Brain and Behavior Midterm

Cones provide about what percentage of the visual input to the brain? a. 90 percent b. 80 percent c. 70 percent d. 60 percent

90 percent

Louis seems to be particularly responsive to situations that people find frightening. He is easily startled and when frightened tends to be very frightened. What area of his brain is most likely to be involved in these fear responses? a. Amygdala b. Thalamus c. Pituitary d. Corpus callosum

Amygdala

What structure(s) is/are implicated in movement disorders like Parkinson's and Huntington's? a. Thalamus b. Limbic system c. Pituitary d. Basal ganglia

Basal ganglia

Foveal vision a. responds well to dim light b. contains cones as receptors c. has very limited color vision d. is not good at distinguishing detail

Contains cones as receptors

Which type of visual cortex cell has a strong inhibitory area at one end of its large bar-shaped receptive field ? a. Pacinian b. Simple c. End-stopped d. Complex

End-stopped

Which lobe contains the primary motor cortex? a. Parietal b. Temporal c. Frontal d. Occipital

Frontal

Which part of the facial recognition system responds strongly to a face viewed from any angle, as well as line drawings and anything else that looks like a face? a. Amygdala b. Medial temporal cortex c. Somatosensory cortex d. Fusiform gyrus

Fusiform gyrus

Oliver has been diagnosed with prosopagnosia. What is his main symptom? a. He cannot experience depth perception. b. He cannot recognize faces. c. He cannot see color. d. He cannot see at all.

He cannot recognize faces

Scott is looking at a series of grayscale bars. While he stares at a darker bar, it seems as if the border with a lighter bar seems "highlighted." What could explain why he is seeing this visual effect? a. Lateral inhibition b. Opponent inhibition c. Bipolar excitation d. Lateral summation

Lateral inhibition

____ is thought to help control appetite by decreasing it. a. Leptin b. Renin c. Glucagon d. FSH

Leptin

Which type of neurons lack axons? a. Local b. Afferent c. Efferent d. Motor

Local

Which researcher is credited with demonstrating the existence of chemical synapses? a. Golgi b. Sherrington c. Ramón y Cajal d. Loewi

Loewi

Cells in which structure respond selectively when something moves at a particular speed in a particular direction? a. Somatosensory cortex b. Amygdala c. Medial temporal cortex d. Fusiform gyrus

Medial temporal cortex

Which structure controls vital reflexes, including breathing, heart rate, vomiting, salivation, coughing, and sneezing? a. Medulla b. Thalamus c. Tectum d. Inferior colliculus

Medulla

Gordon is having trouble sleeping and decides to take a supplement containing a hormone that is manufactured in the pineal. What is he most likely taking? a. Melatonin b. Glucagon c. Renin d. Leptin

Melatonin

Which cell structure performs the activities that provide cells with energy? a. Mitochondrion b. Endoplasmic reticulum c. Ribosome d. Plasma membrane

Mitochondrion

Dot is a cat with a huge brown spot on her dorsal side. The rest of her fur is white. Where is the spot located? a. Toward Dot's front end b. On Dot's back c. Toward Dot's rear end d. On Dot's stomach

On Dot's back

Which theory posits that we perceive color on a continuum from red to green, another from yellow to blue, and another from white to black? a. Trichromatic theory b. Young-Helmholtz theory c. Retinex theory d. Opponent process theory

Opponent process theory

Dr. Kerr studies the functions of a specific type of neuron by exciting or inhibiting those neurons using light. What method is Dr. Kerr using? a. Optogenetics b. Gene-knockout c. Stereotaxic lesioning d. Ablation

Optogenetics

Which system consists of the cranial nerves and nerves from the sacral spinal cord? a. Limbic b. Somatosensory c. Sympathetic d. Parasympathetic

Parasympathetic

Dr. Chiarella is interested in how the brain responds to touch and pressure sensations. Which lobe will Dr. Chiarella study? a. Parietal b. Frontal c. Temporal d. Occipital

