Question 1

Conner had a head injury that damaged his hippocampus. Conner now has significant difficulty:
A) localizing sounds.
B) forming new memories.
C) controlling eye movements.
D) feeling motivated for food.

Accepted Answer

The hippocampus is crucial for forming new memories, so damage to it often results in difficulties with memory formation.

Question 2

Which is NOT true about the thalamus? The thalamus:
A) works with the basal ganglia to help control movement.
B) passes along sensory information to other brain areas.
C) is located near the center of the brain.
D) is one of the structures that make up the brainstem.

Accepted Answer

The thalamus is not part of the brainstem; it is located above the brainstem and acts as a major relay station for sensory information, among other functions. The brainstem consists of the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata.

Question 3

The main function of the limbic system is to:
A) pass along sensory information to other brain areas.
B) regulate movement and control coordination.
C) maintain basic functions necessary for life.
D) facilitate motivation and emotion.

Accepted Answer

The limbic system is primarily responsible for processing and regulating emotions, as well as forming memories. It plays a crucial role in motivation, emotional responses, and behavior, distinguishing it from other brain systems that handle sensory information, movement coordination, or basic life functions.

Question 4

The _____ is the part of the limbic system involved in memory, especially spatial memory and long-term memory.
A) hypothalamus
B) amygdala
C) hippocampus
D) thalamus

Accepted Answer

The hippocampus is a critical part of the limbic system, primarily associated with memory formation, including spatial navigation and the consolidation of information from short-term memory to long-term memory.

Question 5

Which statement about brain size across species is true?
A) Human brains are bigger at the back and bottom than other species' brains.
B) Humans have larger forebrains than other species.
C) Reptiles have larger forebrains than birds and mammals.
D) Species that evolved more recently have larger brainstems.

Accepted Answer

Humans have larger forebrains than other species, which is associated with higher cognitive functions such as reasoning, planning, and problem-solving. This is a key factor distinguishing human brain structure from that of other species.

Question 6

At times, Stanley feels more anxious than usual. When Stanley feels like this, it affects his functioning. If a psychiatrist prescribed Stanley medicine to help with his anxiety during these times, that medicine would MOST likely address which neurotransmitter?
A) dopamine
B) GABA
C) acetylcholine
D) serotonin

Accepted Answer

GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid) is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, known to play a key role in regulating anxiety. Medications aimed at reducing anxiety often target the GABA system to increase its inhibitory effects and decrease neuronal excitability.

Question 7

The _____ is involved in the regulation of movement.
A) occipital lobe
B) brainstem
C) reticular activating system
D) cerebellum

Accepted Answer

The cerebellum is involved in the regulation of movement, coordination, and balance.

Question 8

Which function is NOT controlled by the brainstem?
A) breathing
B) heartbeat
C) memory
D) swallowing

Accepted Answer

The brainstem controls basic life functions such as breathing, heartbeat, and swallowing. Memory, however, is primarily a function of other parts of the brain, such as the hippocampus and the cerebral cortex, not the brainstem.

Question 9

_____ measures the difference in the activity of neurons between two points on the brain via sensors placed on the scalp.
A) Computed tomography
B) Electroencephalography
C) Magnetic resonance imaging
D) Positron emission tomography

Accepted Answer

Electroencephalography (EEG) measures the electrical activity of the brain through sensors placed on the scalp, capturing the differences in neuronal activity across different regions.

Question 10

Dr. Browne is a neuropsychologist who studies the functioning of the human brain. Although Dr. Browne is interested in all parts of the brain, his area of interest is primarily the _____, which consists of the full set of nerves that connect the brain with all other parts of the body.
A) corpus callosum
B) central nervous system
C) cerebral cortex
D) nervous system

Accepted Answer

The nervous system includes all the nerves in the body, encompassing the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) and the peripheral nervous system (nerves that connect the central nervous system to the rest of the body), fitting the description given.

Question 11

Which statement about association areas is FALSE? Association areas:
A) are where information is integrated.
B) do more than just take in information.
C) process individual bits of information.
D) are spread across the cerebrum.

Accepted Answer

Association areas in the brain are involved in integrating and interpreting information rather than processing individual bits of information. They are responsible for higher-level processes such as decision-making, problem-solving, and complex thought, integrating information from various parts of the brain rather than focusing on singular, discrete pieces of data.

Question 12

At work, you are responsible for assigning tasks needed to complete various projects your company is handling. When choosing who to assign to a task, you have to consider how the task should be completed in relation to the overall project goal. To assign responsibility, you are using the left and right hemispheres of your brain, which communicate via the:
A) cerebral cortex.
B) parietal lobe.
C) association areas.
D) corpus callosum.

