NEUR 305 Exam 1

Which of the following is not a part of IRB's criteria for research a) minimization of risk to participants b) equitable selection c) privacy and confidentiality d) implied consent

d is the correct answer. Informed consent is required for participation in research. Implied consent is not sufficient.

A patient was shown the following images and asked to explain the differences. The patient kept claiming he could not see a difference in the images, and that all the images portrayed the letter H. What could a researcher determine about his patient from the information? A) The patient had a left-side lesion because left-side lesions tend to correlate with slow identifications of local precedence. B) The patient had a left-side lesion because left-side lesions tend to correlate with slow identifications of global precedence. C) The patient had a right-side lesion because right-side lesions tend to correlate with slow identifications of local precedence. D) The patient had a right-side lesion because right-side lesions tend to correlate with slow identifications of global precedence.

A Lesions in the left hemisphere of the brain correlate to having slowed identification in local precedence, therefore, the patient can only see the letter H because it looks like the overall image, but cannot determine the local letter in the image to be either F, L, or H. Lesions on the right side tend to slow global precedence where it would be difficult for the patient to identify the overall image. Answer choice B would be correct in stating there is a left side lesion, but incorrect when saying this has a correlation to global precedence. Answer choices C and D are both wrong because they mention a lesion in the right-side. Answer choice C is half correct since it mentions local precedence, and answer choice D is overall completely incorrect with the location and explanation.

A 65-year-old woman reports having brief 5-10 minute episodes of sudden dizziness, lack of coordination, and confusion. She refuses to use any sort of radiation technology because she believes that it contributes to cancer and claims that she is already high risk. However, she still wants to get her brain examined to understand what is going on, which method would you recommend using to investigate? a. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) b. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) c. Computed Tomography (CT) d. Diffusion MRI (DTI)

A. The woman in this scenario is describing symptoms of a stroke, so the ideal brain imaging technique would have a high spatial resolution. Both CT scans and MRIs are able to create detailed images and are effective methods in detecting strokes. Although CT scans have superior spatial resolution to MRIs, the best method to use would be an MRI because CT scans use radiation to take x-ray images of the brain.

Which method would be most useful for disrupting neural activity while maintaining good spatial resolution in humans? A.Diffusion Tensor Imaging B. Deep Brain Stimulation C. Transcranial Stimulation D. Optogenetics

B, Deep Brain Stimulation would be most useful for disrupting neural activity with good spatial resolution. This is because implanting the electrode deep into the brain allows for more specificity with placement and activating the electrode can disrupt electrical activity. A is not correct because it is a type of imaging, so it cannot be used to manipulate neural activity. C is incorrect because it has a poor spatial resolution. D is incorrect because optogenetics is not yet used in humans.

You are a new undergraduate researcher in an optogenetics lab on campus. To assess your knowledge, your PI gives you the four following statements to discuss at an upcoming meeting. Which of the following are true? By artificially stimulating neurons in the substantia nigra and basal ganglia, optogenetics can improve symptoms for patients Parkinson's Disease. Optogenetics has a better spatial resolution than MEG. Optogenetics analyzes neuronal activity by using a transgenic or viral injection of GFP and fluorescent detection. When studying aberrations to neural connections, optogenetics has an improved temporal resolution compared to that of induced brain lesions. A) Only statements 1 and 3 are true. B) Only statements 2 and 4 true. C) Only statements 2 and 3 are true. D) All listed statements are true.

B. Statement 1 is false, because optogenetics requires inserting light gated channels into neurons, which we currently only perform in animals. The technique of artificially inducing activity in Parkinson's patients is done, but is through deep brain electrical stimulation, not optogenetics. Statement 2 is true, as MEG can tell a researcher information about the broad structural activity across the brain, but optogenetics can be localized down to individual neurons with the expressed channels (better spatial resolution). Statement 3 is false - the reference to injection of GFP refers to calcium imaging, where a GFP-calmodulin protein is created, then fluoresces with Ca2+ / calmodulin binding, allowing for indirect direction of neural activity. Lastly, statement 4 is true. Optogenetics has a temporal resolution on the scale of milliseconds to seconds, while inducing brain lesions takes days or weeks before data can be collected and analyzed. It would take significantly less time to modify a neuron's activity through an optogenetic technique than inducing a lesion, which would likely also be more widespread.

Which of the following statements about hemispheric localization is true? A. The left hemisphere protrudes slightly in front. B. The planum temporale (Wernicke's area) is larger in the left. C. The sylvian fissue is more prominent in the left. D. The right has less frontal volume.

B. The right hemisphere protrudes slightly in front, the sylvian fissure is more prominent in the right hemisphere, and the right hemisphere has more frontal volume.

Which is not a true comparison of MEG compared to EEG? a. MEG has less distortion than EEG. b. MEG and EEG both have good temporal resolution. c. MEG is less expensive than EEG. d. MEG has better localization compared to EEG.

C It is true that MEG has less distortion than EEG. It is also true that both MEG and EEG have good temporal resolution. It is also true that MEG has better localization than EEG. It is not true that MEG is less expensicve than EEG, it is actually much more expensive, which reduces its accessibility.

