Deck 4: Neural and Hormonal Systems

Question 1

Plasticity refers to the brain's capacity to

A) automatically regulate heartbeat and breathing.
B) generate a sense of conscious awareness.
C) build new neural pathways.
D) transmit information between the two cerebral hemispheres.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

The neural change that is strongest in childhood but also continues throughout life is called

A) plasticity.
B) phrenology.
C) localization of function.
D) hippocampal repair.

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The myelin sheath helps to increase the ________ of neural impulses.

A) frequency
B) intensity
C) threshold
D) speed

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Who first suggested that different regions of the brain control different aspects of behavior?

A) Aristotle
B) Charles Sherrington
C) Hippopcrates
D) Franz Gall

Question 5

Professor Seif conducts research on the relationship between autonomic nervous system functioning and sexual motivation.Her research focus best represents the specialty area known as

A) biological psychology.
B) psychoanalysis.
C) cognitive psychology.
D) endocrinology.

Question 6

London's taxi drivers,who take up to four years to learn all the roads and connections,have been found to have _______,as compared with London's bus drivers,who have to learn shorter routes.

A) enlarged neurons
B) an enlarged hippocampus
C) enlarged dendrites
D) enlarged glial cells

Question 7

The branching extensions of nerve cells that receive incoming signals from sensory receptors or from other neurons are called the

A) axons.
B) synapses.
C) dendrites.
D) neurotransmitters.

Question 8

Aristotle believed that the mind was most intimately connected with the

A) head.
B) stomach.
C) heart.
D) liver.

Question 9

Which of the following makes the human brain unique in comparison to other species?

A) plasticity
B) phrenology
C) localization of function
D) hippocampal repair

Question 10

Because neural communication occurs within the context of both cultural influences and individual mental processes,people are best understood as

A) genetic profiles.
B) action potentials.
C) biopsychosocial systems.
D) interneurons.

Question 11

Signal reception is to ________ as signal transmission is to ________.

A) interneuron;neural network
B) dendrite;axon
C) neurotransmitter;hormone
D) sympathetic nervous system;parasympathetic nervous system

Question 12

The nineteenth-century theory that bumps on the skull reveal a person's abilities and traits is called

A) evolutionary psychology.
B) behavior genetics.
C) biological psychology.
D) phrenology.

Question 13

Which part of a neuron is often encased by a fatty myelin sheath?

A) axon
B) synaptic gap
C) cell body
D) dendrite

Question 14

Those who seek to identify the cognitive and behavioral processes regulated by specific parts of the brain are attempting to advance our knowledge of

A) afferent neurons.
B) the all-or-none response.
C) efferent neurons.
D) the localization of function.

Question 15

Biological psychology is best described as the scientific study of the links between

A) physiological activity and psychological events.
B) genes and neurotransmitters.
C) sensory and motor neurons.
D) the CNS and the PNS.

Question 16

Biological psychologists can be credited for the following discoveries EXCEPT that

A) the human brain is adaptive and is wired by our experiences.
B) humans integrate information processed in two different brain systems.
C) specific brain systems serve very specific functions.
D) nerve cells are able not only to conduct electricity but also to communicate with other nerve cells.

Question 17

Which of the following examples does NOT demonstrate plasticity?

A) a blind person using echolocation to navigate his environment
B) pianists who have an enlarged auditory cortex area that encodes piano sounds
C) a scientist discovering how long it takes a neural impulse to travel a neural pathway
D) ballerinas who experience neural changes that improve their performance

Question 18

The cells that serve as the basic building blocks of the body's information system are called

A) neurons.
B) neurotransmitters.
C) ventricles.
D) genes.

Question 19

The cell body is

A) a brief electrical charge that travels down an axon.
B) the cell's life-support center.
C) a molecule that increases a neurotransmitter's action.
D) the neuron extension that passes messages through its branches to other neurons.

