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At the synapse, amphetamine: a. blocks the breakdown of dopamine. b. increases the release of dopamine from the presynaptic terminal. c. increases the sensitivity of dopamine receptors. d. decreases the sensitivity of dopamine receptors. Under what conditions are the effects […]

The part of the cortex that is most active during preparations for a movement and less active during the movement itself is the: a. premotor cortex. b. somatosensory cortex. c. inferior temporal cortex. d. tabes dorsalis. When food distends the […]

Neurons can have any number of dendrites, but no more than one axon. One might find cells that respond to the movement of an object in a specific direction in the: a. MT. b. striate cortex. c. retina. d. lateral […]

People with full sized brains and normal intelligence: a. always have normal language. b. usually have normal language, but may not. c. have the greatest brain to IQ ratio. d. have the largest index fingers. Which brain area is active […]

Pregnant women often experience nausea because of the heightened activity of the ____ receptor. a. serotonin 3 b. progesterone c. estradiol d. dopamine 2 Longer stimulation (1/2 sec) of the arm region of a monkey’s motor cortex results in: a. […]

According to the Young-Helmholtz theory, what is the basis for color vision? a. a different receptor for each color b. three kinds of cones c. a single receptor that produces different responses for each color d. the combined influences of […]

Prefrontal lobotomies were conducted in the United States in an attempt to: a. restore memory. b. restrain prisoners. c. treat severe obesity. d. treat severe psychiatric disorders. The formation of a neuron’s distinctive shape occurs during the ____ stage of […]

Which of the following would most likely interfere with migration of neurons during development? a. altering the chemical paths b. damaging dendrites c. loss of myelin d. increased differentiation A scientist would be most likely to use which of the […]

According to the evolutionary perspective of sleep, the primary function of sleep is to: a. conserve energy. b. promote brain development. c. restore body functions that were exhausted during wakefulness. d. enable the person to re-experience, in dreams, the events […]

Ischemia is to ____ as hemorrhage is to ____. a. older individuals; younger individuals b. proximal; distal c. obstruction; rupture d. barely noticeable; lethal Tryptophan enters the brain by an active-transport protein that it shares with ____ and other large […]

What is a common symptom of Huntington’s disease? a. Rapid fatigue of the muscles b. Loss of both sensation and motor control in certain limbs c. Twitches, tremors, and writhing that interfere with voluntary movement d. Impairment of saccadic eye […]

What hormone more than triples in concentration in the blood of human males during orgasm, and has been tentatively linked to sexual pleasure? a. insulin b. aldosterone c. melatonin d. oxytocin One explanation for narcolepsy in humans is: a. a […]

Which of the following accurately describes H.M.’s memory problems? a. impaired short-term memory, but not long-term memory b. impaired procedural memory, but not declarative memory c. impaired explicit memory, but not implicit memory d. impaired personal memories, but not impersonal […]

What was the first evidence reported by T. R. Elliott suggesting that synapses operate chemically? a. Adrenaline mimics the effects of the parasympathetic nervous system. b. Adrenaline decreases heart rate. c. Adrenaline produces a hormone which decreases heart rate. d. […]

When ECT proved to be ineffective for schizophrenia, it was: a. abandoned as a means of treatment for psychiatric disorders. b. used to enhance memory. c. used to stimulate the immune system. d. used to treat other mental illnesses. Closing […]

Which activity is increased by the sympathetic nervous system? a. Salivation b. Heart rate c. Digestive activity d. Body temperature In one study, women in the follicular phase, when the probability of becoming pregnant is greatest, preferred male faces that […]

People with right-hemisphere damage have particular trouble with tasks that require: a. understanding sentences with a complex grammatical structure. b. spatial processing. c. control of the right hand. d. memory of recent events. A stimulus that resets the circadian rhythm […]

Taste and other mouth sensations contribute to: a. hunger. b. satiety. c. thirst. d. overeating. The following are true about drugs that prevent testosterone from being aromatized to estradiol EXCEPT that? a. they block some of the organizing effects of […]

The somatic division of the nervous system carries signals from the _____ to the _____. a. senses; central nervous system b. organs; autonomic nervous system c. organs; sympathetic nervous system d. senses; peripheral nervous system One important factor to consider […]

Suppose you fell into a cave and lost your watch. Without any time cues, your circadian rhythm would: a. increase dramatically over time. b. cease to exist. c. decrease over time. d. remain relatively stable. The autonomic nervous system is […]

Researchers using a biochemical method to direct a mutation to a particular gene are using the ____ approach. a. sham lesion b. gene-splicing c. lesion d. gene-knockout In Selye’s general adaptation syndrome, the release of cortisol occurs during the ____ […]

