91 Questions
What are the two pathways for signals sent by the brain to initiate movement?
Lateral and medial
When does the brain experience a burst of growth?
During adolescence and early adulthood
What is still debated in the scientific community regarding mirror neurons and imitation?
Whether mirror neurons have a genetic component
What is genotype?
The personal set of genetic instructions of an individual
What is the cause of sexual orientation?
A complex interplay of genetic, hormonal, and environmental influences
What is the function of the basal ganglia?
They control voluntary movements
What is the primary means we have to interact with the world and other people, according to the motor chauvinist view?
Movement
What is the ideomotor theory?
A theory that links perception and action
What is the mirror neuron system?
A system that codes the goal of the motor act
When does brain development experience a burst of growth?
During puberty and early adulthood
Which theory confirms the direct matching between perception and action?
Mirror neuron theory
What can cause abnormal brain development?
All of the above
What is phenotype?
The physical expression of an individual's genetic instructions
Which brain region is a key area that differs between males and females in humans?
The sexually dimorphic nucleus of the preoptic area (SDN-POA
What is Parkinson's disease characterized by?
Difficulty initiating voluntary movements
What supports the idea that imitation is innate?
Infants are attracted to people who match the form of their action
What can cause abnormal brain development?
Both A and B
What allows us to adapt to a changing physical environment and novel conventions developed by society?
Learning
Which component is the principal part of the lateral pathway?
The corticospinal tract
What is autistic syndrome disorder (ASD)?
A disorder characterized by impairments in social and emotional abilities
What is sensorimotor associative learning (ASL)?
A mechanism that explains how neurons acquire mirroring properties
What is the main source of voluntary motor control?
The primary motor cortex
What is the relationship between individuals with ASD and motor skills?
They tend to be impaired in basic sensory and motor skills
What role do hormones play in sexual orientation development?
A significant role
What can studies of twins raised together or apart help determine?
The relative contributions of genetics and environment to an individual's traits
What is Down syndrome caused by?
An extra copy of chromosome 21
What is the cause of Down syndrome?
An extra copy of chromosome 21
What are mirror neurons?
Neurons that match observed and executed actions
What system mediates all communication?
Motor system
What causes Parkinson's disease?
Degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra
How have human mirror neurons been identified?
Through single-cell recording in presurgical patients and fMRI procedures in healthy volunteers
When does ASL occur?
Only in the context of social interactions between infants and their caregivers
What is a traditional treatment for Parkinson's disease?
Levodopa
What can children with fetal alcohol syndrome experience?
Growth retardation, reduced IQ, and behavioral problems
What role does the cerebellum play in movement?
Sequencing complex movements
Which is more likely to have the same sexual orientation, identical twins or non-identical twins?
Identical twins
What is the link between the mirror neuron system and individuals with autism?
The mirror neuron system is underactive in individuals with autism
What are skeletal muscles made up of?
Muscle fibers
What is the "use it or lose it" philosophy?
The philosophy that abilities must be continually practiced or risk being lost
What is fetal alcohol syndrome associated with?
Growth retardation, reduced IQ, and behavioral problems
What is the function of the left fusiform gyrus?
To mediate identification
What is the causal role of mirror neurons in behavioral copying?
They play a role in copying body movement topography
How do toxins interfere with movement?
By acting on the neuromuscular junction
What happens when there is damage to the cell body of a neuron?
Neural death
What happens when there is damage to the cell body of a neuron?
The neuron dies
What is the critical period in the brain's development?
The formation of connections between neurons
What puts stress on women's knees during running?
Pelvic width
What is imitation?
A special case of social learning in which the individual learns by observing a model who performs a task
What did Dean Hamer and colleagues find in their 1993 linkage analysis study?
The presence of multiple contributing genetic factors throughout the genome
What is an alternative therapeutic approach for Parkinson's disease?
Electrical stimulation
What is the strongest human muscle?
Uterus
What is required to wire the nervous system?
The formation of connections between neurons
When was the first large genetic linkage study of male sexual orientation reported?
2012
What is Alzheimer's disease associated with?
Loss of cognitive and emotional function
What is Alzheimer's disease?
A degenerative condition associated with aging
What effect do cholinergic agonists have on muscles?
They boost the activity of acetylcholine
What effect does levodopa have on Parkinson's disease patients?
It speeds up movement and improves coordination
What is the benefit of imitation?
It allows for the rapid acquisition of skills
Why are humans better imitators than other animals?
Due to socio-cultural experience
What is the visual word form area?
An area in the brain that is activated when reading
What is the significance of mastery of imitation?
It is a simple mechanism for developing cognitive tools
What role do dopamine neurons play in the brain?
They are involved in the reward circuit
What are neurofibrillary tangles characteristic of?
