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1Biopsychology > First Half Tests > Flashcards

First Half Tests Flashcards

1
Q

The major distortion in the retinotopic layout of the primary visual cortex is the disproportionately

  • low cortical representation of the fovea
  • high cortical representation of movement
  • low cortical representation of color
  • high cortical representation of the fovea
A

High cortical representation of the fovea

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2
Q

In humans, all of the visual receptors are in the

  • first layer of the retina to be reached by light entering the eye.
  • last layer of the retina to be reached by light entering the eye.
  • Optic disk.
  • cornea.
A

Last layer of the retina to be reached by light entering the eye.

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3
Q

Damage to the ventral visual processing stream will likely result in

  • object agnosia.
  • an impairment of verbally describing the location of objects.
  • simultagnosia.
  • an impairment in reaching out and grasping objects.
A

Object agnosia.

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4
Q

A peg-like, cytochrome-oxide-rich column of dual-opponent color cells in V1 is called

  • an “on-off” color peg.
  • a color field.
  • a blob.
A

A blob.

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5
Q

Why is the first step in visual processing to decompose the visual scene into lines and edges?

  • light travels in lines.
  • lines resolve binocular disparity.
  • lines and edges define the boundaries of objects.
A

Lines and edges define the boundaries of objects.

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6
Q

A point of light located in the upper left of the visual field is projected to what part of the retina?

  • lower left.
  • lower right.
  • upper left.
A

Lower right.

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7
Q

What information do we get from rods?

  • motion.
  • fine detail.
  • color.
A

Motion.

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8
Q

Why would prosopagnosia impair social interactions in particular?

  • because it is an inability to identify object locations.
  • because it is an inability to identify objects.
  • because it is an inability to identify faces.
  • because it is an inability to focus on more than one object at a time.
A

Because it is an inability to identify faces.

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9
Q

When Jack gazes at a near object, the lens of his eye is

  • thickened.
  • stretched and thinned.
  • concave.
A

Thickened.

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10
Q

There are several cortical areas for vision, and each

  • shows differential responses to different forms.
  • is retinotopically organized.
  • responds differently to hue.
A

Is retinotopically organized.

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11
Q

Environmental enrichment increases animals’

  • density of Nodes of Ranvier along the axon
  • branching of dendrites
  • speed of action potentials
  • thickness of axons
A

Branching of dendrites.

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12
Q

What is the definition of a critical learning period?

A

A developmental period when an animal rapidly learns information that would be difficult if not impossible to learn any other time.

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13
Q

Myelination in the human brain…

  • is complete around the second birthday.
  • continues into adulthood.
  • is complete upon birth.
  • is complete sometime during adolescence.
A

Continues into adulthood.

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14
Q

Frogs, unlike mammals, have retinal ganglia cells that are capable of

  • color vision.
  • regeneration.
  • degeneration.
A

Regeneration.

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15
Q

If you completely deprive the left eye of visual input, the effects on subsequent vision in that eye will be worse if the

  • deprivation occurs late in life.
  • deprivation occurs in short bursts.
  • right eye is not deprived at the same time.
  • right eye is deprived at the same time.
A

Right eye is not deprived at the same time.

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16
Q

Which of the following are examples of behaviors that depend on a critical learning period?

  • maze running in rats.
  • socially acquired food preferences in rats.
  • human language acquisition.
A

Human language acquisition.

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17
Q

Early in development, the nervous system begins as a

  • single layer of cells covering the heart and other internal organs.
  • diffuse system of cells scattered throughout the body.
  • spherical structure in the center of the embryo.
  • tube surrounding a fluid-filled cavity.
A

Tube surrounding a fluid-filled cavity.

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18
Q

In Sperry’s classic studies of eye rotation and regeneration of the optic nerves, he assessed the visual capacities of his subjects by assessing their ability to

  • strike accurately at fly-like stimuli.
  • detect the presence of dim light.
  • identify colors.
  • perform a visual discrimination task.
A

Strike accurately at fly-like stimuli.

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19
Q

The main principle that governs the effects of experience on neural development is simple:

  • live, love, laugh.
  • use it or lose it.
  • live and let live.
  • the best of friends must part.
A

Use it or lose it.

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20
Q

What behavioral differences exist between rats raised in an enriched environment and rats raised in an impoverished environment?

  • a more pleasant personality.
  • improved learning performance.
  • better parenting skills.
  • none.
A

Improved learning performance.

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21
Q

Which of the following structures is not involved in the sensorimotor system?

