Deck 2: The Neural Basis for Cognition

Question 1

Which lobe or cortex is farthest from the cerebellum?

A) frontal
B) parietal
C) occipital
D) temporal

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Capgras syndrome provides an illustration of several important themes in Chapter 2. All of the following are true of Capgras EXCEPT

A) damage to a specific part of the brain is likely to produce specific symptoms.
B) the brain is interconnected so that many systems interact.
C) cognitive disorders often co-occur, such as Alzheimer's syndrome and Capgras syndrome.
D) damage to the amygdala will result in an inability to recognize imposters.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

For most people, encountering a family member who looks a little bit different will elicit a response like "He must have gotten a haircut!" However, that same experience will elicit a response like ________ from someone with Capgras yndrome.

A) "He lost weight!"
B) "He is mad at me."
C) "He is an imposter!"
D) "He looks like a hat!"

Answer 3

C

Question 4

Capgras syndrome suggests there are two parts to recognition. These parts are

A) factual and familiar.
B) factual and emotional.
C) visual and factual.
D) visual and auditory.

Question 5

Which of the following statements is LEAST likely to be true of a person with Capgras syndrome?

A) She thinks that her mother has been replaced by a look-alike alien.
B) She cannot recognize that her father looks like her father.
C) She also has Alzheimer's syndrome.
D) She has no warm sense of familiarity when she sees a close friend.

Question 6

The cortex makes up the surface of what brain structure?

A) hindbrain
B) midbrain
C) thalamus
D) forebrain

Question 7

Neuroimaging techniques such as PET suggest a link between Capgras syndrome and abnormalities in all of the following brain regions EXCEPT the

A) prefrontal cortex.
B) amygdala.
C) temporal lobe.
D) fusiform face area.

Question 8

Some researchers explain Capgras syndrome as

A) a simple failure of visual recognition.
B) the result of a disconnection between a cognitive appraisal and a sense of familiarity.
C) a subtype of schizophrenia.
D) a failure of long-term memory, because patients cannot remember what their own close family members look like.

Question 9

Damage to the brain can be caused in many ways, but in general the damage is referred to as a

A) stroke.
B) lesion.
C) syndrome.
D) problem.

Question 10

Mike has damage to his hindbrain. He is likely to experience problems with which set of behaviors?

A) rhythm of breathing, level of alertness, and posture
B) complex thought and long-term memory
C) planned motor activity
D) perception and visual imagery

Question 11

Which of the following structures is NOT visible when viewing an image of an intact brain?

A) cerebellum
B) cortex
C) primary motor cortex
D) amygdala

Question 12

Which of the following statements about Phineus Gage is FALSE?

A) He had Capgras syndrome.
B) A rod went through his face and head, removing part of his frontal lobe.
C) His personality changed after his trauma.
D) He was able to perform basic cognitive tasks (talking, remembering, etc.) after his trauma.

Question 13

Most of the brain's structures are hidden deep inside the ________, which is the outer, visible layer.

A) cerebellum
B) cortex
C) midbrain
D) hindbrain

Question 14

Capgras syndrome contributes to our understanding of cognition in each of the following ways EXCEPT the role of

A) the temporal lobe in memory.
B) the amygdala in people without Capgras syndrome.
C) the frontal lobe in schizophrenia.
D) visual area V1.

Question 15

Among its other functions, the amygdala seems to serve as a(n)

A) important relay station between the eye and occipital cortex.
B) storage location for information received from the skin.
C) "emotional evaluator" or threat detector.
D) "index" for locating memories in the brain.

Question 16

Capgras syndrome and other cognitive disorders are useful because they

A) provide information about normal cognitive functioning.
B) suggest cognition is an interesting topic.
C) provide evidence that people with Capgras syndrome need medication.
D) show that all brain damage is irreversible.

Question 17

Lisa has recently suffered a brain injury. Her symptoms include deficits in coordination and interpretation of pain. Which structure is most likely damaged?

A) primary motor area
B) midbrain
C) forebrain
D) hindbrain

Question 18

Damage to the ________ is likely to cause problems with precise eye movements.