A person with two recessive genes is considered to be ____ for that trait. a. homozygous b. heterozygous c. unitary d. marginal A researcher is interested in how the nervous system responds when the organism is in a certain emotional […]

What are the chances of having a child with at least one dominant gene if both parents are heterozygous? a. 25% b. 50% c. 75% d. 100% An electroencephalograph displays: a. action potentials of individual neurons. b. a net average […]

Which of the following classes of antidepressants is most likely to raise blood pressure when a person eats tyramine-rich foods such as cheese? a. SSRIs b. atypical antidepressants c. tricyclics d. MAOIs Obesity in Prader-Willi syndrome is linked to a […]

Exposure of a female rat to highly stressful experiences late in pregnancy has what effect on the development of her male offspring? a. They develop a female anatomy, although their behavior is the same as other males. b. They respond […]

Drugs that, in some cases, have reduced the frequency of sexual offenders work by: a. reducing testosterone levels. b. increasing estrogen levels. c. inducing high but equal levels of testosterone and estrogen. d. mimicking the effects of alpha-fetoprotein. Which type […]

The SCN is located just above the: a. optic chiasm. b. thalamus. c. hypothalamus. d. visual cortex. The ability of the brain to change its anatomy over time, within limits, is known as: a. plasticity. b. regression. c. connectivity. d. […]

Vibrations in the fluid of the cochlea causes? a. movement of the pinna. b. hair cells to displace. c. vibrations of the eardrum. d. vestibular input. Which theory of color vision is best able to explain negative color afterimages? a. […]

Which feature of a neuron limits the number of action potentials it can produce per second? a. the threshold b. the refractory period c. saltatory conduction d. the length of the axon One approach in minimizing stroke damage in laboratory […]

For natural selection to generate evolutionary change in a population: a. there need not be any differences in the traits of individuals in that population. b. the change in gene frequencies must help the species in the long run. c. […]

Much of biological psychology concerns: a. chemistry. b. brain functioning. c. neurology. d. anatomy. Reuptake is the absorption of: a. neurotransmitters by the postsynaptic neuron. b. neurotransmitters by the presynaptic neuron. c. nutrients and waste products by glial cells. d. […]

People with damage to the parietal cortex appear to lack ____ related to voluntary movements. a. feelings of intention b. the ability to make conscious decisions c. a sense of timing d. muscle strength Studies on ____ help clarify the […]

Psychologists typically define emotion in terms of the following three components: a. actions, cognitions, and emotions b. feelings, actions, and emotions c. cognitions, actions, and emotions d. cognitions, feelings, and actions What is the result of damage to the primary […]

Researchers have found that the amino acid glycine: a. competes with the effects of glutamate and, therefore, blocks those synapses. b. can be converted into dopamine or serotonin in different brain areas. c. increases the effectiveness of other antipsychotic drugs. […]

Sleep spindles originate from: a. PGO waves. b. sudden stimuli. c. SCN neurons. d. interactions between the thalamus and cortex. What can people with conductive deafness hear? a. high-pitched sounds but not low-pitched sounds b. their own voice better than […]

In the parasympathetic nervous system, the preganglionic fibers are _____, and the postganglionic fibers are _____. a. long, long b. long, short c. short, long d. short, short The two types of thirst are ____ and ____. a. osmotic thirst; […]

Reuptake is an alternative to which other process? a. recycling of neurotransmitters b. enzymatic breakdown of neurotransmitters c. absorption of neurotransmitter by the postsynaptic neuron d. re-release of neurotransmitters from postsynaptic neurons Which of the following is TRUE about laminae […]

Across species, it appears that the sense organs are most attuned to: a. biologically useful stimuli. b. low intensity stimuli. c. detecting odors of other species. d. detection of chemical stimuli. Night-active species are more likely than day-active species to […]

A similarity between a young child and a split-brain patient is that both: a. show frequent spontaneous changes in personality. b. have trouble describing what they see through the left eye. c. have a greater than normal number of back-and-forth […]

The term mesencephalon refers to the: a. brainstem. b. hindbrain. c. midbrain. d. forebrain. An animal with hypovolemic thirst will drink: a. a large volume of pure water. b. only enough to moisten its throat. c. mildly salty water rather […]

What is activated by the reticular formation? a. the spinal cord b. only those portions of the cerebral cortex involved in processing sensory information c. only subcortical structures in the brain stem and midbrain d. wide regions of the entire […]

Damage to the left hemisphere is more likely than right hemisphere damage to impair which ability? a. understanding the meaning of language b. understanding that someone is joking when they speak c. producing facial expressions of emotion d. understanding other […]

