Brain, behaviour & the nervous system

Question 1

The discipline of biopsychology focuses on the relationship between cognition, behaviour and which body system?

Answer 1

The nervous system

Question 2

The ability of the nervous system to change and remodel itself is called…

Answer 2

Neuroplasticity

Question 3

Tyron (1934) selectively bred rats to be “maze-bright” (good) or “maze-dull” (poor) at navigating a maze. After 4 generations of rats, errors were found to decrease for maze-bright rats and increase for maze-dull rats. These results provide evidence for which side of the nature vs nurture dichotomy?

Answer 3

Nature

(The ‘nature’ argument suggests that biology and genetics influence behaviour. If descendants of maze-bright rats excel at navigating the maze, then there MUST be some genetic influence over the rats’ performances.)

Question 4

Watson & Rayner’s (1920) “Little Albert” study showed that after successive pairings, the infant learned to associate seemingly innocent stimuli (e.g. a white rat) with scary stimuli (e.g. a loud noise), meaning when the white rat was presented, the infant would immediately start crying. This provides evidence for which side of the nature vs nurture dichotomy?

Answer 4

Nurture

(The ‘nurture’ argument suggests behaviour is based on the environment/what is learned. Children will not associate ambiguous items with negative experiences unless they have been taught to do so. Therefore, there must be some element of learning and observation to aspects of behaviour.)

Question 5

According to Tyron (1934), maze-dull rats will not improve in the maze navigation task even with environmental enrichment. True or false?

Answer 5

False

(Maze performance DOES improve in maze-dull rats who are raised in enriching environments, therefore demonstrating an interaction between nature and nurture.)

Question 6

The influence of environmental factors on genetics, thereby resulting in changes to gene expression over time, is called…

Answer 6

Epigenetics

Question 7

Name the 2 main mechanisms of epigenetics:

Answer 7

1 - Histone remodelling
2 - DNA methylation

Question 8

Epigenetics requires changes to the underlying DNA sequence. True or false?

Answer 8

False

(In histone remodelling, the epigenetic factor that binds to the histone UNCOILS the DNA, but cannot CHANGE it. The purpose of remodelling is to make DNA accessible, not changeable.)

Question 9

The process of changing gene expression by binding epigenetic factors to histones is called…

Answer 9

Histone remodelling

Question 10

The process of activating or repressing genes by adding methyl groups to DNA is called…

Answer 10

DNA methylation

Question 11

Humans are the only animals capable of carrying out complex cognitive tasks. True or false?

Answer 11

False

Question 12

Humans evolved through which lineage?

Answer 12

The hominin line

Question 13

An increase in complex human behaviour can be attributed to a change in diet, brain mass and volume. The biggest change to the human brain occurred in:

a) the thalamus & hypothalamus only
b) the cortex
c) the limbic system
d) neuroplasticity

Answer 13

b) the cortex

Question 14

MacLean’s “Triune brain” model suggests that the brain developed from the “reptilian” brain to the neomammalian brain. Which level of this model did MacLean believe developed in between these?

Answer 14

Paleomammalian

Question 15

The central nervous system (CNS) is made up of:

Answer 15

The brain & spinal cord

Question 16

The peripheral nervous system (PNS) is made up of:

Answer 16

Cranial nerves, spinal nerves & ganglia

Question 17

The somatic and autonomic nervous systems (SNS & ANS) belong to the peripheral or central nervous system?

Answer 17

Peripheral

Question 18

Which division of the PNS (either the autonomic or somatic nervous system) is comprised of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems?

Answer 18

The autonomic nervous system (ANS)

Question 19

If nerves are “afferent,” then information is (arriving at/exiting) the CNS:

Answer 19

Arriving

Question 20

If nerves are “efferent,” then information is (arriving at/exiting) the CNS:

Answer 20

Exiting

Question 21

Name the 2 types of cells which make up the nervous system:

Answer 21

Neurons
Glia

Question 22

Which type of glial cell is essential for most of the neural activity in our brains (information processing, plasticity, etc)?

Answer 22

Astrocytes

(“Astro” = Latin for star)

Question 23

Which type of glial cell is responsible for the myelination of axons in the CNS?

Answer 23

Oligodendrocytes

Question 24

Which type of glial cell is responsible for the myelination of axons in the PNS?

Answer 24

Schwann cells

Question 25

Which glial cells primarily respond to injury, disease and inflammation?

Answer 25

Microglia

Question 26

Which cells may later develop into astrocytes?

Answer 26

NG2 cells

Question 27

The nucleus/ganglions are made up of clusters of…

Answer 27

Cell bodies

Question 28

Axon tracts are made up of bundles of…

Answer 28

Axon fibres

Question 29

Which part of the CNS promotes communication between the brain and the rest of the body?

Answer 29

The spinal cord

Question 30

The midbrain, pons & medulla make up which part of the brain?

Answer 30

The brainstem

Question 31

The midbrain is found south of which subcortical structure?

Answer 31

The thalamus

Question 32

The thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system and basal ganglia are cortical or subcortical structures?

Answer 32

Subcortical

Question 33

Sensory perception, complex cognition and memory formation are responsibilities of which part of the brain?

Answer 33

The cortex