Deck 7: The Control of Action

Question 1

A laboratory dog has had surgery to separate the spinal components of its motor system from the cortical and subcortical components.Which of the following best describes the motor abilities of this animal?

A)The dog is able to sit and roll over in response to commands.
B)The dog can move proximal effectors normally,but not distal effectors.
C)The dog demonstrates reflexive withdrawal of its foot in response to sudden stimulation.
D)Only vital motor functions such as breathing and heartbeat are intact in this animal.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Neurons in each half of the cerebellum synapse on ________ targets in the thalamus and other subcortical structures,and therefore regulate the effectors on the ________ side of the body.

A)ipsilateral / ipsilateral
B)ipsilateral / contralateral
C)contralateral / ipsilateral
D)contralateral / contralateral

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Which of the following is NOT an effector?

A)The brain
B)The jaw
C)The arm
D)The back

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Lesions to the pyramidal motor tract would produce difficulty in moving effectors on which side of the body?

A)The contralateral side.
B)The ipsilateral side.
C)Both the contralateral and ipsilateral sides.
D)Neither side: The pyramidal neurons do not innervate effector muscles.

Question 5

The neurotransmitter responsible for translating action potentials into mechanical actions at muscles is

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

Question 6

One major difference between the pyramidal and the extrapyramidal motor tracts is their points of origin.The pyramidal tracts carry messages from ________ to the spinal cord,whereas the extrapyramidal tracts carry messages from ________ to the spinal cord.

A)cortical structures / subcortical structures
B)cranial nerves / peripheral nerves
C)basal ganglia / the cerebral cortex
D)subcortical structures / the cerebral cortex

Question 7

The pyramidal motor tract carries signals from the motor cortex of each cerebral hemisphere to ________ side(s)of the spinal cord,whereas the extrapyramidal motor tracts carry signals from various subcortical structures to ________ side(s)of the spinal cord.

A)the ipsilateral / both the ipsilateral and contralateral
B)both the ipsilateral and contralateral / the ipsilateral
C)the contralateral / both the ipsilateral and contralateral
D)both the contralateral and ipsilateral / the contralateral

Question 8

Which of the following is NOT a part of the basal ganglia?

A)The putamen
B)The claustrum
C)The caudate
D)The globus pallidus

Question 9

Neurons in the spinal cord that can mediate sequences of motor actions even in the absence of external sensory feedback signals are called

A)proximal effectors.
B)central pattern generators.
C)alpha motor neurons.
D)ventral root neurons.

Question 10

When a voluntary movement such as contracting one's right biceps is generated,what other signals,if any,must accompany this command?

A)A signal to antagonist muscles,such as the right triceps,to relax.
B)A signal to antagonist muscles,such as the right triceps,to flex simultaneously.
C)A signal to antagonist muscles,such as the left biceps,to relax.
D)No other signal is necessary.

Question 11

The primary interaction of muscles and the nervous system involves the alpha motor neurons,which originate in the ________,exit through the ________,and terminate in the muscles.

A)brain / dorsal root
B)brain / ventral root
C)spinal cord / dorsal root
D)spinal cord / ventral root

Question 12

Alpha motor neurons in the spinal cord communicate with muscle fibers by releasing the neurotransmitter acetylcholine,which influences muscle activity by

A)depolarizing neurons in the peripheral nervous system.
B)directly causing muscle contractions.
C)hyperpolarizing peripheral motor neurons.
D)inhibiting neurons in the dorsal root of the spinal cord.

Question 13

Which of the following types of motor behavior probably relies the most on the function of a central pattern generator?

A)Walking
B)Speaking
C)Drawing
D)Juggling

Question 14

Corticospinal fibers originate primarily in the

A)cerebellum.
B)supplementary motor area.
C)premotor cortex.
D)primary motor cortex.

Question 15

In studies of the role of sensory feedback on motor behavior in monkeys,Taub and Berman (1968)first severed the dorsal roots for one arm and observed motor behavior (Phase 1),and then severed the dorsal roots for the remaining intact arm and again observed motor behavior (Phase 2).They found that the monkeys

A)could move and use their arms only when the corresponding dorsal roots were intact.
B)preferred to use their intact arms following Phase 1 but returned to using both arms following Phase 2.
C)preferred to use their disconnected arms following Phase 1 but returned to using both arms following Phase 2.
D)required sensory feedback to use and move their limbs.

