Deck 8: Genetics of Behavior

Question 1

The part of the human brain that controls the sleep-wake cycle is called the

A) nucleolus.
B) cerebral cortex.
C) suprachiasmatic nuclei.
D) substantia nigra.
E) brainstem.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Candidate genes for the inherited components of mood disorders and mental illnesses affect

A) muscle and nerve cell function.
B) connective tissue function.
C) signal transduction and neurotransmission.
D) cellular adhesion and blood clotting.
E) none of the above.

Answer 2

C

Question 3

The molecular explanation for narcolepsy is that

A) certain brain cells have many extra orexin/hypocretin receptors, so that the cell receives too many messages to sleep.
B) the orexin/hypocretin receptor is missing, abnormal in structure, or unable to move to the surface of certain brain cells, blocking signals to stay awake.
C) a gene is missing in chromosome 6 that encodes the protein narcoleptin.
D) a viral infection activates genes that promote sleep.
E) four key genes are overexpressed.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

A standardized test that takes into account the fact that some students have access to coaching and others do not assesses

A) global studies.
B) global intelligence ability.
C) economic stability.
D) financial status.
E) SNP patterns that correlate with different IQ scores.

Question 5

The first narcolepsy gene was discovered in

A) bats.
B) cockroaches.
C) hippos.
D) dogs.
E) golden hamsters.

Question 6

A synapse is

A) a space between neurons.
B) a neurotransmitter molecule.
C) a receptor on a cell that binds a neurotransmitter.
D) a type of protein.
E) a gene that controls the nervous system.

Question 7

A person with narcolepsy may experience

A) cataplexy, in which he or she suddenly collapses.
B) dogaplexy, in which he or she suddenly collapses.
C) a sudden sensation that he or she is running on a hamster wheel.
D) inability to sleep.
E) excess REM sleep.

Question 8

Researchers estimate that about _____ genes are involved in behavioral disorders.

A) 10-20
B) 100-120
C) 100-300
D) 500
E) 1,000

Question 9

The first intelligence tests,developed in the late 19th century,tested a person's

A) mathematics and verbal skills.
B) sensory perception and reaction time.
C) problem-solving and logic skills.
D) hand-eye coordination.
E) relatives to determine how smart they were.

Question 10

Which of the following psychiatric disorders has the highest risk of death?

A) depression
B) schizophrenia
C) anorexia nervosa
D) bulimia
E) narcissism

Question 11

Evidence that sleep has an inherited component is that

A) MZ twins share more sleep characteristics than do DZ twins.
B) siblings often go to sleep and wake up at the same time.
C) students living in dorms develop the same sleeping habits.
D) people with insomnia have the same chromosome abnormality.
E) DZ twins share more sleep characteristics than do MZ twins.

Question 12

Justus lifts weights several hours a day.He spends a great deal of time at the gym admiring his firm muscles from several angles.He follows a high protein diet and takes amino acid supplements to make his muscles bulge.Justus is very concerned that the muscles are much too small.He likely has

A) anorexia nervosa.
B) bulimia.
C) schizophrenia.
D) muscle dysmorphia
E) obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Question 13

Which choice accurately conveys the complexity of neural connections in the human brain?

A) about 100 billion neurons each contact 1,000 to 10,000 other neurons
B) a million or so neurons each contact up to 100,000 other neurons
C) 10 million or so neurons each contact up to 10,000 other neurons
D) a billion or so neurons each contact up to a million other neurons
E) a million or so neurons each contact up to 10 million other neurons

Question 14

Causes of mental retardation include

A) single-gene and chromosomal disorders, infection, malnutrition, poisoning, and problems before or during birth.
B) eating too much chocolate, not exercising, and not drinking enough.
C) watching too much television, exposure to secondhand smoke, and drinking cow's milk before the age of six months.
D) inheriting a very low IQ, not having mobiles in the crib or being read to, and being ignored.
E) being exposed to certain bacteria, fungal spores, or mouse excrement.

Question 15

The parts of the brain where addiction arises are

A) the suprachiasmatic nuclei, the ventricles, and the cerebral cortex.
B) the nucleus accumbens, the ventral tegmental area, and the prefrontal cortex.
C) the frontal medulla, the cerebellum, and the hypothalamus.
D) the optic nerve, auditory nerve, and stapes.
E) the presynaptic neuron, postsynaptic neuron, and synapse.