A) forebrain
B) midbrain
C) hindbrain
D) amygdala

Question 19

Which of the following is included in the limbic system?

A) thalamus
B) amygdala
C) cerebellum
D) hypothalamus

Question 20

Commissures, including the corpus callosum, are

A) blood vessels that carry blood to all areas of the brain.
B) brain areas associated with various types of sensory information.
C) pockets of oxygen found throughout the brain.
D) thick bundles of fibers that allow communication between the brain's hemispheres.

Question 21

Kate has a split brain. Her doctor briefly presents the word "hammer" to only her left visual field and then asks her what she saw. Which set of responses is Kate most likely to give?

A) She will say she doesn't know what word appeared but she will be able to identify the object with her right hand.
B) She will say she doesn't know what word appeared but she will be able to identify the object with her left hand.
C) She will say she doesn't know what word appeared and she will not be able to identify the object using either hand.
D) She will say "hammer."

Question 22

The electroencephalogram (EEG) provides an estimate of brain activity by measuring

A) glucose consumption.
B) blood flow.
C) neurotransmitter release.
D) electrical signals produced by neurons.

Question 23

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and fMRI

A) are less useful than other types of neuroimaging for the study of brain function.
B) create a three-dimensional representation of the brain's tissue.
C) are useful only for studying features on the outer surface of the brain.
D) make self-report data unnecessary.

Question 24

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) uses a strong magnetic pulse to

A) record the amount of glucose a specific brain region used during a cognitive task.
B) measure the blood flow using blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signals.
C) produce a temporary disruption to the brain area, and thus brain function, where it is applied.
D) create a detailed "map" of the different brain areas.

Question 25

When an image is projected to the right visual field, the signal will be sent to the ________ hemisphere.

A) right
B) left
C) visual
D) cortical

Question 26

Unlike fMRI, TMS can be used to make ________ statements.

A) causal
B) important
C) scientific
D) functional

Question 27

Which of the following statements about association cortex is FALSE?

A) These areas of the brain are involved in higher-level sensory processing.
B) These areas contain specialized subregions.
C) There are association areas for both sensory and motor areas.
D) The visual association cortex is located in the subcortical parts of the brain.

Question 28

Split-brain patients benefit from the procedure in the form of fewer seizures. How has cognitive psychology benefited?

A) This procedure has led to the well-supported notion that someone can be "left-brained" or "right-brained."
B) Research with these patients suggests that there is not significant localization of function in the brain.
C) Research with these patients suggests that someone cannot live without an intact corpus callosum, indicating its importance in survival and functioning.
D) The procedure indicates that you can cause damage to the brain with no adverse cognitive effects.

Question 29

The primary motor projection area is located

A) in the cerebellum.
B) in the occipital cortex.
C) toward the rear of the frontal lobe.
D) in the midbrain.

Question 30

Dr. Hout has fMRI evidence about the role of the FFA in visual processing. What should he do next?

A) acquire evidence from another method, like CT or TMS
B) assume that the role of the FFA is completely understood
C) nothing; one source of evidence is sufficient.
D) assume his results are flawed and do another fMRI study

Question 31

A CT or computerized axial tomography scan

A) can only be performed on a cadaver.
B) uses X-rays to study the living brain's anatomy.
C) is primarily useful for measuring blood flow in the brain.
D) can detect the activity taking place in different brain areas in real time.

Question 32

Researchers using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) find activity in the fusiform face area (FFA) when participants are viewing faces. This means that FFA

A) is responsible for recognizing faces.
B) is necessary to recognizing faces.
C) activity is correlated with recognizing faces.
D) has no role in recognizing faces.

Question 33

Positron emission tomography (PET) scans show

A) minute details of brain anatomy.
B) what a participant is thinking at the moment the test is taken.
C) brain areas that are currently consuming a particularly high level of glucose.
D) whether a participant is learning something new or remembering prior learning.

Question 34

The corpus callosum serves what major function?

A) processing sensory information
B) long-term memory
C) communication between hemispheres
D) emotion

Question 35

Patrick was in a car accident and hit his head on the dashboard. The emergency room doctors are concerned that he may have sustained a traumatic brain injury. Which of the following methods are they most likely to use to confirm or disprove their diagnosis?

