Deck 3: Biological Foundations of Behaviour

Question 1

The three main parts of the neuron are the axon, cell body, and dendrites.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The vision area of the brain is located in the temporal lobe.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

PET scans are used to study brain activity while CT scans are utilized to examine brain structures.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

The two divisions of the autonomic nervous system are the somatic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system.

Question 5

The medulla plays an important role in the coordination of muscular movement and also in learning and memory.

Question 6

The main function of glial cells is to speed up the transmission of neural impulses.

Question 7

Graded potentials are directly proportional to the amount of incoming stimulation, while action potentials are not.

Question 8

The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for the fight-or-flight response.

Question 9

The two ways in which neurotransmitters are deactivated in the synapse are chemical breakdown and reuptake.

Question 10

The resting potential of the typical neuron is -65 millivolts.

Question 11

After a neural impulse passes a point on the axon, the period during which the membrane cannot discharge another potential is called depolarization.

Question 12

Lateralization refers to the way in which a brain function can be more localized in one brain hemisphere or the other.

Question 13

Wernicke's area is primarily concerned with speech production, while Broca's area is related to speech comprehension.

Question 14

The job of the thalamus is to organize sensory input and route it to the appropriate brain areas.

Question 15

The effects of a psychoactive drug are determined not by which chemical transmitter the drug targets, but by the drug's actions at the synapse.

Question 16

The association areas in the cortex are where sensory information is first processed.

Question 17

The job of the sensory neurons is to transmit neural impulses from the sense organs to the brain.

Question 18

According to studies performed by Brenda Milner of McGill University, frontal lobe damage can impair the ability to judge the order in which a series of events has occurred and the ability to plan and carry out a sequence of actions.

Question 19

An oversupply of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that can be excitatory or inhibitory, has been implicated in schizophrenia, and an undersupply of dopamine has been implicated in depression.

Question 20

When the resting potential is made more negative (e.g., moved from -70 to -73 millivolts), the neuron is said to be depolarized.

Question 21

Alcohol affects the brain by stimulating the activity of GABA, thereby depressing neural activity.

Question 22

The resting potential of a typical neuron is

A)27 millivolts
B)-70 millivolts
C)-27 millivolts
D)70 millivolts

Question 23

Branchlike fibers that collect messages from adjacent neurons and pass them along to the cell body of the receiving neuron are called ____________.

A)axons
B)axon terminals
C)dendrites
D)nodes of Ranvier

Question 24

Which of the following statements regarding the nervous system is true?

A)Glial cells outnumber neurons about 10 to 1.
B)Glial cells outnumber neurons about 1000 to 1.
C)Neurons outnumber glial cells about 10 to 1.
D)Neurons outnumber glial cells about 1000 to 1.

Question 25

One of the functions of glial cells is to

A)increase the presence of positive ions inside the cell body
B)absorb toxins that might damage neurons
C)increase the speed of neural impulses
D)generate an action potential

Question 26

It is relatively easy to see how there can be trillions of interconnections in the brain, given the diverse structures of the ______________.

A)cell body and the axon
B)axon and the dendrites
C)cell body and the dendrites
D)axon and the myelin sheath

Question 27

Surrounding neurons and holding them in place is one of the functions of ________________.

A)axons
B)axon terminals
C)glial cells
D)the myelin sheath

Question 28

When a neuron is stimulated, tiny protein structures on the cell membrane are activated that pump specific ions back and forth, thus changing the overall potential of the neuron. These cell membranes are called _______________.

A)ion channels
B)action potentials
C)neurotransmitters
D)glial cells

Question 29

When the brain is damaged, surviving neurons can restore functioning by modifying themselves either structurally or biochemically.

Question 30

The changes in the electrical potential of a neuron that do not reach -50 millivolts are called

A)resting potentials
B)action potentials
C)graded potentials
D)polarized potentials

Question 31

For a brief period of time, shortly after a neural impulse has been triggered, a neuron is not excitable and cannot fire another impulse. This is called _______________.