Question 20

The part of a neuron that transmits neural messages to other neurons or to muscles or glands is called the

A) dendrite.
B) synapse.
C) axon.
D) cell body.

Question 21

The slowdown of neural communication in multiple sclerosis results from the degeneration of the

A) amygdala.
B) endorphins.
C) myelin sheath.
D) pituitary gland.

Question 22

The brief pause in activity after a neuron has fired is known as

A) reuptake.
B) depolarization.
C) an all-or-none response.
D) a refractory period.

Question 23

A postmortem analysis of Einstein's brain revealed a much greater concentration of ________ than found in the average adult brain.

A) glutamate
B) opiate receptors
C) glial cells
D) ACh-producing neurons

Question 24

An electrically charged atom is called a(n)

A) antagonist.
B) ion.
C) action potential.
D) radioactive tracer.

Question 25

The temporary inflow of positive ions through an axon membrane is

A) the resting potential.
B) the threshold.
C) the action potential.
D) depolarization.

Question 26

An action potential registers an electrical charge of

A) -70 millivolts.
B) -55 millivolts.
C) +40 millivolts.
D) +70 millivolts.

Question 27

The depolarization of an axon is most likely to occur when

A) positively charged sodium ions rush into the axon.
B) negatively charged potassium ions rush into the axon.
C) positively charged sodium ions rush out of the axon.
D) negatively charged potassium ions rush out of the axon.

Question 28

A car controlled by a computerized navigational guidance system is likely to respond more rapidly to sudden obstructions in its path than a car controlled by a human driver.This is primarily due to the fact that

A) a neuron's reaction is an all-or-none response.
B) an axon branches into junctions with many other neurons.
C) the fatty tissue layer that insulates axons slows the transmission of neural impulses.
D) the speed of neural impulses is much slower than the speed of electricity through a wire.

Question 29

An all-or-none response pattern is characteristic of the

A) activation of either the sympathetic or the parasympathetic system.
B) release of endorphins into the central nervous system.
C) release of hormones into the bloodstream.
D) initiation of neural impulses.

Question 30

As the action potential moves speedily down the axon,sodium/potassium pumps finish restoring the first section of the axon to its resting potential by transporting ________ out of the neuron.

A) positively charged ions
B) ACh agonists
C) negatively charged ions
D) ACh antagonists

Question 31

The fluid outside a resting axon's membrane has mostly positively charged ________ ions.

A) serotonin
B) sodium
C) dopamine
D) protein

Question 32

Before an action potential begins,the fluid outside an axon's membrane has ________ ions;the fluid inside has ________ ions.

A) mostly negatively charged;mostly positively charged
B) equal numbers of positively and negatively charged;equal numbers of positively and negatively charged
C) mostly positively charged;mostly negatively charged
D) neither positively nor negatively charged;neither positively nor negatively charged

Question 33

Nerve cells receive life-supporting nutrients and insulating myelin from

A) glial cells.
B) neurotransmitters.
C) endorphins.
D) hormones.

Question 34

In the process of beginning an action potential,the threshold refers to

A) neuron extensions that conduct messages toward the cell body.
B) a minimum intensity of excitatory minus inhibitory stimulation.
C) neuron extensions that send messages to other neurons.
D) the junction between a sending and receiving neuron.

Question 35

Ruth has experienced progressively increasing difficulty moving,speaking,and swallowing due to the deterioration of the myelin sheaths within her nervous system.Ruth most clearly suffers from

A) epileptic seizures.
B) Alzheimer's disease.
C) multiple sclerosis.
D) depression.

Question 36

An action potential refers to a

A) neural impulse.
B) synaptic gap.
C) neurotransmitter.
D) reflex.

Question 37

A neural impulse is generated only when excitatory minus inhibitory signals exceed a certain

A) action potential.
B) synaptic gap.
C) level of reuptake.
D) threshold.

Question 38

The movement of positively charged sodium ions across the membrane of a neuron can produce a(n)

A) glial cell.
B) action potential.
C) myelin sheath.
D) interneuron.

