question

Regarding action potentials, which of the following statements is TRUE?

answer

The action potential moves from one end of the axon to the other like a flame moving along a fuse.

question

An axon is a(n):

answer

long, slim, tubelike structure extending from a neuron.

question

You cannot fire a gun softly, or flush a toilet halfway. Like an action potential, gun fire and a toilet's flush follow the _____ law.

answer

all-or-none

question

Dendrite is to axon what _____ is to _____.

answer

receiving; sending

question

A synapse is a(n):

answer

gap

question

The state in which there is a negative electrical charge of about -70 millivolts within a neuron is known as the _____ state.

answer

resting

question

A cluster of fibers at one end of a neuron that receives messages from other neurons is called:

answer

dendrite

question

As many as _____ neurons throughout the body are involved in the control of behaviour.

answer

1 trillion

question

The reabsorption of neurotransmitters by a terminal button is termed as:

answer

reuptake

question

The neurotransmitter dopamine is involved in:

answer

movement, attention, and learning.

question

The neural message being delivered in a synaptic transmission is carried across the synaptic gap by ___________ substances.

answer

chemical

question

At a job interview, you broke out into a cold sweat and felt your heart pounding. These symptoms were most likely produced by your ___________ nervous system.

answer

sympathetic

question

Neurotransmitters are stored in

answer

terminal buttons

question

After finishing a psychology test, you try to relax by engaging in some meditation techniques. Doing these exercises should increase the response of the ___________ nervous system and result in slower heart and respiration rates and less muscular tension.

answer

parasympathetic

question

Which of the following neurotransmitter plays an important role in human bonding?

answer

oxytocin

question

___________ is a neurotransmitter that is produced in insufficient amounts in many Alzheimer's patients.

answer

Acetylcholine

question

Depolarizing the membrane during an action potential first involves the flow of ___________ ions into the membrane.

answer

sodium

question

Which of the following best describes how information is transmitted within a neuron?

answer

dendrite → cell body → axon

question

Which of the following best represents the function of myelin sheath in the brain?

answer

Amber is putting wax on her surfboard so that it will move easily through the water.

question

Kenny is taking medication to help control some of the symptoms that he experiences from Parkinson disease. If he is given too much of the medication, Kenny might start to exhibit symptoms associated with

answer

schizophrenia.

question

Which of the following statements regarding inhibitory messages is TRUE?

answer

Inhibitory messages decrease the likelihood that a receiving neuron will fire.

question

Electrical wires are generally protected by a tube of plastic. A similar insulating function is performed in the nervous system by the:

answer

myelin sheath.

question

Terminal buttons are found at the end of:

answer

axons

question

The basic elements of the nervous system are called:

answer

neurons

question

Which neurotransmitter is described INCORRECTLY?

answer

GABA—an excitatory neurotransmitter inhibited by alcohol or tranquilizers

question

The nucleus of a neuron is located in the

answer

cell body

question

The all-or-nothing principle refers to

answer

action potentials

question

Your brain has instructed your muscles to move so that you avoid an oncoming bicyclist. Which division of the nervous system carried this information to your muscles?

answer

Somatic nervous system

question

If a doctor told you that insufficient nutrients were being transported from your blood vessels to your neurons, you might suspect from that the problem was in your ___________ cells.

answer

glial

question

A neurotransmitter that plays a role Parkinson's disease is

answer

dopamine

question

The physical space between two neurons is called the

answer

synapse

question

Who is relying most heavily on their mirror neurons?

answer

Chie is taking a golf lesson from the local pro.

question

The outer membrane of a neuron is semipermeable. This means that

answer

it allows some substances to pass through the membrane.

question

Depression is associated with low levels of what neurotransmitter?

answer

Serotonin

question

Which of the following are the two integrated parts of the autonomic nervous system?

answer

Sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems

question

Walter has a degenerative condition that eats away at his myelin sheath. We can expect that his cognitive abilities will

answer

decrease in proficiency.

question

Which of the following is NOT one of the functions of glial cells?

answer

They communicate messages within the nervous system.

question

Regarding mirror neurons, which of the following statements is ACCURATE?

answer

Mirror neurons are involved in empathy and language acquisition, but not in face recognition.

