Question 1

Infusion of ________ into brain tissue overstimulates _______,thereby ablating cell bodies.
A) PCP; NMDA receptors
B) kainic acid; glutamate receptors
C) 6-hydroxydopamine; NMDA receptors
D) PCP; D2 receptors
E) THC; CB2 receptors

Accepted Answer

Infusion of kainic acid into brain tissue overstimulates glutamate receptors,thereby ablating cell bodies.

Question 2

The ________ is a device that holds an animal's head fixed in space and that can be used to implant an electrode or cannula into brain.
A) cryoloop
B) electroencephalogram
C) stereotaxic apparatus
D) macroelectrode assembly
E) ocular apparatus

Accepted Answer

The stereotaxic apparatus is a device used to hold the animal's head fixed in space during a surgical procedure, allowing for precise placement of an electrode or cannula into the brain. The other options listed are not specific tools used for this purpose.

Question 3

The three numbers listed on a page of a stereotaxic atlas describe
A) the location of a brain structure in three planes relative to bregma.
B) the current settings required to produce an electrolytic lesion.
C) the settings on a stereotaxic apparatus for mice versus rats versus hamsters.
D) the strain, age, and weight of an animal.
E) the amounts of repeated drug doses required to produce a functional lesion

Accepted Answer

The three numbers listed on a page of a stereotaxic atlas describe the location of a brain structure in three planes relative to bregma.

Question 4

An experimenter wishes to determine the effect of a radio frequency lesion placed in the lateral hypothalamus on emotional behavior in the rat.In order to be able to attribute any changes in emotional behavior to the lesion,this experiment will require a(n)
A) sham lesion control group.
B) current source.
C) aspiration device.
D) cooling electrode.
E) stereotaxic instrument.

Accepted Answer

A sham lesion control group is required to interpret the results of a brain lesion study.

Question 5

A temporary disruption of neural activity in a local brain region can be produced
A) using an injection of kainic acid into the region.
B) using an injection of muscimol into the region.
C) by local heating of the region using a cryoloop.
D) by injection of a GABA antagonist into the region.
E) by infusion of a low dose of ethanol into the region.

Accepted Answer

A temporary disruption of neural activity in a local brain region can be produced using an injection of muscimol into the region.

Question 6

________ is a skull landmark which also serves as a reference point for stereotaxic surgery.
A) Lambda
B) The optic chiasm
C) Bregma
D) The junction of the parasagittal sutures
E) The zero point

Accepted Answer

Bregma is the point where the coronal and sagittal sutures meet on the top of the skull. It is commonly used as a reference point for stereotaxic surgery, which involves the precise placement of electrodes or other instruments into specific areas of the brain.

Question 7

The key problem noted in Balint's syndrome is
A) difficulty in visual perception.
B) making errors in naming objects and colors.
C) difficulty in understanding the emotional content of speech.
D) a slow, clumsy gait.
E) difficulty breathing and chest pain.

Accepted Answer

Balint's syndrome is a neurological condition characterized by difficulty in visual perception, including difficulty in scanning the visual field and focusing on individual objects. This can lead to difficulty recognizing objects or faces, as well as difficulty with depth perception and visual confirmation of movements. Naming objects and colors (B) and understanding the emotional content of speech (C) are not key problems noted in Balint's syndrome. A slow, clumsy gait (D) and difficulty breathing and chest pain (E) are not typically associated with Balint's syndrome.

Question 8

Which of the following techniques creates a brain lesion by overstimulating neurons to death?
A) aspiration of a region of the cortex
B) extreme physical exercise
C) infusions of an excitatory amino acid into a brain region
D) 6-hydroxydopamine infusions into a brain region
E) radio-frequency current passed through a brain region

Accepted Answer

Infusions of an excitatory amino acid, such as kainic acid or glutamate, can lead to overstimulation of neurons and result in cell death, which creates a brain lesion. The other techniques listed do not necessarily involve overstimulation of neurons to create a lesion.

Question 9

In surgery that uses the stereotaxic instrument,
A) the head holder is designed to fix the skull in a rigid position.
B) the carrier arm can be manipulated in two dimensions.
C) stereotaxic surgery does not require coordinates from a brain atlas.
D) the procedure is limited to the creation of brain lesions.
E) Stereotaxic surgery is limited to animals.

Accepted Answer

The head holder is an essential component of the stereotaxic instrument as it fixes the skull in a rigid position, preventing any movement during the surgery.

Answer: B
 The carrier arm in the stereotaxic instrument can be manipulated in two dimensions (up-down and left-right), allowing for precise targeting of specific brain regions.

Answer: D
 Although stereotaxic surgery has been used historically for creating brain lesions, it is not limited to that function. It can also be used for a range of other surgical procedures, including implantation of cannulas or electrodes, injection of drugs, and tissue biopsies.

Therefore, the best choices are A and B.

Question 10

The key difference between function and behavior is that circuits within the brain perform
A) independent behaviors.
B) a single behavior that is functional for the organism.
C) reflexes that are inhibitory.
D) a function that contributes to a behavior.
E) All of the above are correct.

Accepted Answer

The key difference between function and behavior is that circuits within the brain perform.

Question 11

A lesion technique that is selective for cell bodies in brain tissue involves
A) aspiration of tissue using a pipette.
B) overstimulation of glutamate receptors by kainic acid.
C) the flow of alternating current at the tip of an electrode.
D) the flow of electrical current through an electrode.
E) infusion of hypertonic saline through a cannula.