Accepted Answer

The corpus callosum is the structure that allows for communication between the left and right hemispheres of the brain, facilitating the coordination necessary for task assignment in relation to project goals.

Question 13

What is NOT a limitation of functional magnetic resonance imaging?
A) The fMRI technique has poor resolution in comparison to other techniques.
B) Research using fMRI is more exploratory than hypothesis-based.
C) Many fMRI results are not stable across time and/or are due to chance.
D) Conclusions from fMRI results are often exaggerated and oversimplified.

Accepted Answer

fMRI has relatively high spatial resolution compared to other imaging techniques like EEG, making option A incorrect as a limitation.

Question 14

Which statement is true about reflexes?
A) Reflexes take anywhere from a few seconds to a minute to begin.
B) Reflexes are involuntary, automatic motor responses to sensory input.
C) Reflexes are voluntary, controlled motor responses to sensory input.
D) Reflexes are learned reactions to sensory stimuli.

Accepted Answer

Reflexes are involuntary, automatic motor responses to sensory input, meaning they occur without conscious thought in response to certain stimuli to protect the body or facilitate its functioning.

Question 15

The part of the brainstem primarily responsible for heartbeat and breathing is the:
A) thalamus.
B) reticular activating system.
C) pons.
D) medulla.

Accepted Answer

The medulla, part of the brainstem, is primarily responsible for controlling autonomic functions such as heartbeat and breathing.

Question 16

The _____ gland plays an important role in sleeping and waking.
A) adrenal
B) pituitary
C) pineal
D) thyroid

Accepted Answer

The pineal gland is responsible for producing melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep patterns, thus playing a crucial role in sleeping and waking cycles.

Question 17

The central nervous system:
A) connects your brain to all parts of your body.
B) is made up of the brain and the spinal cord.
C) regulates only the parts of the body controlled voluntarily.
D) stimulates the body in response to stressors.

Accepted Answer

The central nervous system (CNS) is comprised of the brain and the spinal cord, which serve as the primary processing center for the entire nervous system and control the functions of the body.

Question 18

Computed tomography takes _____ time than magnetic resonance imaging and produces brain images with _____ resolution.
A) more; higher
B) more; lower
C) less; higher
D) less; lower

Accepted Answer

Computed tomography (CT) scans generally take less time to perform than magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. However, MRI provides higher resolution images, especially for soft tissue, making CT images of the brain lower in resolution compared to MRI.

Question 19

Thaddeus volunteers behind the scenes at the local community theater. While setting up for a show, another volunteer accidently dropped a heavy set piece on Thaddeus's head. For several months after the accident, Thaddeus had significant trouble with problem solving, weighing multiple solutions, and forming strategies. Fortunately, Thaddeus recovered most of his functioning, although at times he still has minor trouble with these skills. It is MOST likely that the accident affected Thaddeus's _____ lobe.
A) frontal
B) parietal
C) temporal
D) occipital

Accepted Answer

The frontal lobe is responsible for higher cognitive functions such as problem solving, decision making, and planning, which aligns with the difficulties Thaddeus experienced after the accident.

Question 20

You jump involuntarily in response to a sudden loud noise. This is controlled by the:
A) endocrine system.
B) cerebral cortex.
C) parasympathetic division.
D) sympathetic division.

Accepted Answer

The sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system is responsible for the "fight or flight" response, which includes involuntary reactions to sudden stimuli, such as jumping in response to a loud noise.

Quiz 2: Brain and Behavior

Conner had a head injury that damaged his hippocampus. Conner now has significant difficulty:

Which is NOT true about the thalamus? The thalamus:

The main function of the limbic system is to:

The _____ is the part of the limbic system involved in memory, especially spatial memory and long-term memory.

Which statement about brain size across species is true?

At times, Stanley feels more anxious than usual. When Stanley feels like this, it affects his functioning. If a psychiatrist prescribed Stanley medicine to help with his anxiety during these times, that medicine would MOST likely address which neurotransmitter?

The _____ is involved in the regulation of movement.

Which function is NOT controlled by the brainstem?

_____ measures the difference in the activity of neurons between two points on the brain via sensors placed on the scalp.

Dr. Browne is a neuropsychologist who studies the functioning of the human brain. Although Dr. Browne is interested in all parts of the brain, his area of interest is primarily the _____, which consists of the full set of nerves that connect the brain with all other parts of the body.

Which statement about association areas is FALSE? Association areas:

What is NOT a limitation of functional magnetic resonance imaging?

Which statement is true about reflexes?

The part of the brainstem primarily responsible for heartbeat and breathing is the:

The _____ gland plays an important role in sleeping and waking.

The central nervous system:

Computed tomography takes _ time than magnetic resonance imaging and produces brain images with _ resolution.

You jump involuntarily in response to a sudden loud noise. This is controlled by the: