Deck 3: Biological Psychology

Question 1

What is an "action potential" in the nervous system?​

A)A message that travels along an axon
B)A chemical that passes across a synapse​
C)A group of muscles that receive input from a neuron​
D)A central brain area that coordinates other areas​

Answer 1

A message that travels along an axon

Question 2

​Which part of a neuron sends messages to other cells? ______.

A)Glia
B)​Cell body
C)​Dendrites
D)​Axon

Answer 2

​Axon

Question 3

What is the all-or-none law of the action potential?​

A)An action potential either releases all possible neurotransmitters, or none.
B)​An action potential excites all the dendrites or none; it cannot select among them.
C)An action potential stimulates all brain areas or none; it cannot select among them.​
D)​An action potential is a yes/no message; it cannot vary in degree.

Answer 3

​An action potential is a yes/no message; it cannot vary in degree.

Question 4

In contrast to other body cells,what is distinctive about neurons?​

A)The neurons of men look very different from those of women. 
B)​Neurons vary substantially in their shape.
C)​Neurons vary substantially in their temperature.
D)​Neurons vary substantially in their number of chromosomes.

Question 5

Which of these is true for action potentials?​

A)Action potentials carry a message across synapses.
B)Action potentials are important for humans, but not for other animal species.​
C)​An action potential travels as fast as electrical conduction.
D)An action potential keeps its strength as it travels.​

Question 6

Neurons differ most strikingly from other body cells with regard to what?​

A)Neurons are warmer than other cells.
B)​Neurons have distinctive shapes.
C)​Neurons, unlike other cells, contain no proteins.
D)​Neurons have more chromosomes than other cells.

Question 7

​What is the function of a neuron's dendrites?

A)They insulate the neuron from other cells.
B)​They contain the chromosomes and they synthesize new proteins.
C)​They conduct information toward other cells.
D)​They receive information from other cells.

Question 8

What is the primary function of a neuron's axon?​

A)It insulates the neuron from other cells.
B)It contains the chromosomes, and it synthesizes new proteins.​
C)It conducts information toward other cells.​
D)It receives information from other cells.​

Question 9

How many axons can a cell have?

A)Only one
B)Half as many as its number of dendrites​
C)​As many as the number of dendrites
D)No limit​

Question 10

What is the difference in function between the dendrites and the axon of a neuron?​

A)Dendrites synthesize proteins, and the axon contains the chromosomes.
B)Dendrites contain the chromosomes and the axon synthesizes proteins​
C)Dendrites send messages and the axon receives messages​
D)Dendrites receive messages and the axon sends messages​

Question 11

Compared to electrical conduction,what is the advantage of action potentials in the nervous system?​

A)Action potentials can jump from one axon to another.
B)Action potentials travel both forward and backward in an axon.​
C)Action potentials travel more rapidly.​
D)Action potentials travel without loss of strength.​

Question 12

What are the main parts of a neuron,other than the cell body?​

A)Axon and dendrites
B)​Axon and glia
C)​Dendrites and glia
D)​Glia and mitochondria

Question 13

​What happens to the strength of an action potential as it travels?

A)It increases.
B)​It remains the same.
C)​It decreases.
D)​It increases for humans, but it decreases for other species.

Question 14

To which of these does the all-or-none law apply?​

A)The effect of hormones on behavior
B)​The electrical pattern across brain areas
C)​The release of neurotransmitters at a synapse
D)​The action potentials of an axon

Question 15

​What two types of cells compose the central nervous system?

A)Gametes and autosomal cells
B)​Neurons and glia
C)​Sympathetic cells and parasympathetic cells
D)​Axons and dendrites

Question 16

The myelin that covers some axons serves what function?​

A)It speeds up transmission along the axon.
B)​It provides warmth to the axon.
C)​It keeps the action potential flowing in the correct direction.
D)It synthesizes neurotransmitters.​

Question 17

The shape of a neuron varies,depending mainly on what?​

A)Whether the individual is male or female
B)​The number of chromosomes in the neuron
C)​How recently the neuron produced an action potential
D)​The nature of the neuron's input and output

Question 18

Which of the following is characteristic of dendrites?​

A)They contain the chromosomes of the cell.
B)They are long, thin, and straight.​
C)They have widely branching fibers.​
D)They conduct information from the cell body to other cells.​

Question 19

What is the long fiber that conducts messages from a neuron to other cells?​

A)Hypothalamus
B)Glia​
C)Dendrite​
D)Axon​

Question 20

​How,if at all,does an action potential change as it travels?