1. In which scenario would the use of an MRI be preferred over the use of an EEG/MEG? a. A boy presents with abnormal sleeping habits and you want to track his brain activity while he sleeps. b. You are conducting a study that measures changes in brain activity in response to shocking stimuli over a period of time. c. You suspect a girl has a brain tumor, but want to verify using brain imagery. d. You are investigating the prevalence of epilepsy in teens, but are trying to minimize costs.

C This answer is correct because MRI's have high spatial resolution in comparison to EEG/MEGs, and are an extremely useful tool when investigating the structure of the brain. When studying brain activity (a, b), an EEG/MEG would be more useful. For D, an MRI is significantly more expensive than an EEG/MEG and would not be preferred in this situation.

Which structure are action potentials propogated? A- D B- H C- F D- A .

C is the correct answer as action potentials are propogated across the axon. Action potentials are transmitted to other dendrites at 9. Action potentials are generated in the cell body at 6 and 1 is the dendrites which receive action potentials from other neurons

A study is testing the efficacy of a new drug to help with Alzheimer's symptoms. The experimental group will receive the new drug, while the control group will receive a placebo. The course of treatment and observation remains the same excluding the drug. All participants were randomly selected and placed into random groups. The participants and researchers are unaware of which patient got the new drug. All the patients are informed of the new drug, including its potential symptoms. There was one participant that felt the symptoms were too strong and wanted to leave, but the researchers persuaded them to stay, saying "Just stay a little longer, we are almost done." Looking at the experimental design, is this experiment ethical? A: Yes, the participants are fully aware of the experiment. B: Yes, the double-blind experiment reduced the biased opinions of researchers. C: No, the researchers kept a participant against their wishes and forced them to stay until the experiment ended. D: No, the control group got a placebo.

C is the correct answer because forcing a participant to stay despite saying they want to leave is unethical. The Nuremberg Code, Section 9, stated that participants are allowed to leave at any time. In the Belmont report, Respect for Persons is a principle that requires the protection of the subjects and their full autonomy, meaning that they can make their own decision and the researchers will have to respect them. It also violates the Principle of Beneficence, as the participant's continuation in the study increases the harm they are put through. The information gathered from this study is not more important than a person's mental/physical health.

How does the loss of FMR1 affect Drosophilia oocytes? a. increase protein synthesis at the synapse b. enhances translation of small proteins c. leads to oocytes that generate embryos exhibiting neural defects d. all of the answers are correct

C, is the only correct answer the FMR1 gene will cause the drosophilia flies to produce embryos exhibiting neural defects from their oocytes. The FMR1 mutation will decrease protein synthesis at the synapse, and it enhances translation of large proteins not small proteins.

Of the following, which best predicts the effect of damage to the right hemisphere on the ability of a pianist to learn a new piece? A) Difficulty remembering the sequence of notes in an isolated ascending scale B) Difficulty expressing the piece cohesively and musically C) Difficulty remembering the notes present of a particular chord voicing D) Difficulty in executing a part of a melody containing a quintuplet

Correct answer is B. Damage to the right hemisphere negatively affects our global view of a situation. Out of the available answers, the situation described in B best applies. The right hemisphere would play a crucial role in the pianist's ability to zoom out and look at how notes and passages sum to an entire piece. It would work to ensure that the piece flows and sounds like more than notes strung together without a view of the bigger picture of what it is trying to communicate musically or emotionally. The other situations reflect more of the function of the left hemisphere: looking at the zoomed in details of particular elements of the piece.

Which of the following is a function of the right hemisphere of the brain? A) The right hemisphere is responsible for language recognition (Wernicke's area) B) The right hemisphere is responsible for voluntary facial expressions C) The right hemisphere is responsible for recognizing the "bigger picture" compared to only recognizing specific details. (ex. recognizing a persons whole face compared to only recognizing the features of their face) D) The right hemisphere is responsible for controlling the right side of the body

The answer is C. The reason we would know this is because of the podcast that was assigned that talked about how the right side of the brain is responsible for seeing the bigger picture while the left side of the brain was more focused on individual small details. This was also prevalent in the reading about the man who thought his wife was a hat

Sam was accepted for a position in a biochemical lab that tests on rats. He begins working on a project that studies the effects of addiction on the animals. He becomes distressed by the effects of the treatment and quits, deciding that any treatment on animals is too cruel. Which standard led Sam to make his decision? a. Moral b. Ethical c. Legal d. Fairness

The answer is a. Moral. This is because Sam's decision was based on his own principles of right and wrong, not from any outside sources.

Which of the following is NOT LIKELY to be the result of Corpus Callosotomy(that goes successfully) in a patient with severe epilepsy. A. The patient goes completely blind. B. The patient is able to retain the ability to drive. C. The patient can speak about things they enjoy well as they did before the surgery. D. The patient ability to recall semantic information about the world is unchanged.