Question 16

Sherrington (1947)surgically disconnected spinal motor neurons from cortical and subcortical motor centers in laboratory animals.Which of the following statements is true about the subsequent motor behavior of these animals?

A)The animals could still generate voluntary movements,but reflexive responses were disrupted.
B)Reflexive responses were intact,but complex voluntary movements were disrupted.
C)The animals showed normal motor function as long as sensory inputs from the dorsal root were also severed.
D)The animals became completely motionless and unresponsive to stimulation.

Question 17

The term decussation refers to

A)a type of cerebrovascular accident that frequently damages motor structures.
B)the shift in involvement from the premotor cortex to the supplementary motor area (SMA)with motor learning.
C)the crossing of nerve fibers from one side of the body to the other.
D)a type of rapid involuntary movement made by people with Huntington's disease.

Question 18

Parkinson's disease results from cell death in the _________,which is a part of the _________.

A)substantia nigra / cerebellum
B)substantia nigra / basal ganglia
C)striatum / cerebellum
D)striatum / basal ganglia

Question 19

The excitatory command to contract the biceps muscle of the arm is normally accompanied by an inhibitory command to relax the antagonist triceps muscle.If this inhibitory signal failed to occur,

A)the passive stretching of the triceps would trigger a stretch reflex that would return the arm to its original position.
B)the contraction of the biceps would be irreversible,and the limb would remain frozen in the resulting position.
C)the contraction of the biceps would cause tearing of fibers in the triceps and severe muscle damage.
D)the fibers that make up the triceps muscle would shorten and thicken during the resulting passive stretch.

Question 20

Simple reflexive motor responses to external stimuli rely primarily on the function of the ________,whereas motor behaviors that are only minimally dependent on such external cues rely primarily on the function of the ________.

A)basal ganglia / spinal cord
B)cerebellum / brainstem
C)spinal cord / motor cortex
D)motor cortex / brainstem

Question 21

________ seem(s)particularly important in the control and planning of complex motor sequences as opposed to simple movements.

A)The primary motor cortex
B)The primary somatosensory cortex
C)The motor cortex regions in the prefrontal lobes
D)The motor cortex regions in the parietal lobes

Question 22

The fact that the population vector recorded in the motor cortex precedes the corresponding reaching movement indicates that motor cortex activity

A)is primarily involved in the planning of movement.
B)is independent of voluntary movement.
C)automatically leads to movement.
D)is related to the movement of specific muscle groups.

Question 23

With regard to motor cortex,a population vector is the

A)summed activity of the neurons in the motor cortex,including cells that are tuned to all directions.
B)summed activity of the neurons in the motor cortex,including only cells that are tuned to the same preferred direction.
C)total number of neurons that are tuned to the same preferred direction.
D)preferred direction of a single neuron.

Question 24

Hemiplegia is the

A)paralysis of the side of the body that is contralateral to the injured brain region.
B)paralysis of the side of the body that is ipsilateral to the injured brain region.
C)loss of sensory feedback from the side of the body that is contralateral to the injured brain region.
D)loss of sensory feedback from the side of the body that is ipsilateral to the injured brain region.

Question 25

When you first learn how to execute the complex motor sequence that comprises a slam dunk in basketball,a circuit including the ________ is active.After much practice,once you have learned the sequence well,a second circuit involving the ________ is active.

A)parietal cortex / lateral premotor area
B)lateral premotor area / supplementary motor area
C)supplementary motor area / basal ganglia
D)basal ganglia / parietal cortex

Question 26

Loss of blood flow in the ________ is the most common cause of hemiplegia.

A)anterior cerebral artery
B)vertebral artery
C)middle cerebral artery
D)circle of Willis

Question 27

The loss of a motor skill that cannot be attributed to hemiplegia,muscle weakness,sensory deficits,or motivation is called

A)hemiparesis.
B)hypermetria.
C)apraxia.
D)akinetopsia.

Question 28

Single-cell recording studies of the motor control of reaching movements have demonstrated that neurons in the motor cortex are selectively active based on the

A)distance through which a reaching movement must pass.
B)direction in which a reaching movement is generated.
C)speed at which a reaching movement is performed.
D)final arm position achieved once a reaching movement is completed.

Question 29

Mirror cells are neurons in the ________ cortex that respond when an animal produces a particular movement and when the animal ________.