A)It increases in strength.
B)​It decreases in strength.
C)​It increases in speed.
D)​It remains constant.

Question 21

​What causes the flow of the action potential?

A)Electrical conduction on the myelin that surrounds the axon
B)The flow of water down the center of the axon​
C)The movement of ions across the membrane​
D)The synthesis of neurotransmitters​

Question 22

​What does a neurotransmitter do?

A)It measures the amount of activity in a brain.
B)​It either excites or inhibits a neuron.
C)​It flows through the bloodstream.
D)​It conveys information from one brain to another.

Question 23

Three people get toe pinches at the same time.Who feels it soonest,if anyone?​

A)The tallest person feels it soonest.
B)​The medium-sized person feels it soonest.
C)​The shortest person feels it soonest.
D)​All three feel it at the same time.

Question 24

The fact that the nervous system conveys impulses by action potentials instead of electrical conduction causes which of the following?​

A)Electrical stimulation would have no effect on brain activity.
B)​You are aware of events in your body slightly after they happen.
C)​Friends sometimes think the same thought at the same time.
D)More of the brain is devoted to vision than to hearing.​

Question 25

​Neurotransmitters are released from which part of a neuron?

A)Cell body
B)​Terminal bouton
C)​Mitochondria 
D)​Myelin

Question 26

​Why would you feel a pinch on your shoulder very slightly sooner than a toe pinch?

A)The shoulder has more blood vessels than the toes do.
B)​The shoulder has more touch receptors than the toes do.
C)​The shoulders are closer to the hands.
D)​The shoulders are closer to the brain.

Question 27

​If your finger touches something,how soon do you get the sensation?

A)When the finger contacts the object
B)​When receptors in the finger detect the object
C)​When an action potential starts in the nearest axon
D)​When the action potential reaches the brain

Question 28

​How do anesthetic drugs such as Novocain block the sensation of pain?

A)They prevent sodium from crossing the axon membrane.
B)​They decrease overall brain activity.
C)​They produce a negative charge that competes with positive charges.
D)​They form a shield around pain receptors that prevents them from responding.

Question 29

An action potential takes place by means of what?​

A)The flow of electrical charges on the myelinc
B)​The synthesis of neurotransmitters in the center of the axon
C)​The movement of sodium ions across the membrane
D)​The flow of water down the center of the axon

Question 30

​The study of action potentials helps explain which of the following?

A)How methylphenidate (Ritalin) helps improve attention
B)​How Novocain and similar drugs block pain
C)​Why alcohol stimulates some behaviors and inhibits others
D)​Why people feel sleepy at night and energetic during the day

Question 31

​How does Novocain block pain when a dentist is drilling your tooth?

A)Novocain causes action potentials to travel away from the brain instead of toward it.
B)​Novocain prevents sodium from crossing the membrane.
C)​Novocain inhibits many synapses in the brain.
D)​Novocain blocks blood flow to certain brain areas.

Question 32

What happens at a synapse?​

A)Something very synful
B)​Synthesis of proteins
C)​Entry of sodium ions across the axon membrane
D)​Release of a chemical

Question 33

When your toes touch something,you feel the sensation 1/20 of a second later.Why?​

A)The receptors in the toes are slow to react to a stimulus.
B)Any action potential takes time to reach the brain.​
C)You cannot feel something until your nervous system synthesizes neurotransmitters.​
D)You were probably thinking about something else.​

Question 34

​What does synaptic transmission require (in the great majority of cases)?

A)Synthesis of a new protein
B)​Electrical transmission
C)​Release of a chemical
D)​Mechanical vibration

Question 35

​What is a neurotransmitter?

A)A pattern of brain activity
B)​A machine
C)​A chemical
D)​A location

Question 36

When an axon membrane reaches its threshold for an action potential,what type of ions enter from outside to inside?​

A)Sodium
B)​Calcium
C)​Potassium
D)​Chloride

Question 37

​What is a synapse?

