Exam 4: Exstintion: The Brain: Source of Mind and Self

Michael Gazzaniga has argued that without help from the left side,the right side's mental skills would probably be vastly inferior to the cognitive skills of a chimpanzee.Roger Sperry,however,has jumped to the defense of the right brain.Compare and contrast the reasoning behind each position.Where do you stand on this topic?

What drives are associated with the functioning of the hypothalamus?

Kalika is told by her physician that her symptoms are caused by a loss of myelin.Her diagnosis would most likely be:

Which of the following nervous system chemicals is considered a neurotransmitter?

The part of the brain at the top of the spinal cord is called the hippocampus.

Explain the role of the nervous system when you immediately pull your hand away from something hot.

What is the name for the insulation covering many neurons?

If a surgeon applied electrical currents to a part of your brain and nothing happened,that would indicate brain damage.

In human beings,who have such complex thoughts and behaviors,moods and activities,the nervous system is an intricate network.Describe in detail the two main parts of the nervous system.

The hypothalamus is a brain structure involved in emotions and drives that are vital to survival,such as fear,hunger,thirst,and reproduction.

If an axon is myelinated,the action potential at each point in the axon gives rise to a new action potential at the next point,somewhat as the fire travels down the fuse of a firecracker.

Which of the following neurotransmitters functions as the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain?

The last split-brain operation was performed in 1981.

Libby's physician refers her to a medical center in order to have the biochemical activity in her brain analyzed.She is given an injection of a glucose-like substance containing a radioactive element and then she lies with her head in a scanner.The technique being used is:

The _______________ instantly assesses anger or threat.

Dopamine affects:

GABA affects neurons involved in voluntary movement,learning,memory,and emotion.

Which of the following neurotransmitters affects neurons involved in the increased heart rate and the slowing of intestinal activity during stress?

Soviet psychologist Alexander Luria studied individuals who had experienced damage to their frontal lobes.What functions of the frontal lobes were illustrated by Luria's work? Describe the startling observations made by Luria as he watched one man light a match and another man plane a piece of wood in the hospital carpentry shop.

Explain why the hippocampus has been called the "gateway to memory." What research supports this explanation?