  • cerebellum
  • amygdala
  • primary motor cortex
  • basal ganglia
A

Amygdala

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22
Q

The motor system is organized

  • serially
  • circularly
  • into the dorsal and ventral streams
  • hierarchically
A

Hierarchically

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23
Q

What motor function does the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) carry out?

  • abstract motor planning
  • integration with visual input
  • primary point of departure for signals from the cortex to the peripheral system
A

Abstract motor planning

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24
Q

What good is the stretch (or “knee jerk”) reflex?

A

It helps us to maintain posture and balance.

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25
Q

Many neurons in the primary motor cortex fire just before movement. According to the conventional view of the motor cortex, whether or not a particular neuron fires is largely determined by the

  • amplitude of the movement
  • speed of the movement
  • direction of the movement
  • acceleration of the movement
A

Direction of the movement

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26
Q

The consequences of cerebellum damage include

A

Inability to precisely control the direction, force, velocity, and amplitude of movements.

Severe disturbances of balance, gait, speech, and eye movement.

Difficulty in maintaining steady postures.

Inability to adapt patterns of motor output to changing conditions.

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27
Q

The withdrawal reflex depends on

  • both excitation and inhibition of motor cortex.
  • both excitation and inhibition in the spinal cord.
  • the basal ganglia.
  • the primary motor cortex.
A

Both excitation and inhibition in the spinal cord.

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28
Q

The current view of the motor cortex function holds that

  • movements are coded according to their directions.
  • movements are coded in terms of their end points.
  • motor cortex is not essential for voluntary motor control.
A

Movements are coded in terms of their end points.

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29
Q

The primary motor cortex is located in the

  • precentral gyrus
  • superior temporal gyrus
  • postcentral gyrus
  • inferior temporal gyrus
A

Precentral gyrus

30
Q

Which of the following is not a characteristic of the posterior parietal cortex related to motor control?

  • integrate information about body part location
  • directing attention
  • integrate information about the location of external objects
  • coordinates motor plan with body position
A

Coordinates motor plan with body position.

31
Q

Functional MRI (fMRI) tracks increases in _____ in order to generate images of brain activity.

  • blood flow.
  • alpha waves.
  • 2-DG.
A

blood flow.

32
Q

The Morris water maze is commonly used to study

  • spatial memory in rodents.
  • fish behavior.
  • maze running in rodents.
A

spatial memory in rodents.

33
Q

Functional MRI (fMRI) activation for a given cognitive task is measured

  • in terms of the absolute activation in a brain region.
  • by monitoring the amount of radioactive decay from an isotope that has been injected into the bloodstream.
  • relative to the activity in another cognitive condition.
A

relative to the activity in another cognitive condition.

34
Q

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a valuable research tool because it

  • provides an image of brain structure.
  • involves 2-DG.
  • pictures the brain in very fine detail.
  • provides an image of brain function.
A

provides an image of brain function.

35
Q

Which of the following provides the most detailed three-dimensional view of the structure of the living human brain?

  • EEG
  • PET
  • CT
  • MRI
A

MRI

36
Q

Cryogenic blockade is often referred to as a functional or reversible lesion because

  • the subjects survive.
  • it eliminates the contribution of a particular area of the brain to the ongoing behavior of the subject without damaging the brain.
  • it produces lesions that can be reversed with drugs.
A

it eliminates the contribution of a particular area of the brain to the ongoing behavior of the subject without damaging the brain.

37
Q

Jack is interested in the responses of individual neurons in the occipital lobe to various visual stimuli. He is especially interested in measuring how they respond in the first few milliseconds after stimulus presentation. The method that would best address his research questions is

  • fMRI
  • EEG
  • PET
  • electrophysiological recordings
A

electrophysiological recordings.

38
Q

In human patients, EEG activity is commonly recorded from

  • the scalp.
  • the heart.
  • the neocortex.
  • muscle.
A

the scalp.

39
Q

Because functional MRI (fMRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) both measure _________ they suffer from

  • blood flow; poor temporal resolution.
  • neuron spiking activity; being overly invasive.
  • animal behavior; poor generalizability to humans.
A

blood flow; poor temporal resolution.

40
Q

The method by which experimental devices are accurately positioned in subcortical structure is

  • electrophysiology.
  • aspiration.
  • sterotaxic surgery.
A

Stereotaxic surgery.

41
Q

Which of the following ions are more concentrated inside a neuron when it is at rest?