A) TMS
B) fMRI
C) EEG
D) MRI

Question 36

Lindsie participated in an fMRI experiment. The researchers found high activity levels in visual areas when she was looking at an image and high activity in those same areas when she was ________.

A) sleeping
B) imagining the image.
C) drawing the image.
D) speaking.

Question 37

The corpus callosum is a large

A) muscle.
B) neuron.
C) commissure.
D) damaged area of the brain.

Question 38

Researchers have used fMRI to investigate activation in the FFA and the parahippocampal place area (PPA). When participants are shown a picture of a face to one eye and a picture of a house to the other eye (producing binocular rivalry), we expect to see

A) no increase in activation in either the FFA or the PPA relative to a baseline.
B) equal activation in the FFA and the PPA.
C) only activation in the brain region linked to the picture in the dominant eye (e.g., if a picture of a face is presented to the dominant eye, then only the FFA will show increased activation).
D) an increase in activation in the FFA when the participant is consciously aware of the face and similarly increased activation in the PPA when the participant is consciously aware of the house.

Question 39

A number of techniques have been developed that allow us to examine the moment-by-moment activity levels of specifically defined brain areas. These techniques are called

A) fMRI
B) neuroimaging techniques.
C) chronometric techniques.
D) psychometric assessment.

Question 40

A patient might elect to have split-brain surgery, which involves

A) severing the corpus callosum.
B) removing the amygdala.
C) removing one hemisphere of the brain.
D) removing a section of the frontal lobe.

Question 41

Olivia has sustained damage to the prefrontal area. As a result, she is most likely to have

A) neglect syndrome.
B) a variety of problems, including problems planning and implementing strategies.
C) difficulties exclusively with memory.
D) primarily language problems.

Question 42

The auditory cortex follows the principle of contralateral control. Thus, the

A) right temporal lobe receives most of its input from the left ear.
B) right temporal lobe receives most of its input from the right ear.
C) right temporal lobe receives equal input from both ears.
D) information received by the right temporal lobe depends on whether the listener favors his or her right or left ear.

Question 43

Neuron A communicates with neuron B. The ________ of neuron A forms a synapse with the ________ of neuron B.

A) cell body; soma
B) axon terminal; axon terminal
C) axon terminal; dendrite
D) soma; dendrite

Question 44

Which of the following is NOT a primary function of glial cells?

A) provide support for neurons
B) facilitate the development of the nervous system
C) release neurotransmitters
D) clean up waste

Question 45

The primary motor projection area forms a "map" of the body and the projections control movement to specific areas of the body. The amount of cortical tissue dedicated to different parts of the body correlates with

A) the size of the body part.
B) the distance of the body part from the brain.
C) the precision of movement for the body part.
D) The cortical area does not vary; it is the same for all body parts.

Question 46

A patient with visual agnosia will probably show an inability to

A) remember a list of words heard 1 hour before.
B) detect brief flashes of light.
C) recall the color of familiar objects (e.g., that stop signs are red).
D) identify common objects in plain view.

Question 47

Motor and sensory cortices combined make up what portion of the brain?

A) less than 10%
B) roughly 25%
C) just over 50%
D) nearly 85%

Question 48

A neuron is

A) a group of cells specialized for a particular type of information storage.
B) one of the fibers connecting the eye to the visual cortex.
C) an individual cell within the nervous system.
D) a region within the brain dedicated to a single function.

Question 49

Once a cell fires, the part of a neuron that transmits information to another location is the

A) dendrite.
B) cell body.
C) axon.
D) nucleus.

Question 50

The ________ contains the machinery necessary to keep the cell alive and functioning properly.

A) cell body
B) dendrite
C) axon
D) myelin

Question 51

A neuron's initial, internal response to an incoming signal can vary in size. The ultimate, external response of the cell, however, does not vary in size. If the signal is sent, it is always of the same magnitude. This effect is called the

A) whole-firing potential.
B) all-or-none law.
C) uniform response law.
D) threshold potential.