A)parietal / perceives another producing the same movement
B)parietal / produces the mirror image of the same movement
C)premotor / perceives another producing the same movement
D)premotor / produces the mirror image of the same movement

Question 30

The concept of endpoint control refers to the observation that voluntary muscle events

A)are programmed to result in the displacement of an effector based on the desired distance from its starting point.
B)are programmed to result in the displacement of an effector based on its desired final location.
C)require sensory feedback that arrives after an effector has been moved to its desired location.
D)require sensory feedback from an effector that arrives during the entire course of its movement.

Question 31

In the most general sense,scientists use the term mirror system to refer to a distributed network of neural regions involved in both

A)the perception of the self and the perception of others.
B)action production and action comprehension.
C)the control of specific effectors as well as abstracted movement plans.
D)proprioception and somatosensation.

Question 32

Single-cell recording studies have indicated that the ________ may be especially important in the control of internally guided motor sequences,whereas the ________ may be especially important in the control of externally guided motor sequences.

A)supplementary motor cortex / premotor cortex
B)premotor cortex / supplementary motor cortex
C)basal ganglia / cerebellum
D)cerebellum / basal ganglia

Question 33

The two general subtypes of apraxia are

A)ideomotor and ideational.
B)ideational and associative.
C)associative and apperceptive.
D)apperceptive and ideomotor.

Question 34

The loss of sensory feedback from an effector

A)tends to reduce the precision of movements for this effector.
B)usually results in the paralysis of the effector.
C)produces no change in the ability to move and use the effector.
D)increases the coordination of movements generated through other intact effectors.

Question 35

Which of the following statements best describes the population vector associated with a reaching movement from left to right?

A)The population vector shifts from right to left only while the arm is actually moving.
B)The population vector shifts from left to right only after the arm has moved and stopped.
C)The population vector shifts from left to right only while the arm is actually moving.
D)The population vector shifts from left to right before the arm begins to move.

Question 36

Heilman and colleagues (1982)asked patients to choose the appropriate manual gesture for a given activity,such as slicing a loaf of bread with a knife or unlocking a door with a key.The different gestures were performed by an actor on video.Which of the following best summarizes the results of this study?

A)The patients with frontal lobe lesions performed poorly on this task,whereas the patients with parietal lobe lesions performed well.
B)The patients with parietal lobe lesions performed poorly on this task,whereas the patients with temporal lobe lesions performed well.
C)The patients with parietal lobe lesions performed poorly on this task,whereas the patients with frontal lobe lesions performed well.
D)Both frontal and parietal lobe injuries produced poor performance on this task.

Question 37

After suffering a focal brain injury,a patient has great difficulty in pantomiming particular motor actions such as turning a key in a lock.Because other problems like hemiplegia,muscle weakness,sensory deficits,and lack of motivation have been ruled out,your diagnosis would be

A)agnosia.
B)apraxia.
C)anomia.
D)akinetopsia.

Question 38

Which of the following would demonstrate the finding that some aspects of motor learning are independent of the specific effectors used to perform an action?

A)Right-handed pitchers have great difficulty in throwing a baseball accurately with the left hand.
B)Actions such as the backhand stroke in tennis require the coordination of a sequence of separate movements.
C)All cyclists tend to use the same set of effectors in riding,regardless of the specific age at which they learned to ride a bicycle.
D)One's signature looks very similar regardless of whether one uses the left or the right hand to produce it.

Question 39

Using single-cell recording,a researcher isolates a neuron in the motor cortex of a monkey that is extremely active when the monkey moves its arm from left to right.In subsequent trials,the animal is required to move its arm from the starting to the ending locations diagrammed here.

Which,if any,of these additional trials will also increase activity in this neuron?

A)C only
B)A and B
C)A,B,and D
D)D only

Question 40

Studies of deafferentation and its effect on movement control in humans and other species demonstrate that

A)movement depends on internal mental representations of the consequences of motor commands.
B)movement depends on the availability of intact sensory feedback from effectors.
C)movement is controlled by information from sensory receptors rather than muscles.
D)movement is controlled differently in humans than in other primate species.

Question 41

Franz and colleagues (1996)asked a patient who had had his corpus callosum surgically severed to draw figures like the ones here,each simultaneously with a different hand.

Compared to neurologically intact control participants,they found that this patient

A)was better at producing movements simultaneously with both hands,even when they differed in direction.
B)was selectively impaired when simultaneously producing movements with each hand when they differed in direction.
C)performed poorly and was especially impaired when the figures closely resembled each other.
D)was better at producing movements simultaneously with both hands only when they differed in direction.