question

Which division of the nervous system is composed of all the sensory and motor nerves?

answer

Peripheral nervous system

question

"Running has become an important part of my life. After a good three miles, I begin to feel euphoric. This positive feeling stays with me most of the day." This runner is describing the

answer

production of endorphins.

question

Which of the following is a role of the autonomic nervous system?

answer

Monitors essential processes

question

Based on the research on oxytocin, if Julia finds herself in a stressful situation she is most likely to

answer

call a friend

question

The practice of women bringing food to other women during times of crisis may have been triggered by which neurotransmitter?

answer

oxytocin

question

The brain's special physical capacity for change is referred to as its

answer

plasticity

question

The brain's special physical capacity for change is referred to as its

answer

plasticity

question

With respect to its potential basis in nervous system activity, "voodoo death" has been attributed to:

answer

an overactive sympathetic nervous system.

question

The part of the autonomic division of the nervous system that acts to prepare the body for action in stressful situations, engaging all the organism's resources to respond to a threat is known as the _____.

answer

sympathetic division

question

A key component of the endocrine system is the tiny _____ gland, which is found near—and regulated by—the _____ in the brain.

answer

pituitary; hypothalamus

question

The two major divisions of the peripheral nervous system are the _____ and _____ divisions.

answer

somatic; autonomic

question

Which of the following is TRUE of the spinal cord's control of behavior?

answer

The spinal cord can control some simple reflexes without the brain's help.

question

Which of the following sequences correctly identifies the orders of the lobes of the cortex, from anterior to posterior?

answer

Frontal → temporal and parietal → occipital

question

Which brain imaging technique below is CORRECTLY matched with its description?

answer

EEG—records the brain's electrical activity with electrodes

question

The limbic system contains which of the following structures?

answer

Amygdala

question

The part of the brain that controls bodily balance is the _____.

answer

cerebellum

question

The _____ areas are considered to be the site of higher mental processes such as thinking, language, memory, and speech.

answer

association

question

Warren suffers from Wernicke's aphasia. Which of the following will he experience in thought or behavior?

answer

Warren will experience difficulty understanding language.

question

Which of the following generalizations is probably most accurate regarding potential gender differences in the lateralization of language?

answer

Language is more strongly left-lateralized among males than among females.

question

The corpus callosum is

answer

a band of nerve fiber connecting the right and left hemispheres.

question

Who would benefit the most from a highly efficient cerebellum?

answer

Baseball player

question

The ___________ gland regulates all the other glands.

answer

pituitary

question

A split brain occurs due to

answer

a severing of the corpus callosum.

question

The reticular formation is primarily involved in

answer

stereotyped patterns such as walking, sleeping, or turning to attend to a sudden noise.

question

The area of the cerebral cortex that controls voluntary muscle movement is the

answer

motor cortex.

question

Electrical activity in the brain can be captured by placing multiple electrodes on the scalp and then measuring the underlying electrical activity. This method of studying the brain's activity is referred to as

answer

an electroencephalogram.

question

_____ are neurons that connect sensory and motor neurons, carrying messages between the two.

answer

Interneurons

question

_____ is an automatic, involuntary response to an incoming stimulus.

answer

reflex

question

Somatic is to autonomic what _____ is to _____.

answer

voluntary; involuntary

question

The hormone oxytocin has been implicated in each of the following behaviors EXCEPT the:

answer

tendency to produce violent, dangerous behavior.

question

The nervous system is divided into the _____ and the _____ nervous systems.

answer

central; peripheral

question

In which lobe is the motor area located?

answer

frontal

question

Darnell underwent surgery to control his severe epilepsy. Now, however, Darnell cannot form new memories of his experiences, although he does remember events in the past. Most likely, the surgery destroyed a portion of the _____ in Darnell's brain.

answer

hippocampus

question

The _____ area is the site in the brain of the tissue that corresponds to each of the senses, with the degree of sensitivity related to the amount of tissue.

answer

sensory

question

Trevor is scratching his head, trying desperately to solve a verbal analogy as part of a standardized entrance examination; Sienna, meanwhile, is giving an oral presentation in a political science class. Of the brain's hemispheres, Trevor's _____ hemisphere is most active; Sienna's _____ hemisphere is most active.

