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 have axons with very slow conduction velocities.
d. each bitter receptor responds to a wide variety of chemicals.
The ascending portion of the reticular formation:
a. controls the motor areas of the spinal cord.
b. is responsible for the eye muscles.
c. controls the motor areas of the brain.
d. increases arousal and attention.
The corpus callosum matures gradually over the first ____ years of human life.
a. 2
b. 20
c. 10
d. 4
Benzodiazepines produce a variety of effects, including the possibility of:
a. fear
b. anxiety
c. anger
d. addiction
An autosomal gene is a gene:
a. on the X chromosome.
b. on the Y chromosome.
c. on any chromosome other than the X or Y chromosome.
d. that shows no evidence of crossing over.
In comparison to other girls, girls who are exposed to higher than normal androgen
levels during prenatal development tend to:
a. spend more time with boys’ toys.
b. develop sex urges at an earlier age.
c. be more verbal.
d. develop lower than normal intelligence.
The areas around the third ventricle can detect chemicals circulating in the blood
because:
a. these areas are not protected by a blood-brain barrier.
b. these areas have low concentrations of solutes themselves.
c. there is so much more blood here than anywhere else in the brain.
d. these cells maintain a higher internal temperature than the rest of the body.
The ability to detect movement better than color in our peripheral vision is largely due
to:
a. magnocellular neurons in the periphery.
b. parvocellular neurons tightly packed in the periphery.
c. no cones in the periphery.
d. the strength of the eye muscles.
Consciousness occurs:
a. in all kinds of nervous systems some of the time.
b. In certain parts of certain kinds of nervous system all of the time.
c. in certain parts of certain kinds of nervous systems some of the time.
d. in all kinds of nervous systems all of the time.
Severe blood loss will result in a preference for:
a. pure water.
b. slightly salty water.
c. highly concentrated salt solutions.
d. carbohydrates.
A person with anomia would have the most difficulty with:
a. reaching out to touch objects.
b. understanding written, as opposed to spoken, language.
c. remembering the names of objects.
d. speaking rapidly and fluently.
For survival, developing neurons need:
a. neurotrophins only.
b. neurotrophins and synaptic input.
c. synaptic input only.
d. apoptosis.
What is one of the main symptoms of Parkinson’s disease?
a. Rapid fatigue of the muscles
b. Loss of saccadic eye movements
c. Difficulty initiating movements
d. Inability to coordinate speech with movements
After damage in and around the ventromedial hypothalamus, animals are more likely to:
a. overeat and gain weight.
b. refuse food and lose weight.
c. produce low levels of the hormone CCK.
d. be slow in their digestion.
Hormones exert their effects:
a. similarly to metabotropic neurotransmitters.
b. similarly to ionotropic neurotransmitters.
c. by attaching to special receptors on muscle fibers.
d. by being metabolized by presynaptic cells and thus converted into neurotransmitters.
What is strabismus?
a. a failure of the two eyes to focus on the same thing at the same time
b. a blurring of vision caused by asymmetrical curvature of the eye
c. stereoscopic depth perception
d. the ability to perceive a flashing light as if it were a moving object
Spatial neglect is generally associated with damage to the:
a. postcentral gyrus.
b. precentral gyrus.
c. fusiform gyrus.
d. parietal cortex.
The optic nerve is composed of axons from which of the following cells?
a. Horizontal
b. Amacrine
c. Bipolar
d. Ganglion
Which of the following structures is NOT a brain structure of arousal and attention?
a. suprachiasmatic nucleus
b. reticular formation
c. locus coeruleus
d. raphe nuclei
Congenital adrenal hyperplasia would most likely have the greatest effect on the sexual
appearance of:
a. young males.
b. adult males.
c. adult females.
d. newborn females.
Anandamide and 2-AG are believed to be the naturally occurring neurotransmitters that
bind to the same receptors as which drug?
a. heroin
b. cocaine
c. alcohol
d. marijuana
People with Broca’s aphasia cannot read aloud “To be or not to be” because they:
a. cannot control the muscles of their throat.
b. have difficulty with words that have no clear meaning out of context.
c. cannot pronounce those sounds.
d. cannot read.
The nucleus basalis is a key part of the brain’s system for:
a. emotional response.
b. attention.
c. visual perception.
d. auditory perception.
The famous parrot Alex was a?
a. Scarlet Macaw.
b. African Gray parrot.
c. Yellow-headed parrot.
d. Sun Conure parrot.
In addition to influencing other neurons, ____ dilates the nearby blood vessels, thereby
increasing blood flow to that area of the brain.
a. endorphins
b. glycine
c. nitric oxide
d. acetylcholine
Brain damage common to schizophrenia includes:
a. larger than normal cerebral ventricles.
b. a proliferation of glial cells.
c. loss of axons between the substantia nigra and the basal ganglia.
d. a heavier forebrain.
Studies on conscious decisions regarding voluntary movements suggest that:
a. we are conscious of our decision before brain activity is generated for movement.
b. voluntary movements are the result of free will.
c. brain activity for the movement begins before we are conscious of our decision.
d. we are unable to judge when we make conscious decisions.
Cells in the prefrontal cortex, premotor cortex, and ____ prepare for a movement,
sending messages to the primary motor cortex.
a. posterior parietal cortex
b. secondary motor cortex
c. somatosensory cortex
d. supplementary motor cortex
The sodium-potassium pump repeatedly transports ____ sodium ions out of the cell
while drawing ____ potassium ions into it.
a. three; two
b. two; three
c. one; three
d. one; two
Competition of neurons for postsynaptic sites results in survival of only the most
successful axons. This general principle is called:
a. natural selection.
b. evolution.
c. apoptosis.
d. neural Darwinism.
Describe the trichromatic, opponent-process, and retinex theories of color vision.
The cornea is an adjustable structure in the eye that focuses light.
Doubling the amplitude of sound doubles the perceived loudness.
What are the three main structures of the basal ganglia?
An object’s location, color, and movement are all processed in the same part of the
visual cortex.
Describe how experience can alter brain development (give a specific example).
Answer:
Answers will vary.
Additional stimulation beyond the threshold of excitation will result in a greater
depolarization of the membrane during an action potential.
Lithium, valproate, and carbamazapine are common treatments for which condition?
A bipolar disorder
B schizophrenia
C seasonal affective disorder
D Parkinson’s disease
A fish swimming in cold water can swim rapidly, but fatigues much faster.
Glial cells serve many functions.
Marijuana is used medically to enhance memory.
Describe the delayed matching-to-sample task.
Describe the work of Hubel & Wiesel as it relates to simple and complex cells.
Answer:
Answers will vary.
Temporary sleep deprivation causes the body to respond in a similar manner as it does
to being ill.
Briefly describe some of the gender differences found in human brains.
Answer:
Answers will vary.
Schizophrenia is a one-gene disorder and a one-neurotransmitter disorder.
Psychologists typically define emotion in terms of three components.
Most cells in the auditory cortex respond best to pure tones.
Itching appears to be one type of pain message.