The scala tympani makes up part of the: a. tympanic membrane. b. middle ear. c. cochlea. d. ossicles. Each receptor responds to a wide range of stimuli and contributes to the perception of each of them. This type of coding […]

A neuron can have any number of ____, but no more than one ____. a. dendrites; axon b. axons; dendrite c. cell bodies; axon d. cell bodies; dendrite What type of deficiency causes Korsakoff’s syndrome? a. Thiamine b. Protein c. […]

The cortex works as a whole, and the more cortex the better, defines: a. operant conditioning. b. classical conditioning. c. equipotentiality. d. mass action. Which of the following has been associated with an increased probability of suicide attempts? a. high […]

To measure temporal summation in single cells, researchers: a. attach electrodes to the scalp. b. insert an microelectrode into the scalp. c. collect sodium and potassium ions from nearby glial cells. d. record depolarizations of the postsynaptic neuron. Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) […]

Glucose enters the brain via which type of transport? a. indirect transport b. direct transport c. passive transport d. active transport Specialized junctions between neurons are called: a. nodes of Ranvier. b. spines. c. dendrites. d. synapses. Answer: D Once […]

The temporal lobe of the cerebral cortex is the primary target for which kind of sensory information? a. somatosensory, including touch b. the simplest aspects of vision c. gustatory d. auditory When neuropeptide Y inhibits the paraventricular nucleus, it: a. […]

Which of the following is TRUE of Huntington’s disease? a. There is a loss of dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra. b. The symptoms can be effectively treated. c. The earlier the onset, the more rapid the deterioration. d. It […]

Which of the following shows a decreased need for sleep? a. birds during migration b. mammalian mothers during pregnancy c. cats during the mating season d. children when they are ill A person with damage to their cerebellum may experience […]

Damage due to stroke caused by ischemia can be minimized by administering a drug that: a. breaks up blood clots. b. overstimulates neurons in and around the damaged area. c. increases the release of glutamate. d. slows down the sodium-potassium […]

A person with damage to V1, but not V4, would be able to perceive: a. motion, but not shape or color. b. shapes, but not color. c. color, but not shapes. d. motion and color. Electrical gradients lead to what […]

Morphine and other opiate drugs decrease sensitivity to pain by: a. depleting substance P from parts of the nervous system. b. mimicking the effects of endorphins at the synapses. c. preventing sodium from crossing the membrane. d. altering blood flow […]

Measuring the number of dopamine receptors occupied by a radioactive drug in people with schizophrenia led to the finding that: a. the dopamine hypothesis is incorrect. b. dopamine D2 receptor levels were low. c. excessive dopamine release occupies a greater […]

One reason why we have difficulty tasting low concentrations of a bitter chemical is that: a. we have dozens of different types of bitter receptors. b. bitter receptors are located only on the back of the tongue. c. bitter receptors […]

As a general rule, where do axons convey information? a. toward dendrites of their own cell b. toward their own cell body c. away from their own cell body d. to surrounding glia People suffering from seasonal affective disorder are […]

Male aggressive behavior depends heavily on: a. acetylcholine. b. estrogen. c. testosterone. d. dopamine. What type of muscle controls movements of internal organs? a. smooth b. striated c. cardiac d. antagonistic Answer: A Approximately what percent of the mammalian body […]

Korsakoff’s syndrome: a. is marked by severe memory impairments. b. results from too much thiamine. c. results from lack of oxygen to the brain. d. is due to a breakdown of the blood-brain barrier. At the microscopic level, we find […]

Which of the following decreases anxiety? a. benzodiazepines b. barbiturates c. alcohol d. endozepines Which of the following is true regarding theories of pitch perception? a. The frequency, pitch, and volley theories each work best for different frequencies. b. The […]

____ contributes to female development, including some aspects of brain differentiation. a. Testosterone b. Estradiol c. Androgen d. Estrogen What type of cell responds to a pattern of light in a particular orientation anywhere within its large receptive field, regardless […]

LeVay’s studies indicate a correlation between a man’s sexual orientation (homosexuality vs. heterosexuality) and the: a. amount of testosterone in the blood. b. amount of estradiol in the blood. c. size of one nucleus of the hypothalamus. d. size of […]

The concentration gradient for potassium tends to: a. draw potassium into the cell. b. push chloride out of the cell. c. push sodium out of the cell. d. push potassium out of the cell. Which of the following activities does […]

Researchers proposed that all information initially entered a short-term storage, where it stayed until the brain had time to ____ it into long-term memory. a. transpose b. rehearse c. consolidate d. transfer Exposure to an extremely salty substance decreases sensitivity […]