A)A junction where one neuron communicates with another
B)​The point along an axon where the action potential begins
C)​A device for measuring brain activity
D)​An immoral apse

Question 38

​What crosses the membrane to cause an action potential?

A)Neurotransmitters
B)​Water molecules
C)​Hormones
D)​Sodium ions

Question 39

A mouse can feel a pinch on its feet faster than a giraffe can.Why?​

A)More of a mouse's brain is devoted to touch than in a giraffe's brain.
B)Action potentials have shorter distances to travel in mice.​
C)​Mice have more hair on their feet than giraffes do.
D)Mice have more practice at responding to touch than giraffes do.​

Question 40

​Unlike computer messages,which of the following is true for synapses?

A)Every synaptic message looks the same as any other one.
B)​Synaptic messages spread diffusely instead of going to a particular target.
C)​A single synaptic message conveys an entire thought.
D)​Synaptic messages vary from sudden and brief to slow and long-lasting.

Question 41

Which of the following facts made it possible to develop drugs to block nausea?​

A)Nausea depends on one type of serotonin receptor.
B)​Nausea depends on a particular speed of action potential.
C)Nausea depends on a particular area in the spinal cord.​
D)​Nausea depends on a particular concentration of hormones.

Question 42

Which of these is responsible for Parkinson's disease?​

A)A loss of myelin by axons in the spinal cord
B)​Excess cholesterol in certain brain areas
C)​A decay of axons that release dopamine
D)​A loss of receptors for serotonin

Question 43

​What was the original study demonstrating that neurons communicate chemically?

A)Brain fluids show increased levels of certain chemicals during learning.
B)​Transferring fluid from one frog's heart can influence activity of another frog's heart.
C)​Injecting certain chemicals into an animal's brain alters the EEG.
D)Cocaine increases activity in some brain areas and decreases it in other areas.​

Question 44

Parkinson's disease results from a deficiency in what?​

A)Vitamins and minerals in the diet
B)​Sex-related hormones
C)Sodium and potassium salts​
D)The neurotransmitter dopamine​

Question 45

​How many types of neurotransmitters and receptors are in the brain?

A)The brain has two types of neurotransmitter, and each attaches to one type of receptor.
B)​The brain has two types of neurotransmitter, and each attaches to many types of receptor.
C)The brain has many neurotransmitters, and each attaches to one type of receptor.​
D)The brain has many neurotransmitters, and each attaches to many types of receptor.​

Question 46

​How do the synapses responsible for taste and smell differ from those for vision and hearing?

A)The synapses for taste and smell have effects that are expressed more widely in the brain.
B)​The synapses for taste and smell have inhibitory effects; vision and taste are excitatory.
C)​The synapses for taste and smell react more slowly and their effects last longer.
D)​The synapses for taste and smell occur only in the spinal cord and not in the brain.

Question 47

​After neurotransmitter molecules detach from their receptor,what happens to them?

A)They combine with other released chemicals to form hormones.
B)​They break down into water, oxygen, and carbon dioxide.
C)​Some diffuse away, and the presynaptic cell reabsorbs others for reuse.
D)​The postsynaptic cell absorbs them and uses them for fuel.

Question 48

​Otto Loewi collected the fluid around a frog's heart and injected it onto another frog's heart.What did he demonstrate?

A)Some synapses operate by releasing chemicals.
B)Synapses control complex emotional responses.​
C)Synapses can be either excitatory or inhibitory.​
D)​Synapses in the periphery use the same neurotransmitters that the brain uses.

Question 49

Which of these is a major symptom of Parkinson's disease?​

A)Sudden attacks of sleepiness during the day
B)​Odd habits, such as repeating whatever other people say
C)Impairments of voluntary movement​
D)Frequent outbursts of angry emotion​

Question 50

Haloperidol,which blocks dopamine synapses,would be disadvantageous for which of these?​

A)Severe anxiety
B)​Parkinson's disease
C)Schizophrenia​
D)Tourette's syndrome​

Question 51

​How long does a synaptic message last?

A)It lasts no more than a few milliseconds.
B)​It lasts about one-tenth of a second.
C)​It lasts about one second.
D)​The duration varies greatly from one to another.

Question 52

​Which of the following is a common treatment for Parkinson's disease?