Parietal

Which theory can account for the constancy of color across different lighting conditions? a. Trichromatic theory b. Young-Helmholtz theory c. Retinex theory d. Opponent process theory

Retinex theory

Which cell structure synthesizes the substances used for building materials by the cell? a. Nucleolus b. Ribosomes c. Mitochondria d. Chromosomes

Ribosomes

Which type of glial cell builds myelin sheaths in the periphery of the body? a. Oligodendrocytes b. Astrocytes c. Radial glia d. Schwann cells

Schwann cells

Which structure is very important for vision? a. Superior colliculus b. Red nucleus c. Inferior colliculus d. Substantia nigra

Superior colliculus

Moira was walking home along at night when a loud noise frightened her. Which system prepared Moira for "fight or flight"? a. Sympathetic b. Cortical c. Brainstem d. Parasympathetic

Sympathetic

What procedure enables researchers to use a magnet to temporarily inactivate an area of the brain in order to better understand the relationship between that area of the brain and behavior? a. Ablation b. Gene-knockout c. TMS d. Lesioning

TMS

When a neuron is resting, there is more sodium outside it than inside it and more potassium inside it than outside it. What is this phenomenon called? a. The concentration gradient b. The action potential c. The osmotic pressure d. The membrane permeability

The concentration gradient

Jaquan has gone outside and forgotten his sunglasses. What will happen to his rods in bright daylight? a. Their sensitivity to detail will be increased. b. They will be bleached. c. Their sensitivity to color will be increased. d. They will become more active.

They will be bleached

Terrance was born with congenital cataracts. If the cataracts are not removed until childhood, what are the likely effects? a. His motion and depth perception will remain permanently impaired. b. His depth perception will rapidly improve. c. Virtually all aspects of vision will return to normal with rehabilitation. d. His visual recognition will remain profoundly impaired.

a. His motion and depth perception will remain permanently impaired.

Why is it that, once the sodium-potassium pump moves sodium outside the membrane, the sodium does not leak back in? a. Selective permeability prevents it. b. The concentration gradient precludes it. c. Mitochondrial action blocks it. d. The resting potential repels it

a. Selective permeability prevents it.

What term describes periodic production of action potentials, even without synaptic input? a. Spontaneous firing b. EPSP c. Automatic firing d. IPSP

a. Spontaneous firing

What term is used for the cumulative effect of repeated stimulation over a brief period? a. Temporal summation b. Excitatory postsynaptic potential c. Inhibitory postsynaptic potential d. Spatial summation

a. Temporal summation

According to the trichromatic theory, which of the following best explains how we discriminate among wavelengths of light? a. We use the ratio of activity across the three types of cones. b. We use the sum of the activity in all three types of cones. c. We use the activity of the most active cone. d. We use a difference in activity between the most and least active types of cones.

a. We use the ratio of activity across the three types of cones.

The law of specific nerve energies addresses the issue of _____. a. how the brain interprets nerve impulses from sense organs b. why perception must occur before sensation can c. how lack of early stimulation can impair perception d. why the brain is able to distinguish between colors

a. how the brain interprets nerve impulses from sense organs

The jumping of action potentials from node to node is referred to as ____. a. saltatory conduction b. intermittent conduction c. intranodal conduction d. facilitated conduction

a. saltatory conduction

Epinephrine and norepinephrine are produced in the ____. a. pancreas b. pituitary c. pineal d. adrenal medulla

adrenal medulla

Nearly all neurotransmitters are synthesized from _____, a. fats b. amino acids c. carbohydrates d. glucose

amino acids

Which structure conveys an impulse toward other neurons, an organ, or a muscle? a. A spine b. An axon c. A dendrite d. A soma

an axon

Which type of glial cells both take up and re-release the ions and transmitters released by axons? a. Oligodendrocytes b. Schwann cells c. Astrocytes d. Radial glia

