Psych 110 Sample Exam 2 Questions

histological methods

(1) fixation, (2) sectioning, (3) staining, (4) examination

How does the suprachiasmatic nucleus control vlPOA and how does this alter the sleep-wake cycles?

-Excites orexin neurons and inhibits vlPOA (sws when active; inhibits wakefulness) -if vlPOA is inhibited, sleep is stopped

What are the neural circuits involved in feeding control?

-Medulla (area postrema/nucleus of solitary tract) -hypothalamus (lateral/ventromedial/arcuate nucleus)

How are the 2 types of thirst detected and how are they solved?

-O: detected by osmoreceptor; caused by increase in solute concentration of interstitial fluid; water leaves cells and cells shrink; shrinking causes cells to alter firing rate, solved by drinking water -H: volume of blood plasma in intravascular volume decreases; detected by cells in the kidneys and baroreceptor cells in the heart; solved by drinking water and increasing salt levels

stereotaxic surgery

-brain surgery using a stereotaxic apparatus to position an electrode or cannula in a specified position of the brain -when tumors located deep in the brain

What is the sequence of genetic control of sexual development?

-genetic sex determined at fertilization (50/50) - Sex of offspring depends on whether sperm cell that fertilizes the ovum carries an x or y chromosome

What causes Narcolepsy disorder?

-lack of the brain chemical orexin, which regulates wakefulness. -The lack of orexin is thought to be caused by the immune system mistakenly attacking the cells that produce it or the receptors that allow it to work.

What is reciprocal (or mutual) inhibition and how does this influence 'flip-flop' circuits?

-means that one of two states is on or off -ex: either sleep neurons are active and inhibit the wakefulness or wakefulness neurons are active and inhibit sleep neurons -impossible for neurons in both sets to be active at the same time

What is adenosine and how does adenosine alter the sleep-wake cycle?

-nucleoside neuromodulator that promotes a person's need for sleep -levels are decreased during slow wave sleep when glycogen is replenished

experimental ablation

-the removal or destruction of a portion of the brain of a laboratory animal; presumably, the functions that can no longer be performed are the ones the region previously controlled -Oldest method used in neuroscience -radio frequency lesion (electrical current/heat) -excitotoxic lesion (acid)

How is puberty initiated?

Gonadotropin-releasing hormones are released from hypothalamus to stimulate production/release of 2 gonadotropic hormones by anterior pituitary gland -Follicle stimulating hormone -Luteinizing hormone -Release regulated by kisspeptin from arcuate nucleus

NPY will: a. Increase feeding b. Decrease feeding c. have no effect on feeding

a. Increase feeding

One mechanism through which homeostasis is accomplished is a. Negative Feedback b. Monism c. Rate code d. Population code

a. Negative Feedback

Constantly high levels of ghrelin will cause................ a. Over-eating b. Lack of hunger

a. Over-eating

17. The nucleus of the tractus solitarius is involved with a. Taste processing b. Sleep initiation c. Memory and learning d. Thirst control

a. Taste processing

Parts of the hypothalamus can generate a cyclic pattern of hormone release in: a. females only. b. males only. c. females and males. d. females during childhood and males during adolescence.

a. females only.

Some set points may vary considerably over time in order to respond to changes in the environment. This adaptability is known as: a. homeostasis. b. allostasis. c. negative feedback. d. homeothermic.

a. homeostasis.

A chemical is called a(n) ____ when it flows through the blood to other organs throughout the body. a. hormone b. neurotransmitter c. neuromodulator d. endocrine

a. hormone

Compared to the earlier part, the later part of a night's sleep: a. includes a larger percentage of REM sleep. b. includes a lower percentage of REM sleep. c. is characterized by declining body temperature. d. has more slow wave sleep.

a. includes a larger percentage of REM sleep.

The difference between males and females in the sexually dimorphic nucleus is that it is: a. larger in males than in females. b. larger in females than in males. c. present in males, absent in females. d. present in females, absent in males.

a. larger in males than in females.

If the extracellular fluid becomes hyperosmotic relative to the intracellular fluid, water will a. leave the cell b. enter the cell c. water will neither leave nor enter the cell

a. leave the cell

Greater neural activity in the VLPO compared to the Raphe nucleus will tilt the sleep-wake cycle towards: a. sleep b. wake c. no effect

a. sleep

If you inject a male rat with estrogen shortly after birth, it will: a. still develop into a male. b. still develop into a male, but will act very much like a female. c. develop into something intermediate between female and male. d. develop into a female.

a. still develop into a male

Melatonin is high during: a. the night b. mid-day c. early morning d. constant throughout the day/night cycle

a. the night

Which hormone, released by the posterior pituitary, both raises blood pressure and enables the kidneys to reabsorb water? a. vasopressin b. prolactin c. thymosin d. ACTH

a. vasopressin

When do the organizing effects of sex hormones occur in humans? a. well before birth b. shortly before and after birth c. during childhood d. during adolescence

a. well before birth

What are the various major neurochemicals involved in the sleep-wake cycle?

acetylcholine, norepinephrine, serotonin, histamine, GABA, orexin

Which hormones are likely to be found more abundantly in males than in females? a. peptide hormones b. Androgens c. Progesterones d. Estrogens

b. Androgens

Which of the following is true of androgens and estrogens? a. Only males have androgens. b. Both sexes have both types of hormones. c. They are produced by the pituitary. d. They have opposite effects in males and females

b. Both sexes have both types of hormones.

