Vocab 501-550

Question 1

Located in the left frontal lobe; controls muscles involved in producing speech; damage prevents speech production

Answer 1

Broca’s Area

Question 2

Located in the left temporal lobe; interprets written and spoken speech; damage would affect our ability to understand language

Answer 2

Wernicke’s Area

Question 3

Thin vertical strip located at the back of the frontal lobe; controls voluntary movements by sending signals to our muscles

Answer 3

Motor Cortex

Question 4

Thin vertical strip located at the front of the parietal lobe; receives signals from throughout our bodies

Answer 4

Sensory Cortex

Question 5

What are the four parts of the Limbic System?

Answer 5

Thalamus
Hypothalamus
Hippocampus
Amygdala

Question 6

Filters incoming external sensory information

Answer 6

Thalamus

Question 7

The volume of a person’s thalamus correlates with what disorder?

Answer 7

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Question 8

Filters incoming internal sensory information; tells us when we are thirsty

Answer 8

Hypothalamus

Question 9

Converts short-term memory (working memory) into long-term memory

Answer 9

Hippocampus

Question 10

Regulates our emotions, especially fear

Answer 10

Amygdala

Question 11

A neuron (nerve cell) that fires a neurotransmitter as a result of an action potential entering its axon terminal

Answer 11

Presynaptic Neuron

Question 12

A neuron (nerve cell) that receives a neurotransmitter after it has crossed the synapse

Answer 12

Postsynaptic Neuron

Question 13

Kind of neurotransmitter that has an inhibitory effect on other neurons; they decrease the likelihood that the neuron will fire on an action potential

Answer 13

Inhibitory Neurotransmitter

Question 14

Kind of neurotransmitter that has an excitatory effect on other neurons; they increase the likelihood that the neuron will fire on an action potential

Answer 14

Excitatory Neurotransmitter

Question 15

Type of antidepressant medication that works by increasing the levels of serotonin within the brain

Answer 15

Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRIs)

Question 16

Using drugs, having sex, and eating cheeseburgers can all activate the brain’s reward pathway. What neurotransmitter fuels the reward pathway?

Answer 16

Dopamine

Question 17

A lack of this neurotransmitter correlates with Parkinson’s Disease

Answer 17

Dopamine

Question 18

An excess of this neurotransmitter correlates with Schizophrenia

Answer 18

Dopamine

Question 19

A dopamine agonist (L-DOPA) would most likely be prescribed to treat what disorder?

Answer 19

Parkinson’s Disease

Question 20

A dopamine antagonist (Chlorpromazine) would most likely be prescribed to treat what disorder?

Answer 20

Schizophrenia

Question 21

Side effect of antipsychotic drugs; causes jerky movements of your face and body

Answer 21

Tardive Dyskinesia

Question 22

Inhibitory neurotransmitter that decreases activity in your nervous system

Answer 22

GABA (Gamma Aminobutyric Acid)

Question 23

The most abundant excitatory neurotransmitter; too much can cause high levels of anxiety, fear, and insomnia

Answer 23

Glutamate

Question 24

Hormone secreted by the adrenal glands when a person experiences strong emotions such as fear or anger

Answer 24

Epinephrine

Question 25

Hormone that increases heart rate

Answer 25

Norepinephrine

Question 26

Neurotransmitter released in response to an injury and in allergic reaction, causing contraction of smooth muscle and dilation of capillaries

Answer 26

Histamine

Question 27

What key development led to the evolution of the brain?

Answer 27

Opposable Thumbs

Question 28

The hindbrain is also called what?

Answer 28

The Reptilian Brain

Question 29

Name two disorders associated with the Basal Ganglia

Answer 29

Tourette's Syndrome Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Question 30

Links the forebrain with the hindbrain

Answer 30

Midbrain

Question 31

What are the four parts of the hindbrain

Answer 31

Cerebellum Pons Medulla Reticular Formation

Question 32

What part of the hindbrain coordinates movement?

Answer 32

Cerebellum

Question 33

What part of the hindbrain controls breathing?

Answer 33

Medulla

Question 34

What part of the hindbrain controls sleep

Answer 34

Pons

Question 35

What part of the hindbrain controls sensory signals?

Answer 35

Reticular Formation

Question 36

The neuron's body (or any cell's body) is called what?

Answer 36

Soma

Question 37

Small knobs at the end of an axon that release chemicals called neurotransmitters

Answer 37

Terminal Buttons

Question 38

Point at which a neurotransmitter binds with a postsynaptic neuron

Answer 38

Receptor Site

Question 39

What principle states that either the entire action potential message is sent or none of it is sent?

Answer 39

All-or-None Law

Question 40

The frequency at which a neuron generates and action potential is called what?

Answer 40

Neural Firing

Question 41

Reflexes are initiated in what part of the CNS?

Answer 41

The Spinal Cord

Question 42

Sympathetic Nervous System prepares the body for?

Answer 42

Fight or Flight

Question 43

Parasympathetic Nervous System prepares the body for?

Answer 43

Rest and Digest

Question 44

Research technique where the brain is purposely damaged to see its effects on cognition and behavior

Answer 44

Lesioning

Question 45

Tendency for some neural functions to be specialized to one side of the brain or the other

Answer 45

Brain Lateralization

Question 46

Parts of the cerebral cortex that receives inputs from multiple areas

Answer 46

Association Area

Question 47

American psychologist who won the 1981 Nobel Prize in Physiology for his work with split-brain research

Answer 47

Roger Sperry

Question 48

American neuropsychologist who along with Roger Sperry pioneered split-brain surgery

Answer 48

Michael Gazzaniga

Question 49

American psychologist best known for his studies of twins, particularly as part of the Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart (MISTRA)

Answer 49

Thomas Bouchard

Question 50

Bouchard's twin studies demonstrated that IQ is heavily influenced by what?

Answer 50

Genetics