Neuropsychology 5

Question 1

What is thyroxin?

Answer 1

The hormone released by the thyroid, by which it controls metabolism.

Question 2

What is metabolism?

Answer 2

The rate at which the body burns calories.

Question 3

What is cretinism?

Answer 3

A syndrome of physical maldevelopment and intellectual impairment that results from early thyroid deficiency.

Question 4

What is hypothyroidism?

Answer 4

A syndrome resulting from undersecretion of thyroxin in adulthood. It is characterized by slow metabolism, reduced appetite, weight gain, lowered heart rate and body temperature, decreased sex drive, depression, and cognitive deficits such as impaired concentration and memory.

Question 5

What is hyperthyroidism?

Answer 5

A syndrome resulting from oversecretion of thyroxin in adulthood. It is characterized by elevated body temperature, increased metabolic rate and appetite, weight loss, accelerated heart rate, nervousness, agitation, fatigue, insomnia, mania, and decreased attention span. Aka Grave’s Disease.

Question 6

What is the function of insulin?

Answer 6

It helps the body absorb and make use of glucose and amino acids.

Question 7

What is diabetes millitus?

Answer 7

A syndrome resulting from the pancreas’ inability to produce insulin. It is characterized by high glucose levels in the blood, which result in mineral loss, low blood pressure, reduced blood flow, and can result in death.

Question 8

What is hypoglycemia?

Answer 8

A syndrome resulting from oversecretion of insulin. It is characterized by hunger, dizziness, headaches, blurred vision, heart palpitations, anxiety, depression, and confusion.

Question 9

Name the four types of sensory receptors.

Answer 9

Photoreceptors (light), chemoreceptors (taste and smell), mechanoreceptors (touch and hearing), thermoreceptors (heat/cold).

Question 10

How are rods and cones distributed on the retina?

Answer 10

Cones are fairly dense, especially so in the fovea; moving outward from the fovea, the proportion of rods increases and that of cones decreases.

Question 11

Describe the sequence of synapses from photoreceptors to the optic nerve.

Answer 11

Rods and cones (photoreceptors) synapse with bipolar cells. Bipolar cells synapse with ganglion cells. The axons of ganglion cells bundle to form the optic nerve.

Question 12

Where do most optic nerve fibers terminate?

Answer 12

Lateral geniculate nucleus of the thalamus. The LGN then projects to the primary visual cortex of the occipital lobe.

Question 13

How are signals from the auditory nerve distributed between brain hemispheres?

Answer 13

About 60% of auditory nerve signals cross to the opposite side of the brain.

Question 14

Name the two membranes of the inner ear between which hair cells are located.

Answer 14

Basilar and tectorial.

Question 15

What is the “pain-prone” theory of pain?

Answer 15

For some, chronic pain may be a form of masked depression; the mood disorder may precede the pain. There is evidence supporting an environmental or genetic predisposition for developing pain.

Question 16

What is the “gate” theory of pain?

Answer 16

Large myelinated nerve fibers serve as gates for small, unmyelinated afferent fibers the pain signals from which are passed or not by the gating fibers. Gating mechanism can be activated locally by stimulation from heat/cold or massage, or distally from the brain through distraction.

Question 17

What is the “endorphin” theory of pain?

Answer 17

The brain must produce opiate-like substances for pain relief, as evidenced by the fact that opioids bind with existing receptors.

Question 18

There is one sense in which the nerve fibers do not pass through the thalamus: what is it and into what part of the brain do they project?

Answer 18

The olfactory nerves project directly into the limbic system and do not cross to opposite sides of the brain.

Question 19

What are pheromones?

Answer 19

Scents that initiate sexual activity and are used to mark territory.

Question 20

What is psychophysics?

Answer 20

The study of the relationship between the magnitude of physical stimuli and sensation.

Question 21

What is absolute threshold?

Answer 21

The minimum intensity for a stimulus to be detected 50% of the time.

Question 22

What is Stevens’ Power Law?

Answer 22

There is an exponential relationship between the magnitude of a stimulus and its sensation, but the exponent varies by stimulus.

Question 23

What is dysarthria?

Answer 23

Problems in speech articulation, often mistaken for aphasia. A common symptom of Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, or multiple sclerosis.

Question 24

What is alexia?

Answer 24

Word blindness, a focal dysfunction typically caused by a brain lesion. DiffDx, dyslexia: dyslexia is a learning disorder and is developmental.

Question 25

What is constructional apraxia?

Answer 25

Inability to draw or copy simple figures or arrange blocks in a pattern.

Question 26

How are age and tumor location related?

Answer 26

Children are more likely to develop brainstem or cerebellar tumors, while adults are more likely to develop cortical tumors.

Question 27

List five symptoms that suggest the presence of a brain tumor.

Answer 27

Dull, generalized headaches; partial, adult-onset seizures; projectile vomiting; vision and hearing changes like visual field disturbances and tinnitus; focal neurological signs.

Question 28

What areas of the brain does the middle cerebral artery supply?

Answer 28

Parts of the frontal, temporal, and parietal lobes, and the basal ganglia.

Question 29

What consequences are common for strokes occurring in the middle cerebral artery?

Answer 29

Contralateral hemiplegia and sensory loss (esp. face and arm); dementia; contralateral visual field loss (aka homonymous hemianopsia).

Question 30

What areas of the brain does the anterior cerebral artery supply?

Answer 30

Areas of the frontal and parietal lobes, the corpus callosum, and the caudate nucleus.

Question 31

What consequences are common for strokes occurring in the anterior cerebral artery?

Answer 31

Contralateral hemiplegia and sensory loss (usu. lower limbs), dementia, and affective disturbance.

Question 32

What areas of the brain does the posterior cerebral artery supply?

Answer 32

Temporal and occipital lobes and thalamus.

Question 33

What consequences are common for strokes occurring in the posterior cerebral artery?

Answer 33

Cortical blindness and other visual deficits, anterograde amnesia, and agitated delirium.

Question 34

What is the most common location for strokes?

Answer 34

The middle cerebral artery.

Question 35

What is a common consequence of stroke, regardless of artery involved?

Answer 35

Impairment of cerebrospinal fluid flow.

Question 36

What are some symptoms of hydrocephalus?

Answer 36

Dementia, gait disturbances, urinary incontinence.