unit 2 biological bases of behavior
The autonomic nervous system is most directly involved in
digesting food
Which of the following neurotransmitters has been linked to Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia?
dopamine
Activation of the parasympathetic nervous system results in which of the following?
A decrease in heart rate
The depletion of which of the following neurotransmitters is most closely associated with the symptoms of Alzheimer's disease?
Acetylcholine
Which of the following is most accurate about a typical night's sleep?
As sleep progresses, NREM-3 sleep diminishes while REM sleep increases
During the high-wire act, Grace walks along a rope suspended 30 feet above the circus floor. Which of the following is most involved in helping Grace coordinate her movements and maintain her balance during the performance?
Cerebellum
A person with damage to Broca's area would most likely demonstrate which of the following symptoms?
Difficulty with speech production
In the figure above, where does the neurotransmitter dopamine have its effect?
E (on the bottom)
Which of the following is the best evidence that environment plays a role in intelligence?
Identical twins reared apart are more similar than fraternal twins reared together
How is the hypothalamus involved in sleep?
In response to decreasing light the hypothalamus' suprachiastmatic nucleus causes the pineal gland to increase production of melatonin, leading you to sleep
Which of the following is true about the pons?
It is the region of the brain that is most closely associated with sleep and arousal
Which of the following provides information regarding brain function by monitoring the brain at work through metabolism of glucose?
Positron emmision tomography (PET)
The hypnagogic sensations of falling or floating are mostly likely to occur during which sleep stage?
REM
After Carlos had been asleep for about an hour and a half, his heart began to beat faster, his breathing became fast and irregular, and his closed eyes began to dart back and forth. Carlos was most likely experiencing
REM sleep
Based on its effects on the central nervous system, alcohol can be classified as
a depressant
Which scenario best exemplifies Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection?
a mutation in a species of lizards that allows themto better blend into their surroundings leads to greater survival and more offspring processing this mutation in a later generation
Which of the following is classified as an antagonist?
a tricyclic antidepressant, because they block serotonin and norepinephrine transporters
The explanation that holds that dreams are merely the brain's attempt to make sense of meaningless patterns of brain activity during sleep is called the
activation-synthesis theory
Electrically stimulating a rat's amygdala would most likely produce which of the following?
aggression
Which of the following brain structures is most associated with the emotion of fear?
amygdala
Curare blocks action at acetylcholine synapses and causes paralysis. This drug is an example of an
antagonist
The area labeled X in the drawing above denotes which of the following structures?
axon terminals
Which of the following parts of the brain is most active in decision-making?
cerebral cortex
The large, slow brain waves associated with NREM-3, deep sleep are called
delta waves
Drugs such as alcohol and opiates and barbiturate's that calm neural activity and slow body functions are called
depressants
Most glands in the human body are a part of which system?
endocrine
Which of the following regions of the body has the largest area of sensory cortex devoted to it?
face
LSD is most likely to produce
hallucinations
Lucid dreaming occurs when people
have dreams in which they are aware that they are dreaming
Stimulation of portions of the left temporal lobe of the brain during surgery will cause the patient to
hear sounds
The brain scans of people with amnesia are most likely to show damage to the
hippocampus
The pituitary gland is controlled by the
hypothalamus
Brain lateralization refers to the
inclination for certain cognitive processes to be specialized to one hemisphere of the brain or the other
The primary effect of the myelin sheath is to
increase the velocity of conduction of the action potential along the axon
Mary participates in an exercise program because she experiences an increase in energy and feelings of well-being at the end of each exercise session. The best explanation for Mary's perseverance in the program is that exercise
increases her level of endorphins
The area of the brain stem that is important in controlling breathing is the
medulla
Which chemical is most closely associated with sleep?
melatonin
Which of the following is a disease in which the immune system attacks the myelin of neurons in the central nervous system?