A)L-dopa, a chemical that the brain converts into dopamine
B)​Drugs that block the reuptake of serotonin and related neurotransmitters
C)​A diet that minimizes intake of phenylalanine
D)Educational programs designed to improve emotional control​

Question 53

How did Otto Loewi demonstrate that neurons communicate by releasing chemicals?​

A)He studied the behavior of one-celled animals in solutions of neurotransmitters.
B)He showed that mathematical models of the nervous system best fit the idea of chemical communication.​
C)He collected fluids at brain synapses and analyzed them chemically.​
D)He transferred fluid from one frog's heart to alter activity of another frog's heart.​

Question 54

Impaired voluntary movement,tremors,and depressed mood are characteristic of which of the following conditions?​

A)Phenylketonuria
B)​Capgras syndrome
C)Parkinson's disease​
D)Cotard's syndrome​

Question 55

Why is L-dopa a useful therapy for patients with Parkinson's disease?​

A)It prevents overstimulation of excitatory synapses.
B)It blocks reuptake of serotonin.​
C)It provides fuel to brain areas that cannot use glucose.​
D)​The brain converts it to dopamine.

Question 56

​A brief visual stimulus elicits only a brief experience,but a brief taste stimulus provides a sensation that lasts longer.Why?

A)Taste stimulates areas that are closer to the center of the brain.
B)​Taste stimulates release of hormones that circulate slowly through the system.
C)​Taste stimulates axons with very slow conduction times.
D)​Taste stimulates synapses with slower, longer effects.

Question 57

Which of the following is a common treatment for Parkinson's disease?​

A)A low-fat, gluten-free diet
B)​Aerobic exercise
C)​Pills that increase the brain's dopamine levels
D)​Pills that increase blood flow to the brain

Question 58

​How do nearly all drugs with behavioral effects alter brain activity?

A)They attach to chromosomes and alter gene expression.
B)They dilate or constrict blood vessels.​
C)​They increase or decrease conduction velocity of action potentials.
D)They alter activity at synapses.​

Question 59

​What route does a neurotransmitter follow?

A)A dendrite sends it to an axon.
B)​The chromosomes send it to the mitochondria.
C)​The sympathetic nervous system sends it to the parasympathetic nervous system.
D)​The presynaptic cell sends it to the postsynaptic cell.

Question 60

​Which of the following is true for neurotransmitters' receptors?

A)All the excitatory neurotransmitters attach to one type of receptor, and inhibitory neurotransmitters to another type.
B)​A neurotransmitter can attach to several types of receptors with different properties.
C)​The brain has only one type of receptor, but it responds differently depending on which neurotransmitter attaches to it.
D)​Men's neurotransmitter receptors are chemically different from those of women.

Question 61

Which drug has synaptic effects the same as cocaine,only slower?​

A)Ritalin
B)​L-dopa
C)​Alcohol
D)​Marijuana

Question 62

LSD produces its effects mainly by doing what?​

A)It blocks the reuptake of dopamine after its release at a synapse.
B)​The brain converts it to dopamine.
C)​It attaches to one type of serotonin receptor.
D)​It increases blood flow to the brain.

Question 63

Dopamine synapses are most important for which of the following?​

A)Rapid responses to visual or auditory stimuli
B)​Communication between the left and right hemispheres of the brain
C)​Maintaining equilibrium and balance
D)​Strong motivations such as sex or drug use

Question 64

In spite of being a hallucinogen,LSD has sometimes been used for which purpose?​

A)To relieve severe anxiety
B)​To improve attention
C)​To combat Alzheimer's disease
D)​To help people lose weight

Question 65

Cocaine and amphetamine can enhance or impair attention,depending mainly on what?​

A)The effects depend on the dose of the drug.
B)​The effects depend on the amount of gluten in the diet.
C)​The effects depend on the season of the year.
D)The effects depend on the brightness of light in the room.​

Question 66

People who take Ritalin (methylphenidate)sometimes report lethargy and mild depression a few hours later.Why?​

A)Their axons accumulated more sodium than they could excrete.
B)​Their muscles accumulated excess levels of lactic acid.
C)​Their neurons released dopamine faster than they could make more of it.
D)​Prolonged high electrical activity in the brain distorted the connections.