The correct answer is (A)the patient goes completely blind, as the visual input system is independent of the corpus callosum as it uses the optic chiasma for lateral crossover. B, C, D all represent answer that would only result if the patients ability to interact in their life was significantly altered, which is not the case of a successful Corpus Callosotomy

Which method has the greatest spatial resolution? a. Optogenetics b. Naturally occuring lesions c. Magnetoencephalography (MEG) d. Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI)

The correct answer is A because optogenetics has the greatest spatial resolution due to the fact it has the ability to control only certain cells to be seen. This is done by inserting photosynthetic molecules into a neuron to have the ability to shine a light to turn the cell on or off.

A doctor is trying to gather information on his human patient using the least invasive measure that will allow him to have good temporal resolution (spatial resolution is not relevant for this patient). Which is the most appropriate imaging technique to use? A. Electrodes B. fMRI C. EEG D. DTI

The correct answer is C, EEG. A, electrodes, does have good temporal resolution, but is very invasive. B, fMRI, has low temporal resolution (1-2 seconds). D, DTI, also has low temporal resolution so it would also not be an appropriate method.

You have a patient enter the emergency room saying he fell really hard at basketball practice and slammed his head on the bench. You suspect he may have a direct impact traumatic brain injury (TBI) Using your knowledge about what impacts traumatic brain injuries can have on the brain, what method would you recommend to best confirm the TBI diagnosis. A. MEG B. fMRI C. MRI D. EEG

The correct answer is C, MRI Traumatic brain injuries often cause ripping or damaging of white matter tracts, which are the connections between nodes/cells. MRI is the best method to help you visualize structural anatomy and provides anatomical/structural information about that connectivity.

A researcher is attempting to discover what areas of the brain are active in dementia patients while they are asked questions about their short and long-term memories. Which method would be best used to look at these areas? A) CT Scan B) MRI C) fMRI D) DBS

The correct answer is C- fMRI. If researchers are looking at function and structure fMRI is the best choice. Deep Brain Stimulation DBS will not help us to get a good picture of the brain. MRI and CT are good methods for getting a good picture of the brain. However, they only provide information on the structure of the brain and not how the structure is relating to specific functions. fMRI would be the best choice here.

A woman has just got into a car accident and is believed to have a direct impact injury to her brain, causing a potential TBI. What scan should be done to give the best spatial resolution to see if she suffers from a TBI? a.) CT b.) MEG c.) fMRI d.) MRI

The correct answer is D because an MRI has the best spatial resolution to determine the brain's structure. This is the best to aid in investigating any structural abnormalities or direct injuries from the accident. CT could be used, but will not give the best spatial resolution, MEG will not show structure and fMRI is not the best for structural indication, rather function in the brain.

Which of the following is true of fMRIs? a) fMRI directly measures brain activity. b) fMRI has a bad amount of voxels. c) fMRI does not directly measure brain activity, but rather is correlational. d) fMRI has great temporal resolution.

The correct answer is c as fMRI does not measure causality. Instead, it measures brain activity that is associated with some sort of task. It cannot be conclusively said that that task caused a certain area of the brain to be activated due to the nature of fMRI as well as its poor temporal resolution. To assess causality, techniques such as TMS may be more useful.

What ions are the neuronal membrane more permeable to a. Na+ b. K+ c. Cl- d. Ca2+

b. K+, the neuronal membrane being more permeable to K+ ions. is how the neurons maintain a negative RMP

If a patient is shown two words: a car in their right visual field and a pencil in their left visual field, the patient will be able to... i. draw the car with their right hand ii. draw the pencil with their left hand iii. draw the pencil with their right hand iv. say the word car v. say the word pencil 3. MC options a. i and v are correct b. iii and iv are correct c. ii and iv are correct d. ii and v are correct

c is correct. The word pencil is in their left visual field which is processed in the right hemisphere, where spatial info is processed. This means they will be able to draw the pencil. They will do it with their left hand because the info processed in the right is performed with the left side of their body. The word car is in their right visual field which is processed in the left hemisphere, the same place where language is processed. This is why they are able to. say the word car.

You are an IACUC member at a research institution, and a lab recently applied for approval of an exciting study they've planned. It involves two cohorts of 40 mice: 20 in the experimental group and 20 weight-matched controls. They plan to test a new painkiller's efficacy as an alternative to opioids. This drug has previously been tested on a molecular level to see its effect on deactivating pain receptors. All the mice have a genetic disorder that causes overactivation of pain receptors. The controls will be administered the current standard care, while the experimental group will get the new drug. Observations and conclusions will be drawn. Your board denies their request and the PI demands an explanation. Which of the 3 Rs does it violate? a.) Replacement b.) Reduction c.) Refinement d.) All of the above

reduction It violates the principle of reduction because there doesn't need to be this many mice involved for the experiment to run, even 10 in each group would probably be more than enough. Not much else can be done with regards to replacement because testing has already gone as far as possible without animals.

Based on the image above, what form of imaging was used and what is the correct spatial/temporal resolution. a) MRI, good spatial, poor temporal b) MRI, poor spatial, good temporal c) fMRI, good spatial, poor temporal d)EEG, good temporal, poor spatial

the correct answer is A. This image was taken with an MRI. MRIs have good spatial resolution (in the range of layer-column) and poor temporal resolution (in the range of minutes to hours).