A)action potential
B)graded potential
C)absolute refractory period
D)depolarization

Question 32

Very young children have about 50 percent more brain synapses than do mature adults.

Question 33

The underproduction of serotonin is thought to be an important factor in the development of Alzheimer's disease, a degenerative brain disorder involving profound memory impairment.

Question 34

That action potentials occur at a uniform and maximum intensity or they do not occur at all is known as

A)the all-or-none law
B)the absolute refractory period
C)depolarization
D)neuromodulators

Question 35

The function of the axon is to

A)surround the neurons and hold them in place
B)speed up the transmission of electrical impulses
C)receive chemical messages from neighbouring neurons
D)transmit electrical messages from the cell body to other muscles, glands, or neurons

Question 36

Research on gender differences in the lateralization of language has revealed that the brains of men and women are essentially the same with regard to this function.

Question 37

When the charge inside of a neuron shifts from -70 millivolts to + 40 millivolts, it is called

A)polarization
B)depolarization
C)a resting potential
D)an ion channel

Question 38

The presence of many branches on the axons makes it possible for a single neuron to connect to the dendrites of as many as 50,000 other neurons. The branches on the axons are called ______________.

A)cell bodies
B)dendrites
C)axon terminals
D)glial cells

Question 39

The resting potential of the typical neuron is determined by

A)extra negative ions on the outside of the neuron and extra neutral ions on the inside of the neuron
B)extra positive ions on the inside of the neuron and extra neutral ions on the outside of the neuron
C)extra positive ions on the inside of the neuron and extra negative ions on the outside of the neuron
D)extra positive ions on the outside of the neuron and extra negative ions on the inside of the neuron

Question 40

In a large communication network such as the National Telephone Company, the actual cables and transmissions could be analogous to the body's neurons, while the technicians and mechanics that support the equipment are analogous to the body's __________.

A)glial cells
B)brain
C)chemicals
D)neurotransmitters

Question 41

During the chemical communication process, neurotransmitters cross the synapse and attach themselves to receptor sites on the postsynaptic neurons. This stage is called ________________.

A)synthesis
B)storage
C)release
D)binding

Question 42

The process in which neurotransmitters are deactivated when they are taken back into the presynaptic axon terminal is called

A)restoring
B)regeneration
C)recycling
D)reuptake

Question 43

Multiple sclerosis occurs when a person's own immune system specifically attacks

A)the dendrites
B)the glial cells
C)the myelin sheath
D)the ion channels

Question 44

The drug Prozac has a positive effect on depression by

A)blocking the reuptake of serotonin, so that more of the neurotransmitter remains to enhance mood
B)breaking down excess serotonin, so that less of the neurotransmitter remains to enhance mood
C)blocking the reuptake of dopamine, so that more of the neurotransmitter remains to enhance mood
D)breaking down excess dopamine, so that less of the neurotransmitter remains to enhance mood

Question 45

Abnormally high levels of dopamine have been observed in the brains of people with

A)schizophrenia
B)Alzheimer's disease
C)a damaged reticular formation
D)spinal injuries

Question 46

What is the effect of the myelin sheath on the conduction of neural impulses?

A)Myelin sheaths decrease the speed of electrical conduction.
B)Myelin sheaths increase the speed of electrical conduction.
C)Myelin sheaths vary the graded potential of the neuron.
D)Myelin sheaths are responsible for the refractory period after a neuron has fired.

Question 47

Scientists used to think that neurons communicated with each other through direct physical contact. With the advent of the electron microscope, the synapse or gap between neurons is evident and it is apparent that rather than direct contact, the communication continues through ____.