Question 39

The selective permeability of a neural membrane enables the development of a

A) myelin sheath.
B) resting potential.
C) neural network.
D) synaptic gap.

Question 40

The resting potential of a neuron refers to

A) a brief electrical charge that travels down the axon.
B) the storage of neurotransmitter molecules within synaptic vesicles.
C) the electrical polarization of the inside and outside of the neural membrane.
D) a capacity to reabsorb neurotransmitter molecules released into the synaptic gap.

Question 41

Neurotransmitters are molecules that travel across the

A) cell body.
B) synaptic gap.
C) myelin sheath.
D) threshold.

Question 42

When the transmission of ACh is blocked,the result is

A) depression.
B) aggression.
C) muscular paralysis.
D) schizophrenia.

Question 43

Synaptic gaps separate neurotransmitter receptor sites from

A) glial cells.
B) axon terminals.
C) a myelin sheath.
D) dendrite fibers.

Question 44

Neurons with the greatest number of dendrites and axon terminals would also be most likely to share the greatest number of ________ with other neurons.

A) glial cells
B) endorphins
C) refractory periods
D) synapses

Question 45

An undersupply of GABA is most closely linked to

A) schizophrenia.
B) paralysis.
C) insomnia.
D) Alzheimer's disease.

Question 46

A strong stimulus is experienced as more intense than a weak stimulus because a strong stimulus triggers

A) a speedier action potential.
B) a higher-voltage action potential.
C) more neurons to fire,and to fire more often.
D) the release of epinephrine.

Question 47

Neurotransmitters bind to receptor sites and influence the flow of ________ into receiving neurons.

A) ions
B) glial cells
C) myelin
D) hormones

Question 48

After ingesting a poisonous substance,Alex experienced a temporary muscular paralysis.The poison most likely interfered with the normal functioning of the neurotransmitter

A) serotonin.
B) dopamine.
C) acetylcholine.
D) norepinephrine.

Question 49

The reabsorption of excess neurotransmitter molecules by a sending neuron is called

A) an action potential.
B) the all-or-none response.
C) a refractory period.
D) reuptake.

Question 50

The junctions between the axon tips of sending neurons and the dendrites or cell bodies of receiving neurons are called

A) interneurons.
B) synapses.
C) vesicles.
D) thresholds.

Question 51

Janelle experiences difficulty sleeping and is seeking medical help for her lengthy episodes of depression and loss of energy.Effective prescription drugs for treating these symptoms would most likely be designed to increase the availability of the neurotransmitter

A) GABA.
B) ACh.
C) serotonin.
D) dopamine.

Question 52

Neurotransmitters are best described as

A) electrically charged atoms.
B) sodium/potassium pumps.
C) chemical messengers.
D) action potentials.

Question 53

Acetylcholine is a neurotransmitter that

A) causes sleepiness.
B) lessens physical pain.
C) reduces depressed moods.
D) enables muscle action.

Question 54

The reuptake of a neurotransmitter such as serotonin would involve the reabsorption of serotonin into a(n)

A) axon terminal.
B) dendrite.
C) myelin sheath.
D) glial cell.

Question 55

The neural impulses sent from your eyes to the visual processing centers of your brain will be no stronger or faster if you glance at a large campfire than if you glance at a burning candle.This best illustrates a characteristic of neural functioning known as

A) reuptake.
B) depolarization.
C) selective permeability.
D) an all-or-none response.

Question 56

Endorphins are neurotransmitter molecules similar to

A) dopamine.
B) serotonin.
C) morphine.
D) acetylcholine.

Question 57

The tremors of Parkinson's disease result from the death of nerve cells that produce the

A) serotonin.
B) ACh.
C) GABA.
D) dopamine.

Question 58

Transferring messages from a motor neuron to a leg muscle requires the neurotransmitter known as

A) dopamine.
B) epinephrine.
C) acetylcholine.
D) insulin.