multiple sclerosis
Dopamine, norepinephrine, and acetylcholine are all
neurotransmitters that excite or inhibit a neural signal across a synapse
About three hours after he falls asleep, Bobby often sits up in bed screaming incoherently. His mother tries to awaken him, but with no success. His pulse races and he gasps for breath. The next morning, he remembers nothing. It appears that Bobby suffers from
night terrors
The hypothesis that intelligence is in part inherited is best supported by the fact that the IQ correlation for
pairs of identical twins is greater than for pairs of fraternal twins
joseph has blue eyes and brown hair and is tall. These characteristics are best described as
phenotypic traits
The time shortly after a neuron fires is referred to as
refractory period
The process by which neurotransmitters are reabsorbed into the neuron after it fires is called
reuptake
If an individual has lost the ability to feel pain in the left arm, there is most likely damage to what area of the brain?
right parietal lobe
An image projected to the left visual field of a split-brained person will be processed in the
right visual cortex
Which of the following neurotransmitters has been most associated with major depressive disorder?
serotonin
For most people, which of the following is an activity based in the right hemisphere of the brain?
simple spatial reasoning
Ben was enjoying a walk in the woods on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. As he went around a curve, he noticed a bear walking toward him. Immediately his pupils dilated, he began to perspire, and his heart accelerated. These changes are most closely related to the function of the
sympathetic nervous system
What is most likely to occur when the brain is repeatedly flooded with artificial opiates like morphine?
the brain stops producing endorphins
The part of the neuron that is responsible for receiving signals from other neurons is called
the dendrite
Hunger and eating are primarily regulated by which of the following?
the hypothalamus
During neuronal firing, the part of the neuron that acts as an insulator and conductor to speed the electrical impulse as it travels down the axon is
the mylin sheath
REM rebound involves the
the tendency for REM sleep to increase following REM sleep deprivation
Neurotransmitters are typically stored in which of the following parts of a neuron?
the terminal buttons
Juana accidentally touched a hot iron. She immediately drew back her hand. Which of the following is true about the withdrawal of her hand?
It was initiated in the spinal cord
Nightmares are to ____________ as night terrors are to ____________.
REM sleep; NREM-3 sleep
A drug that has the effect of intensifying or mimicking a particular neurotransmitter can be characterized as
an agonist
The nature-nurture issue is best exemplified by which of the following questions?
is level of intelligence the result of one's environment and specific learning, or is it a result of biological maturation?
A participant in a study of music perception listens to music with electrodes attached to her scalp while data are collected on the activity of her brain. This technique is called
electroencephalography (EEG)
Many common antidepressants ease symptoms of depression by
inhibiting serotonin reuptake, which makes serotonin more available
Which of the following is true of the reticular activating system?
it regulates levels of arousal
Josef, a high school student, tells his therapist that he has had a recurring dream in which he hunts and kills a ferocious tiger. The therapist explains that the dream reflects Josef's unresolved feelings of hostility toward his father. According to Freud, the therapist is revealing the possible____________ content of Josef's dream.
latent
For most people, speech functions are primarily localized in the
left cerebral hemisphere
The network of structures involved in emotion, motivation, and memory is the
limbic system
REM sleep, generally an "active" state of sleep, is accompanied by which of the following paradoxical characteristics?
lowered muscle tone
Which of the following is brain-imaging technique that produces the most detailed picture of brain structure?
magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
THC, the active ingredient in____________________, is classified as a ________________.
marijuana; hallucinogen
The brain's ability to adapt after it is damaged is known as
plasticity
Which of the following brain regions is indicated by the arrow?
pons
During the night, Alicia stops breathing repeatedly, frequently gasps for air, and snores loudly at regular intervals. Alicia is most likely suffering from which of the following conditions?
sleep apnea
Which of the following is true of a neuron in the resting state?
the inside of the cell membrane is negative compared to the outside
Which of the following occurs when a neuron is stimulated to its threshold?
the movement of sodium and potassium ions across the membrane creates an action potential
What do methamphetamine, caffeine, and cocaine have in common?
they excite neural activity and arouse body functions
Which of the following is an explanation of why travelers suffer from jet lag?
they experience an increase in REM rebound
The need to take larger and larger doses of a drug in order to experience its effects is an indication of
tolerance
Damage to Wernicke's area is most likely to be associated with difficulty in
understanding language
Damage to the occipital lobe would most likely affect a person's
vision
A person will most likely develop aphasia as a result of damage to which of the following parts of the brain?
wernicke's area
Getting a headache from not having a morning coffee after substantial daily coffee consumption for several months is most likely due to
withdrawal