Question 42

Lesions to this region of the cerebellum lead to postural instability and difficulty in keeping one's eyes fixed on a visual object despite head or body movements.

A)The spinocerebellum
B)The vestibulocerebellum
C)The neocerebellum
D)The dentate nucleus

Question 43

What disorder is characterized by a loss of dopaminergic fibers in the substantia nigra,which results in deficits in initiating voluntary movements,bradykinesia,and the progressive emergence of a resting tremor?

A)Huntington's disease
B)Parkinson's disease
C)Hemiballism
D)Cogwheeling

Question 44

The supplementary motor area (SMA)is found in the parietal lobe,just posterior to the primary motor cortex.

Question 45

Activity in the premotor cortex reflects not only the trajectory of a movement but also the context in which the movement occurs.

Question 46

In the days following her stroke,Patient E cannot refrain from reaching out and grasping nearby objects even when she has been asked not to do so.This syndrome probably is the result of the abnormal dominance of the

A)lateral supplementary motor area loop.
B)lateral premotor loop.
C)medial supplementary motor area loop.
D)medial premotor loop.

Question 47

Hyperkinesia is to ________ as hypokinesia is to ________.

A)Parkinson's disease / Huntington's disease
B)Huntington's disease / Parkinson's disease
C)apraxia / hemiballism
D)hemiballism / apraxia

Question 48

Lesions to two of the cerebellum's three primary regions can lead to clumsy erratic movements and hypermetria.However,the first of these areas,the ________,is involved primarily in regulating actual motor performance,whereas the second area,the ________,is involved primarily in the planning of movement.

A)neocerebellum / vestibulocerebellum
B)vestibulocerebellum / spinocerebellum
C)spinocerebellum / neocerebellum
D)spinocerebellum / vestibulocerebellum

Question 49

The term embodied cognition refers to the idea that our conceptual knowledge is grounded in knowledge about the body and movement.

Question 50

In performing a sequence of complex actions,such as playing the piano,each movement is planned primarily in relation to the immediately preceding and subsequent movements.

Question 51

Although simple reflexes can occur without sensory input,the generation of rhythmic walking movements requires sensory feedback from the environment.

Question 52

With time,people who experience a hemiplegia typically experience a full recovery.

Question 53

Single axons of the corticospinal tract can extend for more than 1 meter.

Question 54

The supplementary motor area (SMA)is particularly active during externally guided movements.

Question 55

Before a movement is initiated,the population vector in the motor cortex has already shifted in the direction of the planned movement.

Question 56

A diagnosis of apraxia is mainly exclusionary: A person is said to have apraxia if he or she has a coordination problem that can't be linked to a deficit in controlling the muscles themselves.

Question 57

Keele's work with people with Parkinson's disease suggests that they may have difficulties in which of the following cognitive operations?

A)Discriminating scents
B)Spatial memory
C)Facial recognition
D)Set shifting

Question 58

One reason that lesions to the cerebellum disrupt the eye blink conditioning response is because

A)the cerebellum regulates the production of acetylcholine in peripheral motor neurons.
B)this structure is involved in timing the activation of different effectors involved in a motor sequence.
C)the cerebellum controls the initiation of eye movements.
D)this structure normally inhibits the activity in the motor cortex,and when this inhibition is disrupted,motor learning is impaired.

Question 59

In the period of time immediately following focal brain injury to the supplementary motor cortex,patients may reach out and grasp objects with the affected arm when they have not been asked to do so,or even when they have been explicitly told not to do so.This is called

A)apraxia.
B)hemiplegia.
C)Huntington's disease.
D)alien hand syndrome.

Question 60

A patient has damage to the basal ganglia,particularly within the striatum,and demonstrates both chorea and hyperkinesia.What is your diagnosis?

A)Parkinson's disease
B)Huntington's disease
C)Hypermetria
D)Bradykinesia

Question 61

Describe the neurological condition apraxia.How does this disorder inform our understanding of how complex movements are represented in the brain?

Question 62

What is a population vector? How do population vectors play a role in the initiation of a movement?

Question 63

Compare and contrast the neurological disorders of Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease.How are they similar,and how do they differ?

Question 64

How is the planning of a complex movement hierarchical? Provide an example.

Question 65

Where are the primary motor cortex,the premotor cortex,and the supplementary motor area located in the brain? What do we know about the different functions of these three areas?