  • Potassium and chloride.
  • Potassium and calcium.
  • Potassium and negatively-charged proteins.
  • Potassium and sodium.
A

Potassium and negatively-charged proteins.

42
Q

The resting membrane potential refers to

  • the potential energy a neuron has when resting on the top of a slope.
  • the difference in concentration of certain ions when the neuron is at rest.
  • the difference in electrical charge between the inside and the outside of the neuron when it is at rest.
  • the permeability of the membrane to certain ions when the neuron is at rest.
A

the difference in electrical charge between the inside and the outside of the neuron when it is at rest.

43
Q

What is the proper sequence of events in an action potential once the threshold of excitation has been reached?

  • Sodium channels open; potassium channels open; potassium channels close; sodium channels close.
  • Sodium channels open; potassium channels open; sodium channels close; potassium channels close.
  • Potassium channels open; potassium channels close; sodium channels open; sodium channels close.
  • Potassium channels open; sodium channels open; potassium channels close; sodium channels close.
A

Sodium channels open; potassium channels open; sodium channels close; potassium channels close.

44
Q

What is one difference between EPSPs and action potentials?

-Action potentials are faster than EPSPs.
-Action potentials are transmitted via passive conduction.
-EPSPs are graded while action potentials are all-or-none responses.
EPSPs are hyperpolarizations while action potentials are depolarizations.

A

EPSPs are graded while action potentials are all-or-none responses.

45
Q

Hodgkin and Huxley determined that there is pressure for Na+ ions to move into a resting neuron and pressure for K+ ions to move out of a resting neuron, but equilibrium between the internal and external pressure on Cl– ions. This is because

  • large negatively-charged proteins prevent Na+ ions from entering the neuron.
  • the neural membrane is more permeable to Cl– ions than it is to either Na+ or K+ ions.
  • Cl– ions are driven out of the cell by large negatively-charged proteins.
  • the sodium-potassium pump works to maintain the imbalance between those ions.
A

the neural membrane is more permeable to Cl– ions than it is to either Na+ or K+ ions.

46
Q

Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (or SSRIs) are commonly used to treat depression. Their mechanism of action is to block the reuptake of serotonin by the presynaptic neuron, thus resulting in more neurotransmitter in the synaptic cleft. SSRIs are a

  • serotonin agonist.
  • serotonin antagonist.
A

serotonin agonist.

47
Q

The transmission of action potentials in myelinated axons is called

  • saltatory conduction.
  • active conduction.
  • membrane conduction.
  • passive conduction.
A

saltatory conduction.

48
Q

Which of the following is not a monoamine neurotransmitter?

  • Norepinephrine.
  • Dopamine.
  • Acetylcholine.
  • Serotonin.
A

Acetylcholine.

49
Q

A drug that increases the synthesis of neurotransmitter molecules would be a(n) _________ for that neurotransmitter.

  • precursor.
  • antagonist.
  • ligand.
  • agonist.
A

agonist.

50
Q

When a neuron’s membrane potential becomes more negative than -70mV, it is said to be

  • depolarized.
  • hyperpolarized.
  • impermeable to ions.
  • an excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP).
A

hyperpolarized.

51
Q

The membrane that adheres to the surface of the brain is the

  • pia mater.
  • meninx.
  • arachnoid membrane.
  • tough mother.
A

pia mater.

52
Q

The two major divisions of the nervous system are the

  • ancillary nervous system and central nervous system.
  • brain and spinal cord.
  • ancillary nervous system and peripheral nervous system.
  • peripheral nervous system and central nervous system.
A

peripheral nervous system and central nervous system.

53
Q

The major fissure that divides the two cerebral hemispheres is called

  • the lateral fissure.
  • the longitudinal fissure.
  • the Sylvan fissure.
  • the central fissure.
A

The longitudinal fissure.

54
Q

The dura mater, arachnoid membrane, and pia mater are

  • meninges.
  • parts of the autonomic nervous system.
  • glia.
  • neurons.
A

meninges.

55
Q

The subarachnoid space is filled with cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and sits just outside the

  • arachnoid membrane.
  • arachnoid mater.
  • pia mater.
  • neocortex.
A

pia mater.

56
Q

The cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) circulates through the

  • striatum.
  • dura mater.
  • lateral ventricals.
  • cerebellum.
A

lateral ventricals.

57
Q

Basic life functions such as heart rate and respiration depend on which brain structure?

  • the frontal lobe.
  • the thalamus.
  • the medulla.
  • the basal ganglia.
A

the medulla.