Question 16

Genetic contribution to intelligence increases with age because

A) the expression of intelligence genes accumulates over time.
B) a person has more years of schooling.
C) a person has greater control over his or her environment.
D) the number of genes that contribute to intelligence increases.
E) IQ increases.

Question 17

The average score on an IQ test,such as the Stanford-Binet,is

A) 50.
B) 75.
C) 100.
D) 150.
E) 200.

Question 18

The best description of the probable role that genes play in behavioral disorders is that

A) a single gene causes each of these disorders.
B) the same disorder may be caused by a single gene in one individual, and solely by an environmental factor in another.
C) single genes with major influences as well as small inputs from common gene variants contribute to susceptibility to behavioral disorders, perhaps requiring environmental triggers.
D) these genes increase the risk of infection, which directly causes the behavioral disorders.
E) variants of the same gene underlie major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorder, eating disorders, and schizophrenia.

Question 19

As individuals age,heritability of IQ

A) increases.
B) decreases.
C) remains relatively constant.
D) becomes meaningless.
E) becomes impossible to assess.

Question 20

Genes can affect behavior by encoding proteins that

A) form connective tissue.
B) function as neurotransmitter transporters, neurotransmitter receptors, and enzymes that control the synthesis of neurotransmitters and myelin.
C) aggregate to form synapses.
D) are neurotransmitters or neuroregulators.
E) alter synaptic connections when a person thinks a certain way.

Question 21

Anandamide is a substance made in the body that is the equivalent of the active component of

A) heroin.
B) chocolate.
C) marijuana.
D) oregano.
E) barbiturates.

Question 22

The two identifying characteristics of addiction are

A) intolerance and independence.
B) intolerance and dependence.
C) tolerance and independence.
D) tolerance and dependence.
E) irrationality and obsession.

Question 23

Schizophrenia affects about ____ percent of the population.

A) 0.1
B) 1.0
C) 5.0
D) 10.0
E) 50.0

Question 24

Harold is so sad that for months he can barely get out of bed.If he does,he just sits at the kitchen table with his head on his hands,unable to function.Yet for a few weeks,about every four or five months,he reverses mood.He becomes chatty and animated,uncharacteristically spending lavishly.Harold most likely has

A) schizophrenia.
B) euphoria.
C) bipolar disorder.
D) major depressive disorder.
E) temporary amnesia.

Question 25

Age of onset for schizophrenia is

A) prenatal.
B) birth.
C) early childhood.
D) early adulthood.
E) at one's 50th birthday party.

Question 26

Smoking cigarettes causes lung cancer because

A) nicotine destroys the membranes of alveoli, the microscopic air sacs. The alveoli expand, and the person cannot completely exhale.
B) nicotine is deposited as black, sticky tar in respiratory passages.
C) nicotinic receptors in the lungs bind carcinogens in cigarette smoke.
D) nicotine binds the A1 allele of the dopamine D(2) receptor.
E) nicotine accelerates the cell cycle of lung cells.

Question 27

Dr.Gregory House,a character on a television program,experiences severe withdrawal symptoms when he stops taking hydrocodone,which is a drug that he originally took for leg pain,but has not been able to give up.He is exhibiting

A) tolerance.
B) dependence.
C) paranoia.
D) suicidal ideation.
E) insomnia.

Question 28

In the 1980s,when researchers began seeking gene variants that can cause or contribute to bipolar disorder,it seemed that each extended family had its own mutations.These findings,looking back,most likely mean that

A) the families have different allele combinations of the same gene.
B) bipolar disorder results from imitating the behavior of an affected family member.
C) Many gene variant combinations cause or contribute to bipolar disorder, but only a few such variants are seen in any one family.
D) many people fake the symptoms of bipolar disorder.
E) bipolar disorder reflects changes in gene expression, but not in mutations.

Question 29

The biological basis of nicotine addiction is that nicotine binds

A) the part of the nicotinic receptor that otherwise binds the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Binding releases dopamine, which causes the pleasurable feelings.
B) postsynaptic receptors that normally bind endorphins.
C) the dopaminergic receptor, releasing acetylcholine, which causes the pleasurable feelings.
D) and disables nicotinic receptors, so that neurotransmission is too fast.
E) the pleasure center in the brain.

Question 30

Erica constantly needs to take more cocaine to get the same effect.She is exhibiting

A) tolerance.
B) dependence.
C) paranoia.
D) suicidal ideation.
E) insomnia.

Question 31

The lifetime risk for major depressive disorder in the general population is

A) 0 - 1%.
B) 1 - 2%.
C) 5 - 10%.
D) 25 - 45%.
E) unknown.

