Mock Exam Flashcards
Which statement about dopaminergic signalling is false?
a) in the untrained animal, the conditioned stimulus is unlikely to elicit a pronounced dopaminergic effect
b) in a well-established condition reward, dopamine signalling is strongest during presentation of an expected reward
c) blunting of the dopaminergic response to a drug of abuse may contribute to the consumption of increasing doses
d) dopaminergic signalling may vary as a function of reward intensity (eg quantity or sweetness of fruit juice)
Correct: b
Which statement about neuropod cells is true?
a) neuropod cells release glutamate
b) neuropod cells contribute to the subjective experience of taste
c) neuropod cells depolarise upon potassium (K+) influx
d) neuropod cells are a recently discovered new line of neurons
Correct: a
Which statement about memory processes is true?
a) memory consolidation is a prolonged process that may involve inaccurate and changing recollections
b) LTP is, in principle, synonymous with memory formation, while LTD is, in principle, synonymous with forgetting
c) functional computed tomography has allowed researchers to visualise memory formation in baboons
d) the consolidation of implicit/procedural memory is particularly impaired in hippocampal damage
Correct: a
Which statement about cognition in octopuses is true, according to research?
a) the brachial ganglia have a high degree of independence from the central ganglion (‚brain‘), which arguably exerts limited cognitive control, compared to eg. mammals
b) octopuses have demonstrated a high degree of social cognition, eg ToM performance, compatible with their lives as cooperative hunters
c) octopuses have shown very limited capacity of learning and adapting in a lab setting
d) it has been proven by Grasso et al. that octopuses are incapable of developing self-awareness because of the distributed nature of their nervous system
Correct: a
Which of the following drugs are least likely to induce psychotic episodes?
a) cannabinoids
b) benzodiazepines
c) hallucinogens
d) amphetamines
Correct: b
Which brain structure is at the center of large-scale integration, arguably by mediating cross-cortical synchronisation?
a) Thalamus
b) Broca‘s area
c) subthalamic nucleus
d) Ncl. accumbens
Correct: a
Which of the following brain structures is not commonly considered part of the limbic system?
a) dorsal caudate ncl
b) mediodorsal thalamic nucleus
c) Ncl. accumbens
d) Amygdala
Correct: a
What is proposed to be a possible cognitive disadvantage in bilingualism?
a) reduced cognitive flexibility
b) accelerated aging decline
c) switching costs
d) reduced emotional memory recall
Correct: c
Which assessment is not part of clinical polysomnography?
a) electromyography (EMG)
b) electrooculography (EOG)
c) dream reports
d) electroencephalography (EEG)
Correct: c
Which statement about musician‘s dystonia is false?
a) it is a special form of occupational dystonia
b) treatment may be tried with botulinum toxin
c) finger selectivity in the hand field of the motor cortex is assumed to blur
d) it results form activation of flexors and suppression of extensor muscles
Correct: d
What does research suggest regarding sex and/or gender identity?
a) Investigations should focus on single-subject recordings rather than larger populations to eliminate averaging effects.
b) Hormone replacement therapy may be detrimental to neuroplasticity in post-menopausal women.
c) Investigations should focus on select groups (e.g. young males) to eliminate noise arising from heterogeneous populations.
d) The morphology of select brain structures may correlate stronger with gender identity than with primary sexual characteristics.
Correct: d
Which statement about default mode network (DMN) activity is true?
a) DMN has been most extensively studied using EEG.
b) DMN activation is strongest when focusing on an object that has been attributed a high reward value.
c) DMN activity is arguably disrupted by episodic memory operations.
d) DMN may contribute to mental task performance by shielding from external sensory input (“decoupling”).
Correct: d
Which of the following is considered a typical feature in synesthesia?
a) Synesthetic experiences routinely interfere with normal perception, adding noise.
b) Synesthesia is a skill that is mostly acquired.
c) “Typical synesthesia” refers to identical associations (e.g. experiencing blue color with the number “1”) that are reported independently by a majority of individuals.
d) The reported associations across sensory modalities tend to be highly stable within the same individual.
Correct: d
Which is a hallmark feature in Williams syndrome, a genetic disorder characterized by impaired intellect?
a) Poor social skills
b) Spatial coordination
c) Verbal fluency
d) Mathematics
Correct: c
Which amygdala subregion receives the bulk of cortical input in humans?
a) Medial group
b) Ventral group
c) Central group
d) Basolateral group
Correct: d