Alzheimer's disease
What might have contributed to the emergence of social learning strategies in humans?
A combination of biological and socio-environmental resources
What is the result of spinal cord damage?
Permanent paralysis
Which neurons are responsible for contracting muscles?
Alpha motor neurons
What are neurofibrillary tangles and decreased cholinergic activity characteristic of?
Alzheimer's disease
What is synaptic pruning?
The reduction of the number of functional synapses
Which chromosome regions contribute to the development of male sexual orientation?
Both A and B
What is the location of the visual word form area?
In the left hemisphere of the brain
What are motor units made up of?
A single alpha motor neuron and all the muscle fibers it innervates
Can synaptic connections be rearranged throughout life?
Yes
What is the role of mirror neurons?
To play a role in empathy and social cognition
Can synaptic connections be rearranged throughout life?
Yes
What did the 2012 genetic linkage study find about the role of genetics in sexual orientation?
Genetics play a significant role in sexual orientation
What predisposes a child to interaction and influences the development of mirror neurons?
The ability to grasp synchrony with others
What leads to neural tube defects?
Folic acid deficiencies
What type of reflex requires the interaction of only two neurons at a single synapse?
Monosynaptic reflex
What has been demonstrated about critical periods during brain development?
Experience can modify brain development during critical periods
What role does motor expertise play in the development of individuals?
It highlights the link between action understanding and experience
What has been demonstrated about critical periods during brain development?
They can modify brain development
Which of the following statements is true about the cause of sexual orientation?
It is determined by a complex interplay of genetic, hormonal, and environmental influences
What happens to neurons that fail to receive adequate amounts of nerve growth factor (NGF)?
They experience apoptosis
What is the relationship between mirror neurons and prediction?
Mirror neurons rely on prediction for social cognition
Are there currently effective treatments for reversing the course of Alzheimer's disease?
No
What is the mechanism that explains how neurons acquire mirroring properties?
Sensorimotor associative learning (ASL
What is the potential risk of folic acid fortification?
Increased risk of colon cancer
What did chromosome linkage studies indicate about the cause of sexual orientation?
It is solely determined by genetics
Are there currently effective treatments for reversing the course of Alzheimer's disease?
No
What is the importance of prediction in the brain?
It is one of the most complex and crucial abilities of the brain
Why is the motor system crucial for having a brain?
To produce adaptable and complex movements
Study Notes
- Genetic testing has increased due to understanding of human genome.
- SNPs can predict a person's risk for Alzheimer's disease.
- Genotype refers to a person's set of genetic instructions, while phenotype is the expression of those instructions.
- Twins studies are useful in determining the contributions of heredity and environment.
- The development of the nervous system occurs in six stages.
- "Use it or lose it" philosophy applies to the nervous system.
- Large numbers of cells die during development through apoptosis.
- Synaptic pruning occurs during development.
- Homosexuality is considered a natural and normal sexual orientation.
- Sexual orientation is likely the result of a complex interaction of genetic, hormonal, environmental, cognitive, and biological factors.
- Finger digit ratio is a marker of prenatal testosterone exposure and is linked to same-sex attraction.
- The sexually dimorphic nucleus of the preoptic area differs between males and females and is linked to sexual behavior.
- Multiple genes have been found to play a role in sexual orientation.
- Brain development continues throughout life, with a burst of growth during puberty that affects the frontal lobes.
- Synaptic connections can be rearranged throughout life due to experience.
- Critical periods exist during which experience can modify behavior, such as imprinting in baby geese and language acquisition.
- Children raised in orphanages have very few opportunities to interact with others and the environment, leading to developmental delays.
- Abnormal development can occur due to neural tube defects, genetic disorders, and environmental causes.
- Fetal alcohol syndrome can cause growth retardation, reduced IQ, and behavioral problems.
- Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative condition associated with aging that results in loss of cognitive and emotional function.
- Tangles result from detachment of tau protein
- Microtubules collapse without tau protein
- Transneuronal degeneration spreads deterioration rapidly
- Memory impairment from deterioration in hippocampus
- Language and problem-solving deficits from damage to cortex
- Emotional changes from damage to limbic system structures
- No effective treatments for reversing Alzheimer's disease
- Decrease in cholinergic activity in brain is characteristic of Alzheimer's
- Medications boosting acetylcholine levels might be helpful
- Alzheimer's disease affects various parts of the brain.
This quiz is a comprehensive review of genetics, development, and neurological disorders. Test your knowledge of genetic testing, heredity, and the contributions of environment and experience to behavior. Learn about the development of the nervous system and the critical periods during which experience can modify behavior. Explore the causes and effects of abnormal development, fetal alcohol syndrome, and Alzheimer's disease. Discover the latest research on sexual orientation and brain development. This quiz is perfect for anyone interested in genetics, neuroscience, and psychology.
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