Question 67

What is the difference between an agonist and an antagonist?​

A)An agonist produces helpful effects and an antagonist produces harmful effects.
B)​An agonist produces harmful effects and an antagonist produces helpful effects.
C)​An agonist decreases synaptic activity and an antagonist increases it.
D)​An agonist increases synaptic activity and an antagonist decreases it.

Question 68

Drugs that affect behavior exert their effects mainly by what means?​

A)They increase or decrease the synthesis of hormones.
B)​They increase or decrease the velocity of action potentials.
C)They increase or decrease activity at certain synapses.​
D)They increase or decrease blood flow to the brain.​

Question 69

​What drug would decrease the effects of Ritalin?

A)AMPT, which blocks production of dopamine
B)​L-dopa, which increases production of dopamine
C)​Prozac, which prolongs the effects of serotonin
D)​Valium, which enhances the effects of GABA

Question 70

​For what medical purpose,if any,is amphetamine sometimes helpful?

A)At low doses, it can improve attention.
B)​At low levels, it can combat high blood pressure.
C)At high doses, it can relieve pain.​
D)Amphetamine has no approved medical uses.​

Question 71

At low to moderate doses,what is the usual effect of alcohol?​

A)Aggressive behavior
B)​Improved memory
C)Relaxation​
D)​Increased inhibitions

Question 72

How does cocaine alter the activity of neurons?​

A)It blocks dopamine synapses.
B)​The brain converts it into dopamine.
C)It converts dopamine into an inactive chemical.​
D)It prolongs the presence of dopamine in synapses.​

Question 73

How do amphetamine and cocaine affect attention?​

A)At low levels, they impair attention. At high levels, they increase it.
B)​At low levels, they increase attention. At high levels, they impair it.
C)​They increase attention at all levels.
D)They impair attention at all levels.​

Question 74

The drug AMPT blocks dopamine production.Which of these would be its effect?​

A)It would decrease the effects of cocaine or amphetamine, but increase effects of Ritalin.
B)​It would increase the effects of cocaine or amphetamine, but decrease effects of Ritalin.
C)​It would increase the effects of cocaine, amphetamine, and Ritalin.
D)It would decrease the effects of cocaine, amphetamine, and Ritalin.​

Question 75

​Which of the following is most characteristic of crack cocaine?

A)It attaches equally to all types of receptors within the brain.
B)It is often prescribed for its medical benefits.​
C)It produces its effects on the brain within seconds.​
D)It affects the brain by the same mechanism that alcohol does.​

Question 76

​How do anxiolytic drugs,also called tranquilizers,affect the brain?

A)They stimulate the brain to increase its release of melatonin.
B)​They facilitate transmission at inhibitory synapses.
C)They block reuptake of serotonin after its release by presynaptic neurons.​
D)Neurons in the brain convert the drugs to dopamine.​

Question 77

How does cocaine affect the nervous system?​

A)The nervous system converts cocaine into the neurotransmitters dopamine and serotonin.
B)​Cocaine binds to dopamine and serotonin molecules, preventing them from being active.
C)​Cocaine prevents neurons from reabsorbing dopamine and serotonin after releasing them.
D)​Cocaine attaches to the same synaptic receptors as dopamine and serotonin.

Question 78

Why do people feel lethargy and displeasure a few hours after taking cocaine or amphetamine?​

A)Prolonged electrical activity leads to short circuits in the brain.
B)​Neurons have a net loss of dopamine faster than they can replace it.
C)​Axons build up an excess of sodium ions faster than they can restore normal balance.
D)​Muscles build up excess levels of lactic acid.

Question 79

​How do the effects of Ritalin pills (methylphenidate)differ from those of cocaine?

A)Ritalin has effects with slower onset and offset.
B)​Ritalin increases the presence of dopamine in synapses, and cocaine decreases it.
C)​Ritalin decreases the presence of dopamine in synapses, and cocaine increases it.
D)​Ritalin affects synapses in the cerebral cortex, and cocaine affects subcortical areas.

Question 80

​What are the effects of MDMA ("ecstasy")?

A)Reduced pain at low doses and increased pain at high doses.
B)​Depressant effects at low doses and stimulant effects at high doses.
C)​Stimulant effects at low doses and hallucinogenic effects at high doses.
D)​Antisocial effects at low doses and prosocial effects at high doses.