A)axon terminals
B)action potentials
C)neurotransmitters
D)dendrites

Question 48

The two ways that neurotransmitters can be deactivated are

A)postsynaptic reuptake and chemical breakdown
B)presynaptic reuptake and chemical breakdown
C)presynaptic reuptake and postsynaptic reuptake
D)postsynaptic reuptake and graded potentials

Question 49

Acetylcholine (ACh) is known to be involved in

A)mood, eating, and sexual behaviour
B)disordered thinking and emotions
C)reducing pain
D)memory and muscle activity

Question 50

The synaptic cleft is a tiny gap between

A)the neuron and a glial cell
B)the axon terminal of one neuron and dendrite of the next neuron
C)the cell body and the dendrites
D)the segments of myelin sheath

Question 51

When the resting potential of a neuron becomes more negative (e.g., goes from -70 millivolts to -72 millivolts), this is referred to as

A)excitation
B)depolarization
C)hyper polarization
D)an action potential

Question 52

The gaps between segments of myelin sheath that occur at regular intervals are called

A)synapses
B)dendrites
C)fissures
D)nodes of Ranvier

Question 53

An excitatory neurotransmitter that is found throughout the brain and is especially important in learning and memory is

A)serotonin
B)glutamate
C)GABA
D)acetylcholine

Question 54

Psychoactive drugs act by

A)replacing the naturally occurring neurotransmitter
B)denying the naturally occurring neurotransmitter access to its receptor
C)affecting the resting potential of the targeted neurons
D)influencing the length of the refractory period for the targeted neurons

Question 55

Neurotransmitters that hyperpolarize a neuron are specifically called

A)excitatory neurotransmitters
B)inhibitory neurotransmitters
C)graded potentials
D)action potentials

Question 56

In addition to reuptake, neurotransmitters can also be deactivated by being

A)broken down into their chemical components by chemicals in the synapse
B)taken back into the axon terminal of the presynaptic neuron
C)taken back into the axon terminal of the postsynaptic neuron
D)absorbed in the myelin sheath by chemicals in the synapse

Question 57

Caffeine is an antagonist and therefore it is an example of a drug that

A)inhibits the action of a neurotransmitter
B)increases the action of a neurotransmitter
C)makes it more difficult for neurotransmitters to be deactivated
D)mimics the action of a neurotransmitter by binding with and stimulating postsynaptic receptor sites

Question 58

Ron, a middle-aged bank executive, is in excellent health. Ron jogs five miles four times a week, keeps his weight at a healthy point, and eats a well-balanced diet. He is particularly worried about the effects of aging as both his parents developed Alzheimer's disease in their later years. Recently Ron has been receiving Botox injections to reduce the wrinkles on his forehead. Little does he know that the Botox injections he receives and the aging disease he so dreads have this same neurotransmitter in common

A)serotonin
B)acetylcholine
C)dopamine
D)endorphins

Question 59

Neurotransmitters that depolarize the postsynaptic neuron are called

A)excitatory transmitters
B)inhibitory transmitters
C)receptor sites
D)synaptic vesicles

Question 60

The role of the blood-brain barrier is to

A)stabilize the brain within the skull
B)enhance neurotransmitter functioning
C)provide nutrients to the brain
D)prevent many foreign substances from gaining access to the brain

Question 61

Which of the following is an inhibitory neurotransmitter found throughout the brain, especially important in anxiety and motor control?

A)Serotonin
B)Norepinephrine
C)GABA
D)Glutamate

Question 62

Rohypnol and GHB are so-called 'date rape' drugs that work by enhancing the activity of which neurotransmitter?

A)GABA
B)Dopamine
C)Norepinphrine
D)Acetylcholine

Question 63

During the final period of the championship hockey game, Tim is sliced across the ear by an opponent's skate. Despite the damage to his ear, Tim continues to play the game, and scores the winning goal. Tim's ability to continue playing the game despite the searing pain in his ear is likely a result of a massive release of which type of transmitter?

A)Acetylcholine
B)Serotonin
C)Dopamine
D)Endorphins

Question 64

The two divisions of the autonomic nervous system are

A)sensory and motor
B)somatic and parasympathetic
C)sympathetic and parasympathetic
D)sympathetic and central

Question 65

Which of the following drugs influences ACh and dopamine activity?

