Exam 4: The Biological Mind: the Physical Basis of Behavior

The spinal cord is a(n)____ extending from the medulla of the brain down to the middle of the back.

The idea that a person's dominant hemisphere influences their creativity or ability to think logically is ____.

Mary Ann and Toby have been married for two years and are very happy. Each feels they receive a high level of support from the other and are very physically compatible. They may have higher than average levels of which hormone?

The ____ is the division of the autonomic nervous system associated with rest, repair, and energy storage.

____ is a neurotransmitter that participates in movement, planning, and reward.

A well-known local herbalist sells the neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)as "the body's natural tranquilizer," stating that it helps to calm the central nervous system and prevent anxiety and stress-related messages from reaching the motor centers of the brain. This portrayal reflects GABA's ____.

If stretched out flat, the human cerebral cortex would cover an area of about ________. In addition, the average 20 year old has about ________ miles of white matter in his or her brain.

When do the sympathetic and parasympathetic divisions cooperate, rather than antagonize one another?

During the 20th century, which method led to a burst of knowledge about the nervous system?

Dr. Pohler is a neurobiologist studying ways to enhance the perception of sound in people with hearing difficulties. He discovers a natural neurotransmitter that increases the chance a neuron will fire an action potential, increasing sensitivity to sound. What is the effect of this neurotransmitter on the receiving neuron?

The cingulate cortex is a subcortical structure above the corpus callosum. Its anterior (forward)segment participates in ____, and its posterior (rear)segment participates in ____.

Comprised primarily of ____, the degree of convolutions in the cerebral cortex positively correlates with the ____ of a species.

Sophia and her brother James are both taking a psychology class together, and are studying for an examination. "I just can't remember where the body produces the majority of its serotonin," complains James. Sophia helps him by saying, "just remember that it is produced in the enteric nervous system, and you should have no problem knowing that the ________ is the body part you're looking for."

Dave is asked a series of questions by a neuropsychologist such as, "Please describe the weather outside today." Speaking with ease Dave replies, "The traffic on the way to your office was awful, I could not use my airplane because it was stuck in the garage." In which area of his brain does Dave have damage?

Why is the thalamus referred to as the "gateway to the cortex?"

Stefan is ____; therefore, he is nearly certain to lateralize language to his left hemisphere.

How do drugs classified as "SSRIs," such as Prozac, alter neuronal communication?

You reach for a pot on the stove but it is much too hot, causing your hand to quickly withdraw from the handle. Explain how information traveled from your hand to your spinal cord.by describing the steps involved in generating and transmitting an action potential, and the steps involved in neuronal communication following the action potential.

Once the "threshold" for an action potential is reached what is the sequence of events that occur? 1. Potassium channels are activated and potassium ions move out of the neuron. 2. Sodium channels are activated and sodium ions move into the neuron. 3. The interior of the neuron becomes more negatively charged than the exterior. 4. The interior of the neuron becomes more positively charged than the exterior.

Chemical messengers used in neuronal communication are referred to as ____.