Question 32

A gene variant that,when homozygous,may be common to people with addictions to different substances is

A) the CFTR allele that also causes cystic fibrosis.
B) the serotonin transporter A5.
C) the A1 allele of the dopamine D(2) receptor.
D) the dopamine transporter B3.
E) the LSD reuptake inhibitor C5.

Question 33

Some drugs are plant products that can bind neural receptors in a human body because the body makes a similar chemical.Endorphins are the human equivalent of

A) opiates.
B) cocaine.
C) THC (tetrahydrocannabinol).
D) ethanol.
E) chocolate.

Question 34

Bipolar disorder affects about __ percent of the U.S.population.

A) 0.1
B) 1
C) 2
D) 5
E) 10

Question 35

A treatment that may help patients who do not respond to antidepressant drugs is

A) anti-inflammatory drugs.
B) barbiturate drugs.
C) electroconvulsive therapy.
D) mood aversion therapy.
E) bariatric therapy.

Question 36

LSD binds receptors that normally bind

A) dopamine.
B) serotonin.
C) epinephrine.
D) trace amines.
E) insulin.

Question 37

Early symptoms of schizophrenia affect

A) thinking.
B) emotions.
C) hearing.
D) vision.
E) aggression.

Question 38

A likely biological basis of major depressive disorder is

A) reuptake pumps for serotonin in the presynaptic neuron membrane that do not function adequately.
B) absent reuptake pumps for serotonin in the presynaptic neuron membrane.
C) reuptake pumps for serotonin in the postsynaptic neuron membrane that do not function adequately.
D) reuptake pumps for serotonin in the postsynaptic neuron membrane that are overactive, depleting serotonin in the synapse.
E) reuptake pumps for dopamine in the presynaptic neuron membrane that do not function adequately.

Question 39

Anandamide (and THC)differ from neurotransmitters in that they bind

A) presynaptic receptors.
B) postsynaptic receptors.
C) dendrites.
D) axons.
E) mitochondria.

Question 40

SSRIs such as Prozac,Paxil and Zoloft are widely prescribed to treat

A) post traumatic stress disorder.
B) major depressive disorder.
C) schizophrenia.
D) minor depressive disorder.
E) homicidal mania.

Question 41

Viruses that may cause of contribute to development of schizophrenia are

A) measles, mumps, and rubella.
B) hepatitis A, B, and C viruses.
C) influenza virus, Borna virus, and herpes virus.
D) HIV.
E) schizoviruses and parvoviruses.

Question 42

Schizophrenia means "split _____".

A) ends
B) mind
C) personality
D) milk
E) emotions

Question 43

A neurotransmitter that might contribute to causing autism if levels are abnormal is

A) dopamine.
B) serotonin.
C) trace amines.
D) glutamate.
E) norepinephrine.

Question 44

Natasha has schizophrenia.The probability that her young brother Boris develops schizophrenia too is about ___ times the general worldwide population risk.

A) 2
B) 4
C) 9
D) 12
E) 20

Question 45

The biological basis of autism may be

A) exposure to Ebola viruses during pregnancy.
B) formation of aberrant synapses.
C) interference with the ability to form synapses during childhood that are a response to experience, impairing learning and memory.
D) binding to nicotinic receptors in a way that destroys neurons in the hippocampus.
E) a reaction to flu vaccine.

Question 46

The existence of MZ twin pairs in which only one has autism suggests that

A) some MZ twins are really dizygotic.
B) the environment contributes to autism.
C) twins cannot become autistic.
D) the parents are medicating only one twin, as part of a clinical trial.
E) genes do not contribute to causing autism.

Question 47

Environmental factors that might cause or contribute to schizophrenia include

A) infection by smallpox virus.
B) maternal malnutrition.
C) excess oxygen to a fetus.
D) maternal use of anti-depressants.
E) trauma during pregnancy.

Question 48

Two proteins that control synapse formation in response to environmental stimuli in early childhood and that might lie behind autism when abnormal are

A) serotonin and dopamine.
B) collagen and elastin.
C) insulin and glucagon.
D) neurexin and neuroligin.
E) fibrin and fibrinogen.

Question 49

Schizophrenia differs from dementia in that it

A) affects primarily males.
B) is a single-gene disorder.
C) is treatable with insulin.
D) is episodic rather than degenerative.
E) is degenerative rather than episodic.

Question 50

About __ in 10 people with autism have other symptoms.

A) 1
B) 2
C) 3
D) 5
E) 8