58
Q

The human brain is composed of various cells, including 100 billion cells specialized to receive and transmit electrochemical signals.

  • neurons.
  • axons.
  • glial cells.
  • oligodendroglia.
A

neurons.

59
Q

What brain structure can be thought of as a relay center for sensory information?

  • the frontal lobe.
  • the medulla.
  • the thalamus.
  • the basal ganglia.
A

the thalamus.

60
Q

The blood brain barrier impedes the passage into brain neurons of

  • proteins and other large molecules.
  • all molecules, both large and small.
  • nutrients and oxygen, which must be actively transported across the barrier into the brain.
A

proteins and other large molecules.

61
Q

People often make the claim that you only use 10% of your brain. This is a myth. What evidence is there against this myth?

  • the brain is a dynamic organ.
  • changes in the brain can cause changes in behavior.
  • neurons that are not used are broken down and recycled.
A

neurons that are not used are broken down and recycled.

62
Q

Having a bigger brain makes you smarter.

  • True.
  • False.
A

False

63
Q

What are converging operations?

  • Approaching the same problem using multiple different research methods.
  • The study of the evolution, genetics, and adaptiveness of behavior, largely through the use of the comparative method.
  • Obtaining the same results from multiple different experiments within an area of biopsychology.
A

Approaching the same problem using multiple different research methods.

64
Q

Twin studies examine behavioral characteristics of twin pairs who are either raised together or raised apart. These studies indicate that the correlation between IQs of identical twins raised together and identical twins raised apart is quite high (between 0.75 and 0.80). What does this tell us about whether IQ is a result of genetics or experience?

  • IQ, like many other cognitive capacities, is influenced by both genetics and environment.
  • These results indicate that IQ is 80% genetic.
  • These results indicate that IQ is entirely genetic.
  • According to these results, IQ is entirely due to environmental factors.
A

IQ, like many other cognitive capacities, is influenced by both genetics and environment.

65
Q

What is the purpose of biological psychology?

  • to address the question of whether animals have thoughts and feelings.
  • to explain the relationship between the brain and behavior.
  • to solve the 10% myth.
A

to explain the relationship between the brain and behavior.

66
Q

Why use animal models of cognition?

  • the differences between species prevent comparisons.
  • the complexity of their brains rivals that of humans.
  • there are fewer ethical restrictions with organisms such as sea slugs than there are with humans.
A

there are fewer ethical restrictions with organisms such as sea slugs than there are with humans.

67
Q

Neuroscientists often use laboratory experiments to address questions about behavior neurobiology. Which of the following is an example of an experiment?

  • Rose observes people as they interact in a public setting. She pays special attention to whether older people tend to forget more than younger people.
  • Donna administers cognitive tests to one group of people who have been given a new drug and to another group who have been given a placebo pill.
  • Martha describes a person who sustained a brain injury and can no longer identify objects based on their visual appearance, but can name them if allowed to hold them.
A

Donna administers cognitive tests to one group of people who have been given a new drug and to another group who have been given a placebo pill.

68
Q

Why is it almost always wrong to say that a certain behavior is the result of either nature (genetics) or nurture (the environment)?

  • most behaviors are the result of genetic predispositions.
  • behavior is the result of the complex interaction of both genetics and the environment.
  • behavior can be taught or trained as a result of environmental factors.
A

behavior is the result of the complex interaction of both genetics and the environment.

69
Q

What is the major method used by cognitive neuroscientists?

  • animal models of cognition.
  • cognition altering drugs.
  • patients who have cognitive impairments as a result of brain damage.
  • functional neuroimaging.
A

functional neuroimaging.

70
Q

Why do biopsychologists use converging methods?

  • Converging methods are used because no one method used by biopsychologists can offer definitive answers about the brain.
  • Converging methods allow us to use the strengths of some research methods to overcome the weaknesses of other research methods.
  • Converging methods are actually not often used by biopsychologists.
A

Converging methods allow us to use the strengths of some research methods to overcome the weaknesses of other research methods.

71
Q

In regards to visual processing, the ventral stream goes from the primary visual cortex to the _______ , and is called the ______ stream.

A

Inferior temporal cortex,

What (Vision for conscious perception)

72
Q

In regards to visual processing, the dorsal stream goes from the primary visual cortex to the _______ , and is called the ______ stream.

A

Posterior parietal cortex,

Where (vision for action)

1Biopsychology (45 decks)

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