effect of a hormone in that an organizing effect ____.
produces more long-lasting effects
Proliferation is the ____.
production of new cells
The SCN produces circadian rhythms by altering ____.
production of proteins
The hormone that prepares the uterus for pregnancy is ____.
progesterone
In what order does visual information pass through the retina?
receptor cells, bipolar cells, ganglion cells
The effect of a neurotransmitter on a postsynaptic neuron is determined by the ____.
receptors on the postsynaptic membrane
The circadian rhythm is reset by input from special ganglion cells in the retina. These ganglion cells are unusual in that they ____.
respond directly to light, but respond very slowly
In depth perception, different views are received by each eye, depending on the distance of the object being viewed. What is this called?
retinal disparity
The spinal cord communicates with ____.
sense organs and muscles below the level of the head
A more recent study on differences in the INAH3 suggests that compared to heterosexual men, homosexual men have ____.
smaller INAH3 neurons, but a comparable number
A person's circadian activity cycle would most likely drift out of phase with the activity of other people if the person ____.
spends a period of time in seclusion, away from sunlight
Even at rest, most neurons have periodic production of action potentials, known as the ____.
spontaneous firing rate
Typically, a person who falls asleep enters ____.
stage 1 and slowly progresses through stages 2, 3 and 4 in order
Slow-wave sleep is comprised of ____.
stages 3 and 4
Roger Sperry cut a newt's optic nerve and rotated the eye. Axons from what used to be the dorsal part of the retina (now located on the ventral side) grew back to the target areas ____.
that ordinarily get input from the dorsal retina
Damage to the ventral stream may interfere with ____.
the ability to describe the shape or size of an object
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) occurs because the adrenal gland releases ____.
too little cortisol
Which of the following depends on an organizing effect of hormones?
whether an organism develops as male or female
Korsakoff's syndrome:
Is marked by severe memory impairments
What are two requirements for the brain to metabolize glucose?
Thiamine and Oxygen
Where do the metabolic activities occur that provides energy for all of the other activities of the cell?
mitochondria
molecules that can cross the blood-brain barrier are usually
molecules which can dissolve in the fats of capillary walls
Santiagon Ramon y Cajal demonstrated that:
neurons are seperate from eachother
Gaps in the insulating material that surrounds axons are known as:
nodes ranvier
which of the following describes the transmission of information in a local neuron?
the signal decreases in strength decreases as it travels
Which of the following is the correct order of transmission of information within a neuron?
Dendrite, cell body, axon
Incoming synapses are primarily found on:
Dendrites and cell bodies
Some dendrites contain additional short outgrowths. What are these outgrowths called?
Dendritic spines
Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of axon?
It carries information toward the cell body
what is one major cause for the resting potential of a neuron's membrane?
The sodium potassium pump
prior to the woek of Santiago Ramon y Cajal, what did many investigators believe?
The tip of an axon physically merged with the next neuron
what leads to Korsakoff's syndrome?
Thiamine deficiency resulting from alcoholism
which function is NOT performed by glia?
Transmitting information
Which chemicals flow most freely across a cell membrane?
Water, oxygen, and carbon dioxide
Glucose enters the brain via:
active transport
the risk of having part of the brain unprotected by the blood-brain barrier is:
both chemical interference with neurotransmitters and increased risk from viruses and toxic chemicals are correct
The tree-like branches of a neuron that recieve information from other neurons are called
dendrites
What action tends to open the sodium gates across a neuron's membrane?
depolarization of the membrane
the concentration gradient refers to the ___.
difference in distribution for various ions between the inside and outside of the membrane
glial cells
do not transmit information over long distances
a greater amount of branching on dendrites allows them to:
have a larger surface area available for receiving information from other neurons.
of the following, the most important consideration in developing a drug that will act in the brain is:
if the drug will cross the blood brain barrier.
many dendrites contain short outgrowths called spines which:
increase the surface area available for synapses
Which event will increase the concentration gradient of sodium?
increasing activity of the sodium potassium pump
Chemicals are released by axons
into the junction between neurons
the structure that contains the chromosomes is called the
nucleus
Local anesthetic drugs attach to the sodium channels of the membrane which ____.
prevents sodium ions from entering and stopping action potential.
Small, charged molecules can cross the cell membrane through
protein channels
the sites at which the cell synthesizes new protein molecules are called:
ribosomes
the___ of neurons most strongly differentiate them from other cells in the body.
shape
which of the following is NOT true of axons?
they carry information toward the soma
Which of the following is NOT true of astrocytes?
they make up the myelin sheaths in the periphery of the body
The neuron will produce an action potential only if the depolarization exceeds the ____.
threshold of excitation
why does the brain need thiamine?
to enable it to metabolize glucose