Question 52

Complete the analogy: Incoming is to outgoing as ________ is to ________.

A) dendrite; cell body
B) dendrite; axon
C) axon; cell body
D) cell body; axon

Question 53

One of the disadvantages of synaptic communication is that it takes time for chemicals to pass from one side of the synapse to another. Which of the following is a benefit of synaptic transmission?

A) It allows our nervous system to compare multiple signals from many sources.
B) Chemicals in our food can be broken down to influence between-cell communication.
C) It is simple, because each neuron can only receive signals from a single neuron.
D) Chemicals are more reliable than electrical energy.

Question 54

Neuron X sends a signal that is picked up and processed by Neuron Y. This between-cell communication occurs via

A) chemical transmission between Neuron X and Neuron Y.
B) electrical stimulation of Neuron Y by Neuron X.
C) fibers that connect Neuron X and Neuron Y.
D) We don't know how it happens.

Question 55

At the synapse, a neurotransmitter is released by the ________ and could bind to the ________.

A) vesicle; presynaptic membrane
B) vesicle; receptor site
C) receptor; presynaptic membrane
D) receptor; vesicle

Question 56

Ben and Quinn both have lesions in their left frontal lobes. Ben has trouble producing speech; Quinn has difficulties comprehending speech. Both Ben and Quinn are likely to receive a diagnosis of

A) neglect syndrome.
B) apraxia.
C) agnosia.
D) aphasia.

Question 57

A synapse is

A) a message sent from one neuron to another.
B) part of a neuron's cell body.
C) made up of the end of one neuron's axon, another neuron's receiving membrane, and the gap between these two.
D) the name of the electric signal that occurs when a cell reaches its threshold.

Question 58

Which of the following statements about neurons is FALSE?

A) Signals are processed by the cell body of a neuron.
B) A neuron can have many dendrites.
C) Neurons have one basic shape.
D) The axon of one neuron can communicate with the dendrite of another neuron.

Question 59

If a researcher applies mild electric current to a specific area of an animal's right hemisphere primary motor projection area, which of the following is likely to happen?

A) a specific movement of a body part on the right side of the animal
B) a specific movement of a body part on the left side of the animal
C) a chaotic movement of the entire animal
D) no movement at all

Question 60

Communication between neurons is ________, while communication within a neuron is ________.

A) electrical; chemical
B) chemical; electrical
C) electric; neurotransmitter-based
D) simple; difficult

Question 61

Explain the relevance of split-brain patients in psychology by answering the following questions.
a. What area of the brain is lesioned in these patients? Why do these patients elect to have this surgery?
b. How does behavior change after the surgery? How does it stay the same?
c. What have we learned about the brain and behavior as a result of this procedure?

Question 62

Judy has sustained damage to her visual association area, but not her primary association area. Describe the behavioral changes you would expect to see, given this trauma. What behaviors or mental processes would not be affected?

Question 63

Describe Capgras syndrome and one possible explanation (physiological or cognitive) for the disorder. What does this disorder tell us about the interactive nature of the brain?

Question 64

Compare and contrast the use of fMRI and TMS and describe their applications in psychology. What sort of information does each approach give us? Which technique can be used to make causal statements about the link between brain activity and behavior?

Question 65

As it pertains to the development and testing of theories, what are the benefits of studying neuropsychology and neuroscience for cognitive psychologists?

Question 66

Imagine that Neuron X communicates with Neuron Y. Describe the process by which Neuron X can send a message to Neuron Y. What possible effects will this signal have on the firing of Neuron Y?

Question 67

Evaluate the use of fMRI as a way to gather information about activity in the brain. What are the advantages and shortcomings of this approach?

Question 68

Is it fair to say that someone is "left-brained" or "right-brained"? Why or why not? Give examples to support your answer.

Question 69

Explain how a signal would be processed and sent through a neuron. Include in your answer a description of the relevant components in the cell.

Question 70

Describe the relationship between cortical area in primary somatosensory cortex and corresponding surface area of the body part. Name two parts of the body that have surprisingly large cortical representations and two that have small representations.