A)Alcohol
B)Caffeine
C)Nicotine
D)Amphetamines

Question 66

Alcohol effect on the brain is as a(n)

A)agonist by stimulating activity of the inhibitory transmitter GABA
B)antagonist by stimulating activity of the inhibitory transmitter GABA
C)antagonist by decreasing the activity of the excitatory transmitter glutamate
D)both an agonist and antagonist by stimulating activity of GABA and decreasing the activity glutamate

Question 67

Agonists are drugs that can influence the activity of a neurotransmitter by doing one of the following EXCEPT

A)blocking the receptor sites on the postsynaptic neuron
B)enhancing a neuron's ability to synthesize neurotransmitters
C)inhibiting reuptake
D)mimicking the action of a neurotransmitter

Question 68

The two divisions of the peripheral nervous system are

A)somatic and autonomic
B)sensory and motor
C)sympathetic and somatic
D)sympathetic and autonomic

Question 69

After a very loud noise in her backyard woke her from a sound sleep, Ursula is lying in bed paralyzed by fear. Her heart is pounding, her face is flushed, and there is a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. The nervous system that is responsible for Ursula's body reactions to the noise is called ___________________.

A)autonomic nervous system
B)voluntary nervous system
C)central nervous system
D)somatic nervous system

Question 70

Ursula is sound asleep one night when she is suddenly awakened by a loud noise coming from her backyard. She gets out of bed and moves to the window in order to see what made the noise. Ursula is relying on her ______ nervous system.

A)parasympathetic
B)sympathetic
C)autonomic
D)somatic

Question 71

Which of the following neurotransmitters have NOT been associated with depression?

A)Norepinephrine
B)Serotonin
C)Dopamine
D)Acetylcholine

Question 72

What are the three major types of neurons in the nervous system?

A)Sensory neurons, motor neurons, and interneurons
B)Sensory neurons, inhibitory neurons, and interneurons
C)Excitatory neurons, inhibitory neurons, and sensory neurons
D)Excitatory neurons, motor neurons, and interneurons

Question 73

The neurotransmitter dopamine was mentioned as involved in all the following disorders EXCEPT for

A)Schizophrenia
B)Depression
C)Alzheimer's disease
D)Parkinson's disease

Question 74

The job of interneurons is to

A)carry information from the sense organs to the brain or spinal cord
B)carry information from the brain and spinal cord to various muscles or organs
C)perform connective or associative functions in the nervous system
D)inhibit neurons from firing by reducing the action potential threshold

Question 75

Cara has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. It is likely she will be treated with a drug which increases the levels of which neurotransmitter?

A)GABA
B)Dopamine
C)Acetylcholine
D)Serotonin

Question 76

The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems play complementary roles in maintaining a balanced or constant internal state. This constant internal state is referred to as ________________________.

A)homesynthesis
B)homeostasis
C)neural plasticity
D)a resting potential

Question 77

A neuron is responsible for conveying a message from the brain to a particular muscle, such as the muscle that contracts your eyelid. This neuron would be classified as a(n)

A)inhibitory neuron
B)interneuron
C)sensory neuron
D)motor neuron

Question 78

The somatic nervous system

A)consists of sensory and motor neurons designed to transmit information to slow down the body and keep it calm
B)consists of sensory and motor neurons designed to transmit information for involuntary functions such as circulation and digestion
C)consists of sensory and motor neurons designed to transmit information for the fight-or-flight response
D)consists of sensory and motor neurons designed to transmit information between muscles, sensory receptors, and the central nervous system

Question 79

Ashley's parents do not like the contemporary techno music that Ashley and her friends listen to and prefer old show tunes to which they can sing along. Along with the neurons that help them sense the music, there is a link between the sensory input from a song they are listening to, and their memory of that song. This link is made by ___________________.

A)interneurons
B)sensory neurons
C)motor neurons
D)inhibitory neurons

Question 80

The central nervous system is defined as

A)only the neurons in the brain
B)only the neurons in the spinal cord
C)only the neurons in the brain and spinal cord
D)only the neurons outside of the brain and spinal cord