astrocytes

Frederick is interested in using his diet to elevate his mood. He knows that dietary tryptophan is necessary for the synthesis of serotonin, which will, in turn, help his mood. What is the BEST way for him to increase the amount of tryptophan available to his brain? a. Increase consumption of tryptophan-containing foods b. Decrease consumption of phenylalanine-containing foods c. Decrease consumption of carbohydrates d. Increase consumption of all large amino acids

b. Decrease consumption of phenylalanine-containing foods

Which type of ganglion cells are distributed evenly throughout the retina and have relatively large cell bodies and receptive fields? a. Koniocellular b. Magnocellular c. Fibrocellular d. Parvocellular

b. Magnocellular

Which type of effect is particularly important for sensations like taste and long-lasting aspects of arousal and motivation? a. Pantropic b. Metabotropic c. Ionotropic d. Xenotropic

b. Metabotropic

Neuropeptides are characterized by ____. a. being synthesized in presynaptic terminals b. being released mostly from dendrites c. being released by a single action potential d. having an action that lasts, at most, a few seconds

b. being released mostly from dendrites

In his studies of infant brains, Santiago Ramón y Cajal demonstrated that ____. a. motor neurons receive excitation through axons b. nerve cells are separate, not merged into each other c. the shapes of neurons are all virtually identical d. chromosomes are contained in the mitochondria

b. nerve cells are separate, not merged into each other

According to the all-or-none law, provided the threshold is reached, the amplitude and velocity of an action potential are independent of _____. a. the duration of the initiating stimulus b. the intensity of the initiating stimulus c. the nature of the initiating stimulus d. the modality of the initiating stimulus

b. the intensity of the initiating stimulus

The question of how various brain areas combine to produce integrated behavior and experience is referred to as the ____. a. reductionist conundrum b. integration paradox c. binding problem d. mind-brain problem

binding problem

Elsa has had damage to area V1. As a result, she may experience the ability to respond in limited ways to visual information without perceiving it consciously, a phenomenon called _____. a. presbyopia b. blindsight c. visual agnosia d. synesthesia

blindsight

Why is detail vision relatively poor in the periphery? a. There are multiple blind spots in the periphery. b. The presence of a high proportion of cones leads to conflicting information. c. Many receptors converge on a single ganglion cell there. d. The high amount of light required obscures detail.

c. Many receptors converge on a single ganglion cell there.

Sherrington inferred the presence of a gap between neurons based on ____. a. an inconsistent occurrence of conduction b. the existence of spinal reflexes c. a slower-than-predicted speed of conduction d. the suppression of reflexes

c. a slower-than-predicted speed of conduction

Consider a wiring arrangement of neurons in which the two neurons (A and B) stimulate a third neuron (X). Neither neuron A nor B can stimulate neuron X on its own, but, in combination, they can excite neuron X. This demonstrates ____. a. temporal summation b. an IPSP c. spatial summation d. an IPSP and an EPSP

c. spatial summation

Cerebrospinal fluid is produced by the ____. a. meninges b. choroid plexus c. corpus callosum d. tectum

choroid plexus

What recording technique uses faint magnetic fields to measure activity in the brain? a. CAT b. PET c. EEG d. MEG

d. MEG

Which lobe contributes to visual processing related to perception of movement and recognition of faces? a. Frontal b. Occipital c. Parietal d. Temporal

d. Temporal

To signal the difference between a weak stimulus and a strong stimulus, what does the axon vary? a. The strength of the action potential b. The speed of the action potential c. The amplitude of the action potential d. The timing of the action potentia

d. The timing of the action potential

The temporary hyperpolarization of a membrane is a(n) ____. a. temporal summation b. excitatory postsynaptic potential c. spatial summation d. inhibitory postsynaptic potential

d. inhibitory postsynaptic potential

A motor neuron receives excitation through its ____. a. axons b. dendrites c. soma d. mitochondria

