Module 9
Neurotransmitters cross the _______________ to carry information to the next neuron.
Synaptic gap
Which part of the nervous system includes the brain and spinal cord?
Which structure of the brain controls heartbeat and breathing?
The Medulla
In split-brain experimentation/surgery, which part of the brain is severed?
The corpus callosum
What is the name for the extent to which differences among people are accounted for by genes?
Heritability
In neural processing, what is the name for a brief resting pause that occurs after a neuron has fired?
refractory period
Which part of the nervous system is responsible for gathering information and transmitting CNS decisions to other body parts?
The peripheral nervous system (PNS)
Which brain scanning technique measures glucose consumption as an indicator of brain activity?
PET (Positron Emission Tomography) Scan
During which task might the right hemisphere of the brain be most active?
A. Solving a mathematical equation
B. Reading
C. Making a brief oral presentation to a class
D. Imagining what a dress would like like on a friend
E. Solving a logic problem
D. Imagining what a dress would like like on a friend
What is the study of how the structure and functions of genes interact with our environment to influence behavior called?
Molecular behavior genetics
In order for a neuron to generate an action potential, which of the following must be true?
A. The neuron must be in the refractory period.
B. Glial cells must release neurotransmitters into the axon.
C. Excitatory impulses must outnumber inhibitory impulses.
D. Dopamine and serotonin must be present in equal amounts.
E. Inhibitory impulses must outnumber excitatory impulses.
C. Excitatory impulses must outnumber inhibitory impulses.
What type of neurons carry incoming messages from the body's tissues and sensory receptors to the central nervous system?
Sensory neurons
Which part of the limbic system is linked to emotion?
The amygdala
What is the name for a condition in which a person can respond to a visual stimulus without consciously experiencing it?
Blindsight
What is the name for threadlike structures made of DNA molecules that contain genes?
Chromosomes
What type of molecules increase a neurotransmitter's action?
Agonist molecules
(Example: Some opiate drugs, like morphine)
What is the most influential of the endocrine glands?
Pituitary gland
Which lobe of the brain is located in the top rear of the brain and receives sensory input for touch and body position?
The parietal lobe
What type of processing is best for solving new problems that require our focused attention on one thing at a time?
Sequential processing
What is the name for a culturally modeled guide for how to act in various situations?
Social script
An undersupply of the neurotransmitter dopamine can lead to what disease?
Parkinson's disease
Which division of the autonomic nervous system calms a person down once a stressful event has passed?
The parasympathetic nervous system
What is the name for the ability of our brain to adapt to damage, where one area may take over the function of the damaged area?
Plasticity (neural plasticity)
What is the name given to the principle that information is often simultaneously processed on separate conscious and unconscious tracks?
Dual processing
What is the name for the principle that inherited traits that better enable an organism to survive and reproduce will most likely be passed on to succeeding generations?
Natural selection