Lesioning the lateral hypothalamus: a. Has no effect on feeding b. Causes a loss of appetite c. Increases the amount of food consumed d. Increases the frequency of eating

b. Causes a loss of appetite

Angiontensin II causes a. Relaxation of blood vessels b. Constriction of blood vessels c. Release of Follicle Stimulating Hormone d. Release of Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone

b. Constriction of blood vessels

Insulin released onto the arcuate nucleus of the brain will cause ..................of the paraventricular nucleus and .....................feeding behavior a. Excitation, decreased b. Excitation, increased c. Inhibition, decreased d. Inhibition, increased

b. Excitation, increased

If blood glucose levels come down but not insulin levels, the person will likely: a. Over-eat and become obese b. Not feel hungry and lose weight

b. Not feel hungry and lose weight

A sensitive period is: a. any time in an organism's life when it is sensitive to hormones released by the sexually dimorphic nucleus. b. an early period when a hormone has a long lasting effect. c. an early period when a hormone has an intense, but brief, effect. d. a period of time, usually once a month, when hormones are released.

b. an early period when a hormone has a long lasting effect.

A pheromone is a: a. chemical located on the tongue that detects sugar. b. chemical that is released by one animal that affects the behavior of another animal of the same species. c. hormone released from the gut after the ingestion of fat. d. substance used to disinfect surgical instruments. e. type of enzyme that deactivates cyclic nucleotides.

b. chemical that is released by one animal that affects the behavior of another animal of the same species.

Which of the following characteristics is most likely under the control of sex-limited genes? a. beard growth in males more then females b. color vision deficiency c. hemophilia d. eye color

b. color vision deficiency

A hormone is a chemical that is: a. secreted by a gland to the outside world. b. conveyed by the blood to other organs, whose activity it influences. c. capable of activating or inhibiting muscle fibers. d. a feedback message from the postsynaptic neuron to the presynaptic neuron.

b. conveyed by the blood to other organs, whose activity it influences.

In general, when do hormones produce "organizing effects"? a. whenever the levels of some other hormone have decreased b. during early stages in development c. during adulthood d. temporarily at any time in life

b. during early stages in development

High levels of period and timeless proteins will cause an animal to: a. wake up b. fall asleep c. no effect on sleep/wake cycles

b. fall asleep

Nature's "default setting" is to make every mammal's external anatomy: a. male. b. female. c. intermediate between male and female. d. fully both male and female.

b. female.

High levels of leptin indicates: a. high insulin levels b. high fat levels c. low fat levels d. low insulin levels

b. high fat levels

Retinal ganglion cells that provide input to the SCN produce their own photopigment called: a. retinoic acid. b. melanopsin. c. melatonin. d. per

b. melanopsin.

The SCN produces circadian rhythms by altering: a. blood pressure. b. production of proteins. c. action potential velocity. d. axon myelination.

b. production of proteins.

What causes the primitive gonads to develop into masculine structures? a. the X chromosome b. the sex region Y (SRY) gene c. the sexually dimorphic nucleus d. Mullerian inhibiting hormone

b. the sex region Y (SRY) gene

Cells in the preoptic area of the hypothalamus monitor which temperatures? a. internal organs b. their own and the skin c. differences between the arteries and veins d. differences between internal organs and the skin

b. their own and the skin

Why does caffeine cause wakefulness in most people?

blocking sleep-promoting receptors in your brain called adenosine receptors.

The sexually dimorphic nucleus is part of the: a. thalamus. b. Wolffian ducts. c. anterior hypothalamus. d. male brain, only.

c. anterior hypothalamus.

The principle that best describes an organizational effect of androgens during prenatal development that enables an animal to engage in male sexual behavior as an adult is a. feminization. b. emasculinization. c. behavioral masculinization. d. aromatization. e. behavioral defeminization.

c. behavioral masculinization.

A "Zeitgeber" is a(n): a. biological clock. b. animal that does not have a biological clock. c. environmental cue that resets a biological clock. d. body activity that is controlled by a biological clock.

c. environmental cue that resets a biological clock.

Wolffian ducts are found in: a. genetic female fetuses only. b. genetic male fetuses only. c. female and male fetuses early in development. d. female and male fetuses until shortly before birth.

c. female and male fetuses early in development.

What develops from the Mullerian ducts? a. the bladder and urethra b. peripheral nerves controlling the genitals c. female reproductive structures d. male reproductive structures

c. female reproductive structures

The role of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in the regulation of biological rhythms is to: a. coordinate several biological clocks. b. feed visual information to the biological clock. c. generate the circadian rhythm. d. generate circannual rhythms.

c. generate the circadian rhythm.