dendrites

Lawrence says he really enjoys smoking and thinks he may even be addicted to cigarettes. Smoking cigarettes feels rewarding in part because it triggers the release of ____. a. acetylcholine b. GABA c. dopamine d. serotonin

dopamine

Mr. Garcia has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease. What type of cells, that form the lining of blood vessels, will shrink, thereby allowing harmful chemicals to enter his brain? a. Glial b. Endothelial c. Endoplasmic d. Myelin

endothelial

Bursts of neurotransmitters are released from the presynaptic neuron in _____. a. exocytosis b. exostosis c. apoptosis d. meiosis

excocytosis

Clusters of cell bodies like the clusters of sensory neurons outside the spinal cord are called ____. a. ganglia b. gyri c. tracts d. lamina

ganglia

The optic nerve is composed of axons of ____. a. amacrine cells b. basilar cells c. ganglion cells d. bipolar cells

ganglion cells

The brain's primary source of energy is ____. a. amino acids b. thiamine c. glucose d. cholesterol

glucose

Which substance is moved across the blood-brain barrier via active transport? a. Oxygen b. Vitamin A c. Glucose d. Vitamin D

glucose

Most of the brain's excitatory ionotropic synapses use the neurotransmitter ____. a. substance P b. GABA c. nitric oxide d. glutamate

glutamate

The cerebral cortex is organized in six layers of cell bodies, parallel to the surface of the cortex, called ____. a. tracts b. laminae c. columns d. ganglia

laminae

In mammalian vision, most ganglion cell axons go to the ____. a. lateral geniculate nucleus b. hippocampus c. amygdala d. somatosensory cortex

latery geniculate nucleus

The ganglion cells in the fovea of humans and other primates are called ____. a. midget ganglion cells b. bipolar cells c. amacrine cells d. horizontal cells

midget ganglion cells

Research using contemporary imaging methods have shown that people with a larger amygdala tend to have ____. a. excellent visual memories b. more social contacts c. exceptional self-control d. large vocabularies

more social contacts

Which neurotransmitter is a gas that is released by local neurons and has the effect of dilating nearby blood vessels and thus increasing blood flow to the brain? a. Epinephrine b. Nitric oxide c. Endorphins d. ATP

nitric oxide

The primary visual cortex is located in the ____ . a. temporal lobe b. parietal lobe c. occipital lobe d. frontal lobe

occipital lobe

Transmission of the action potential down an axon is called ____. a. diffusion b. dissemination c. propagation d. differentiation

propogation

Nicola just burned her finger on a hot pan. What is the circuit from sensory neurons to muscle response called that transmitted the message that she should remove her finger from the pan? a. Reflex arc b. Neural network c. Efferent circuit d. Afferent loop

reflex arc

The slightly negative electrical potential of the inside of a resting neuron relative to the outside is called the _____. a. concentration gradient b. resting potential c. osmotic pressure d. membrane permeability

resting potential

Many hallucinogenic drugs are chemically similar to ____. a. serotonin b. GABA c. acetylcholine d. dopamine

serotonin

What happens at the peak of the action potential? a. Potassium channels are tightly closed. b. Sodium channels close. c. Sodium channels begin open. d. Potassium channels begin to open.

sodium channels close

Which class of drugs decreases reuptake and prolongs the effects of serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine? a. Opiates b. Stimulants c. Depressants d. Hallucinogens

stimulants

The permeability of the proteins that allow sodium and potassium to cross a neuron's membrane depends on the ____. a. diameter of the dendrite b. length of the axon c. strength of the excitatory impulse d. voltage difference across the membrane

voltage difference across the membrane

Mitsuko is holding an object that he can see is an apple because of the ventral pathway or stream through the temporal cortex. Because it is specialized for identifying and recognizing objects, the pathway is also called the _____. a. when pathway b. how pathway c. where pathway d. what pathway

what pathway