Exam 2: Extension A: Brain and Behavior

When curare blocks the action of acetylcholine it

The autonomic system carries messages to the ______, while the somatic system carries messages to the ______.

Which of the following best describes the means by which neurons communicate with each other?

Messages flow from the brain to the spinal cord and then through the _____ nervous system.

The fact that the inside of human neurons measures about -70 millivolts compared to the outside of the cell allows each neuron to act like a

Negative after-potentials are caused by the outward flow of _____ from the axon.

Human survival and proliferation is basically a result of

The white matter in the spinal cord consists of

The brain consists of approximately 100 billion nerve cells called

The somatic system governs _____, while the autonomic system is _____.

Research using PET scans of human brains indicates that

Receptor sites for neurotransmitters are found in large numbers on the

Too little _____ can cause the shaking and muscle tremors of Parkinson's disease, while too much of this neurotransmitter can cause the severe mental disorder known as schizophrenia.

The fastest neurons can send impulses at about _____ miles per hour.

The action potential is an all or nothing event that is primarily

In humans, the left side of the brain mainly controls the

Each day through a process called _____, thousands of new cells originate deep within the brain and then move to the surface to link up with other neurons to become part of the brain's circuitry.

The "all or nothing event" refers to the fact that

A barefoot child steps on a bee, then jerks his or her foot back in response to the sting.This response has likely involved all parts of the nervous system EXCEPT

The spongy tissue of the cerebral cortex that is made up mostly of cell bodies is called