answer

left, left

question

The area of the brain that controls the production of speech is

answer

Broca's area.

question

What is unique about stem cells?

answer

They can develop into most types of human cells.

question

Which brain imaging technique allows scientists to actually see what is happening in the brain while it is working?

answer

fMRI

question

Body temperature, emotional states, and coping with stress are functions controlled by the

answer

hypothalamus

question

Theus is about to take the bar exam. Which lobe of the brain will he be relying on most to do well?

answer

frontal

question

Which expression below most closely approximates the number of neural connections in the brain?

answer

10 quadrillion

question

The brain and the spinal cord constitute the _____ nervous system.

answer

central

question

Evolutionary psychologists have spawned a new and increasingly influential field:

answer

behavioral genetics

question

The thalamus may be likened to a(n):

answer

relayer

question

In a neurophysiological investigation, a monkey makes an involuntary gesture when a portion of its brain is electrically stimulated. The area of the brain that was most likely stimulated is the:

answer

frontal lobe.

question

The hemispheres of the brain are connected by a bundle of fibers called the:

answer

corpus callosum.

question

_____ is the creation of new neurons.

answer

neurogenesis

question

Neurosurgeons can reduce the unbearable seizures some epileptics experience by severing the

answer

corpus callosum.

question

The _____ gland is a major component of the endocrine system which secretes hormones that control growth and other parts of the endocrine system.

answer

pituitary

question

Violet's speech is slow and labored; however, she can understand others' speech. Violet has:

answer

Broca's aphasia.

question

The part of the brain closest to the spinal cord is the _____; it is important for such functions as _____.

answer

medulla; heart rate and respiration

question

The _____ is a tiny part of the brain that maintains homeostasis and produces and regulates vital behavior, such as eating, drinking, and sexual behavior.

answer

hypothalamus

question

Which of the following is TRUE about the brain?

answer

Specific experience can modify the way in which information is processed.

question

An fMRI can detect brain activity because

answer

oxygenated blood is more prominent in areas that are active.

question

One of the pleasure centers of the brain is found in the

answer

hypothalamus.

question

If you had damage to your hippocampus, it would most likely impair

answer

memory formation.

question

Which structure of the brain would be most beneficial to a professional golfer who is trying to create a repetitive golf swing?

answer

Basal ganglia

question

The "fight-or-flight" response is associated with the _____ division.

answer

sympathetic

question

The _____ is the main means for transmitting messages between the brain and the body.

answer

spinal cord

question

If a person's cerebellum were damaged in an accident, you would expect the person to have a problem with

answer

balance and muscle coordination.

question

Magnetic resonance imaging is a technique that works by

answer

detecting and interpreting magnetic activity from hydrogen levels in the blood.

question

Sensory is to motor what _____ is to _____.

answer

afferent; efferent

question

The hindbrain includes each of the following structures EXCEPT the:

answer

thalamus

question

The visual area in the cortex is located in the _____.

answer

occipital lobe

question

When you walk to class, you do not have to think consciously about how to walk. When you get there, you pay attention to the lecture even though it is boring and you are tired. The structure that plays an important role in these activities by manipulation of various neurotransmitters is the

answer

reticular formation

question

The iron rod which damaged Phineas Gage's frontal lobe resulted in

answer

changes in personality

question

The _____ is referred to as the "new brain."

answer

cerebral cortex

question

You are sitting in a public place next to a new acquaintance to whom you are attracted. You feel this person's hand touch yours. You move your hand to return the gesture. Your heart beats faster, and you feel "butterflies" in your stomach. Your hand movement was initiated by your ___________ nervous system, while your increased heart rate and stomach contractions were initiated by your ___________ nervous system.

answer

somatic; autonomic

question

The _____ division also directs the body to store energy for use in emergencies.

answer

parasympathetic

question

The _____ maintains a steady internal environment for the body.

answer

hypothalamus

question

The brain injury suffered by 19th-century railroad worker Phineas Gage allowed psychologists to learn about the functions of the brain's:

answer

association areas.

question

The process by which the brain reorganizes itself throughout development is termed:

answer

neuroplasticity

question

Broca's area is located in the ___________ hemisphere.

answer

left

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