Accepted Answer

A lesion technique that is selective for cell bodies in brain tissue involves overstimulation of glutamate receptors by kainic acid.

Question 12

The standard drug treatment for angina pectoris involves ________ administration of ________.
A) topical; amphetamine
B) rectal; a benzodiazepine
C) intravenous; nitroglycerine
D) sublingual; nitroglycerine
E) topical; L-DOPA

Accepted Answer

The standard drug treatment for angina pectoris involves angina administration of nitroglycerine.

Question 13

One of the oldest methods used in neuroscience to study brain function is
A) immunocytochemistry.
B) stereotaxic surgery.
C) autoradiography.
D) experimental ablation.
E) the study of twins.

Accepted Answer

Experimental ablation, also known as lesioning, involves selectively damaging or removing a specific area of the brain to study its function. This method has been used for over a century to investigate the role of different brain regions in behavior and cognition.

Question 14

Which of the following represents a problem for interpreting the effects of a brain lesion on behavior?
A) It is difficult to reliably monitor animal behavior.
B) No one circuit is solely responsible for a behavior.
C) Brain lesions are difficult to produce in animals.
D) Brain structures are functionally isolated from each other.
E) Human observations are too unreliable.

Accepted Answer

Because no one circuit is solely responsible for a behavior,it can be difficult to interpret the effects of a brain lesion on behavior.

Question 15

Imagine that feeding behavior was eliminated when a radio-frequency lesion was used to damage the lateral hypothalamus of a rat,which suggested that cells within this region initiate feeding.If a subsequent study failed to observe a change in feeding after injection of kainic acid into the lateral hypothalamus,what conclusion would be appropriate?
A) The lateral hypothalamus functions to inhibit eating.
B) The changes in eating noted in the first study may be due to damage to axon fibers that are passing through the lateral hypothalamus.
C) The changes in eating are due to damage to cell bodies within the lateral hypothalamus, and these act to initiate eating.
D) Glial cells within the lateral hypothalamus are key for the control of eating.
E) Cannot draw a conclusion based on this study.

Accepted Answer

If a radiofrequency lesion of a brain area alters feeding but kainic acid injected into the same brain region did not,the changes in eating noted in the first study may be due to damage to axon fibers that are passing through the lateral hypothalamus.

Question 16

Stereotaxically guided lesions in humans have been used to treat
A) Alzheimer's disease.
B) Parkinson's disease.
C) Balint's syndrome.
D) angina pectoris.
E) schizophrenia.

Accepted Answer

Stereotaxically guided lesions in humans have been used to treat Parkinson's disease.

Question 17

A key advantage of ________ lesions is that they affect only neural cell bodies and do not damage axons passing through the region.
A) aspiration
B) sub-cortical
C) radio-frequency
D) 6-hydroxydopamine
E) excitotoxic

Accepted Answer

A key advantage of excitotoxic lesions is that they affect only neural cell bodies and do not damage axons passing through the region.

Question 18

The key rationale for lesion studies is that
A) the change in behavior that follows a brain lesion can give important clues about a function of an ablated brain area.
B) lesions are simple to create within the brain.
C) brain lesions are specific for fibers of passage.
D) brain lesions reliably produce marked and observable changes in behaviors.
E) most lesions are temporary.

Accepted Answer

The key rationale for lesion studies is that the change in behavior that follows a brain lesion can give important clues about a function of an ablated brain area.

Question 19

A key advantage of a reversible brain lesion is that
A) axons of passage are not affected by reversible procedures.
B) each animal can serve as its own control.
C) cell bodies are not affected by reversible procedures.
D) such lesions affect brain tissue near the tip of the lesion device.
E) the method does not damage adjacent glial cells.

Accepted Answer

A key advantage of a reversible brain lesion is that each animal can serve as its own control.

Question 20

Which of the following is true of the experimental ablation technique?
A) Ablation is a new molecular method used in neuroscience.
B) Early ablation studies used focused magnetic waves to destroy brain tissue.
C) The technique involves destroying brain tissue and then observing subsequent behavior.
D) Ablated tissue is suctioned from the brain.
E) Ablation generates results that are easily interpreted.

Accepted Answer

The technique involves destroying brain tissue and then observing subsequent behavior.

Quiz 5: Methods and Strategies of Research

Infusion of __ into brain tissue overstimulates _,thereby ablating cell bodies.

The ________ is a device that holds an animal's head fixed in space and that can be used to implant an electrode or cannula into brain.

The three numbers listed on a page of a stereotaxic atlas describe

An experimenter wishes to determine the effect of a radio frequency lesion placed in the lateral hypothalamus on emotional behavior in the rat.In order to be able to attribute any changes in emotional behavior to the lesion,this experiment will require a(n)

A temporary disruption of neural activity in a local brain region can be produced

________ is a skull landmark which also serves as a reference point for stereotaxic surgery.

The key problem noted in Balint's syndrome is

Which of the following techniques creates a brain lesion by overstimulating neurons to death?

In surgery that uses the stereotaxic instrument,

The key difference between function and behavior is that circuits within the brain perform

A lesion technique that is selective for cell bodies in brain tissue involves

The standard drug treatment for angina pectoris involves administration of .

One of the oldest methods used in neuroscience to study brain function is

Which of the following represents a problem for interpreting the effects of a brain lesion on behavior?

Stereotaxically guided lesions in humans have been used to treat

A key advantage of ________ lesions is that they affect only neural cell bodies and do not damage axons passing through the region.

The key rationale for lesion studies is that

A key advantage of a reversible brain lesion is that

Which of the following is true of the experimental ablation technique?