Question 59

Seizures are likely to be associated with an

A) undersupply of GABA and an oversupply of glutamate.
B) oversupply of GABA and an undersupply of glutamate.
C) undersupply of GABA and an undersupply of glutamate.
D) oversupply of GABA and an oversupply of glutamate.

Question 60

Neurotransmitter receptor sites are primarily located on the

A) dendrites.
B) myelin sheath.
C) glial cells.
D) axon terminals.

Question 61

Sensory neurons transmit signals to

A) glands.
B) glial cells.
C) motor neurons.
D) interneurons.

Question 62

When Dirk was stung by a bee,the pain message was transmitted to his spinal cord by the ________ nervous system.

A) sympathetic
B) parasympathetic
C) peripheral
D) central

Question 63

Botulin blocks the release of ACh.Botulin is best described as a(n)

A) opiate.
B) glutamate.
C) antagonist.
D) neurotransmitter.

Question 64

The pain of childbirth is most likely to be reduced by the release of

A) acetylcholine.
B) endorphins.
C) dopamine.
D) glutamate.

Question 65

Information travels from the spinal cord to the brain through

A) interneurons.
B) the somatic nervous system.
C) adrenal glands.
D) the sympathetic nervous system.

Question 66

Morphine and heroin are

A) agonists.
B) hormones.
C) dendrites.
D) opiates.

Question 67

Endorphins are most directly involved in the control of

A) body temperature.
B) physical pain.
C) muscle contraction.
D) attention.

Question 68

Information is carried from the body's tissues and sensory receptors to the central nervous system by

A) interneurons.
B) sensory neurons.
C) motor neurons.
D) endocrine glands.

Question 69

After three hours of playing a physically exhausting professional tennis match,Chitra began to experience feelings of exhilaration and pleasure.It is likely that her feelings were most directly linked to the release of

A) dopamine.
B) acetylcholine.
C) endorphins.
D) growth hormones.

Question 70

James is being treated for depression with a drug that blocks the reuptake of serotonin.This antidepressant drug functions as a(n)

A) steroid.
B) agonist.
C) opiate.
D) antagonist.

Question 71

For you to be able to run,________ must relay messages from your central nervous system to your leg muscles.

A) interneurons
B) motor neurons
C) afferent neurons
D) the autonomic nervous system

Question 72

The body's speedy electrochemical information network is called the

A) circulatory system.
B) cognitive system.
C) nervous system.
D) endocrine system.

Question 73

Agonists are chemical molecules that increase the activity of

A) motor neurons.
B) genes.
C) synapses.
D) neurotransmitters.

Question 74

The brain's own natural production of endorphins is likely to be suppressed by

A) physical pain.
B) physical exercise.
C) heroin usage.
D) antidepressant drugs.

Question 75

The brain and spinal cord form the

A) autonomic nervous system.
B) somatic nervous system.
C) central nervous system.
D) endocrine system.

Question 76

Curare is a paralyzing poison that functions as a(n)

A) ACh agonist.
B) GABA agonist.
C) ACh antagonist.
D) GABA antagonist.

Question 77

Nerves are neural cables formed from bundles of

A) endorphins.
B) interneurons.
C) axons.
D) lesions.

Question 78

Any drug molecule that binds to a neurotransmitter receptor site and mimics the neurotransmitter's excitatory or inhibitory effects is a(n)

A) glutamate.
B) steroid.
C) agonist.
D) action potential.

Question 79

Efferent is to afferent as ________ is to ________.

A) sympathetic nervous system;parasympathetic nervous system
B) sensory neuron;motor neuron
C) parasympathetic nervous system;sympathetic nervous system
D) motor neuron;sensory neuron

Question 80

A drug molecule that inhibits or blocks a neurotransmitter's action is called a(n)

A) opiate.
B) agonist.
C) antagonist.
D) glutamate.