In order to elicit movement, the motor cortex: a. has direct connections to the muscles. b. sends axons to the brainstem and spinal cord. c. controls isolated movement in a single muscle. d. relies on feedback from individual muscle fibers. […]

Avoiding foods with lecithin, such as eggs and peanuts, would affect which neurotransmitter level the most? a. acetylcholine b. serotonin c. GABA d. endorphin What does an electroencephalograph measure? a. action potentials in an individual neuron b. the electrical resistance […]

Mammals have circadian rhythms: a. only for their sleep/activity cycle. b. only for frequency of eating and drinking. c. for sleep and body temperature only. d. for a variety of activities, including sleep. One major problem with studies that use […]

One way that over-the-counter cold remedies work is by: a. increasing parasympathetic activity. b. decreasing sympathetic activity. c. increasing sympathetic activity. d. blocking all autonomic activity. In general, what can we say about recovery for brain-damaged patients in the future? […]

Which of the following conditions most resembles the effects of amygdala damage? a. injecting CCK in the brain b. taking tranquilizers c. taking endozepines d. blocking GABA receptors The symptoms of cerebellar damage resemble those of: a. a heart attack. […]

Which of the following is TRUE about the cortical areas that are sometimes known as “association areas”? a. They do have the main control of thinking and reasoning. b. They would be better described as additional sensory areas. c. They […]

Orlistat (Xenical) can reduce body weight by: a. increasing CCK release. b. increasing stomach distention. c. blocking serotonin reuptake. d. preventing absorption of fats. If we compare the receptive fields of two simple cells in the primary visual cortex, chosen […]

One principle of the autonomic nervous system is the concept of ____. a. synergy b. dual innervation c. a relay center d. a limbic system Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of an axon? a. It can be […]

The “decision” for a neuron to fire is determined by the: a. number of EPSPs only. b. spontaneous firing rate. c. number of IPSPs only. d. ratio of EPSPs to IPSPs. Studies of nonhuman language abilities seem to indicate that […]

One way to relieve the pain associated with a phantom limb is to: a. remove more of the amputated limb. b. have the amputee learn to use an artificial limb. c. stimulate that part of the cortex. d. help them […]

Kin selection as an explanation for altruistic behavior would argue that: a. individuals help others who help them. b. individuals pick their mates based on how altruistic they are. c. individuals spread their genes by helping their relatives. d. society […]

Schizophrenia is a complex disorder in which both ____ and ____ play important roles. a. dopamine; GABA b. serotonin; GABA c. glutamate; serotonin d. dopamine; glutamate If a kitten is reared in an environment consisting entirely of horizontal lines, the […]

The concentration of 5-HIAA in the blood, cerebrospinal fluid, or urine provides an estimate of: a. serotonin stores. b. serotonin turnover. c. dopamine stores. d. dopamine turnover. To what lobe of the cerebral cortex is auditory information sent? a. occipital […]

Lithium prevents a relapse into: a. mania only. b. depression only. c. either mania or depression. d. schizophrenia. Which of the following would be able to tolerate the highest level of PTC? a. people with many fungiform papillae near the […]

Which of the following BEST describes the concept of evolution? a. “Survival of the fittest” b. “Reproduction of the fittest” c. “If you don’t use it, you lose it.” d. “Always look for ways to improve.” Why are local neurons […]

Girls who were exposed to higher-than-average levels of testosterone during prenatal development tend to show the following difference as compared to other girls: a. greater interest in playing with boys’ toys. b. lower performance on tests of spatial relationships. c. […]

In adult humans, the taste buds are: a. evenly distributed across the front half of the tongue. b. evenly distributed across the whole tongue. c. concentrated near the center of the tongue. d. concentrated along the outside edge of the […]

Benzodiazepines relieve anxiety by ____ transmission at ____ synapses. a. facilitating; dopamine b. inhibiting; serotonin c. facilitating; GABA d. inhibiting; norepinephrine Why does the fovea provide the clearest, most detailed visual information? a. It is closest to the pupil. b. […]

Recent research findings suggest that compared to normal people, people with schizophrenia have: a. a greater amount of glutamate release. b. more glutamate receptors. c. fewer dopamine receptors. d. fewer glutamate receptors. Several studies have found that ____ is particularly […]

Each of the following requires a Ph.D. except for a ____. a. clinical psychologist b. counseling psychologist c. school psychologist d. social worker Biological psychology is a field of study and a ____. a. fundamental property b. string theory c. […]

Almost all humans have 23 pairs of which of the following? a. RNA b. Chromosomes c. Genes d. Corduroys When the PER and TIM levels are low, they result in: a. narcolepsy. b. insomnia. c. sleepiness. d. wakefulness. Answer: D […]