Caffeine increases arousal by: a. exciting adenosine. b. causing the release of prostaglandins. c. inhibiting adenosine. d. inhibiting the release of prostaglandins.

c. inhibiting adenosine.

Orexin is released by neurons in the: a. PVN b. Arcuate nucleus c. lateral hypothalamus d. suprachiasmatic nucleus e. vlPOA

c. lateral hypothalamus

The hormone which prepares the uterus for pregnancy is: a. testosterone. b. androgen. c. progesterone. d. estradiol.

c. progesterone.

What defines a homeostatic process? a. the regulation of blood flow b. any process governed by hormones c. the maintenance of certain body variables within a fixed range d. reproduction involving distinct male and female genders in a species

c. the maintenance of certain body variables within a fixed range

The key event that starts sexual maturation at the onset of puberty is that a. the ovaries and testes release gonadotropic hormones. b. estradiol and testosterone are released from the hypothalamus. c. the pituitary secretes gonadotropin-releasing hormones. d. LH and FSH are released from the hypothalamus.e. the adrenals release adrenaline.

c. the pituitary secretes gonadotropin-releasing hormones.

Cholecystokinin release will cause ................ distension of the stomach, thereby signaling a ................ to the meal. a. Slower, start b. Faster, start c. Slower, stop d. Faster, stop

d. Faster, stop

Muscimol is a ........................agonist that can be used to temporarily inactivate specific regions of the brain: a. Muscarine b. Nicotine c. Acetylcholine d. GABA e. Dopamine

d. GABA

What area of the brain is largely responsible for detecting osmotic pressure? a. substantia nigra b. red nucleus c. ventromedial hypothalamus d. OVLT and subfornical organ

d. OVLT and subfornical organ

The brain appears produce the most synchronized EEG during the __________ sleep: a. Stage 1 b. Stage 2 c. REM d. Stage 4

d. Stage 4

Two major classes of sex hormones are: a. luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone. b. dopamine and serotonin. c. steroids and thyroid hormones. d. androgens and estrogens.

d. androgens and estrogens.

Alternation of 'Tim' protein levels by a pulse of light during the night will: a. shorten the onset of sleep. b. increase 'Per' protein levels. c. phase-advance the temperature cycle. d. decrease sleepiness.

d. decrease sleepiness.

Animal kept in constant darkness: a. will not sleep b. will not stop being active c. will have a sleep-wake cycle d. effects will depend on whether it is a nocturnal or diurnal animal

d. effects will depend on whether it is a nocturnal or diurnal animal

What is the cause of osmotic thirst? a. dryness of the throat b. the availability of tasty fluids c. low blood volume d. increased concentration of solutes in the blood

d. increased concentration of solutes in the blood

Which of the following is NOT associated with REM sleep? a. increased probability of dreaming b. facial twitches c. EEG pattern resembling wakefulness d. tense and active postural muscles

d. tense and active postural muscles

Estrogens are present only in females. (t/f)

false

Orexin inhibits appetite. (t/f)

false

The primary source of fuel in the brain is both glucose and fatty acids: (t/f)

false

The sexually dimorphic nucleus is larger in females than males.

false

a high salt diet will cause osmotic thirst by causing water to enter the cells and explode (t/f)

false

the retinal ganglion cells projecting to the suprachaismatic nucleus are photosensitive (t/f)

false

What are the brain regions involved in the sleep-wake cycle?

hypothalamus (SCN), vlPOA, Brain stem

What are the neural circuits involved in reproductive behaviors in males and females?

m: erection/ejaculation controlled by spinal ejaculation generator in the medial preoptic area, activated by testosterone f: controlled by ventromedial nucleus of hypothalamus (VMH), activated by estradiol and progesterone

What are the neural circuits that control maternal behaviors?

medial preoptic area; Prolactin appears to stimulate maternal behavior by acting on medial preoptic area activated by progesterone, estradiol, and prolactin

What are the two types of thirsts?

osmotic and hypovolemic

What are the events in an estrous cycle?

proestrus, estrus, metestrus, and diestrus. -During proestrus progesterone declines and a preovulatory follicle undergoes its final growth phase (estradiol increases). Ovulation usually occurs during estrus (cows ovulate during metestrus). -Cycles depend on interactions between hormonal effects generated by pituitary gland/ovaries

What is the sequence of hormonal control of sexual development?

puberty?

Estrogen production by the ovary causes the male Wolffian system to degenerate in females.

true

In the rodent brain, testosterone is aromatized into estradiol. (t/f)

true

Nature's "default setting" is to make every mammal a female in its external anatomy.

true

Nature's "default setting" is to make every mammal a female in sex organ development. (t/f)

true

Neurons in the suprachiasmatic nucleus are rhythmically active (t/f)

true

Organizing effects of hormones usually occur early in development. (t/f)

true

Set points can change over time (t/f)

true

high level of vasopressin will result in highly concentrated urine (t/f)

true