Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is the primary function of neurotransmitters in the nervous system?
What is the primary function of neurotransmitters in the nervous system?
- To protect the axon from the action potential
- To increase the resting potential of a neuron
- To transmit information from one cell to another (correct)
- To insulate the axon from stimuli
Which type of neurotransmitters increases the polarization of the postsynaptic membrane?
Which type of neurotransmitters increases the polarization of the postsynaptic membrane?
- Excitatory
- Synaptic
- Modulating
- Inhibitory (correct)
What is a possible consequence of having excessive levels of glutamate?
What is a possible consequence of having excessive levels of glutamate?
- Sleeplessness and aggression
- Schizophrenia
- Tingling and numbness (correct)
- Depression or anxiety
What is a possible consequence of having excessive levels of dopamine?
What is a possible consequence of having excessive levels of dopamine?
What is a possible consequence of having insufficient serotonin in the brain?
What is a possible consequence of having insufficient serotonin in the brain?
What do inhibitory neurotransmitters do to the membrane?
What do inhibitory neurotransmitters do to the membrane?
What is the role of neurotransmitters in the nervous system?
What is the role of neurotransmitters in the nervous system?
What is the effect of glutamate on neurons?
What is the effect of glutamate on neurons?
What neurotransmitter is involved in learning and memory?
What neurotransmitter is involved in learning and memory?
What is the effect of MSG on the brain?
What is the effect of MSG on the brain?
What is the primary neurotransmitter involved in the experience of pleasure?
What is the primary neurotransmitter involved in the experience of pleasure?
What do narcotics mimic in the brain?
What do narcotics mimic in the brain?
What is the characteristic of an action potential?
What is the characteristic of an action potential?
What is the primary symptom of a panic attack?
What is the primary symptom of a panic attack?
What is the major subdivision of the nervous system that includes the brain and spinal cord?
What is the major subdivision of the nervous system that includes the brain and spinal cord?
What is the effect of a drug that boosts memory and learning capacity?
What is the effect of a drug that boosts memory and learning capacity?
What is the primary characteristic of a graded potential?
What is the primary characteristic of a graded potential?
What is the primary function of the autonomic nervous system?
What is the primary function of the autonomic nervous system?
What part of the brain is involved in heartbeat, circulation, and respiration?
What part of the brain is involved in heartbeat, circulation, and respiration?
What is the primary function of the limbic system?
What is the primary function of the limbic system?
Which condition is associated with damage to the basal ganglia?
Which condition is associated with damage to the basal ganglia?
What is the primary function of the cerebral cortex?
What is the primary function of the cerebral cortex?
What is the term for the areas of the cerebral cortex that process raw sensory stimuli?
What is the term for the areas of the cerebral cortex that process raw sensory stimuli?
Which hemisphere is primarily involved in non-speech based information processing?
Which hemisphere is primarily involved in non-speech based information processing?
What is the role of the amygdala?
What is the role of the amygdala?
What is the function of the hindbrain?
What is the function of the hindbrain?
Which of the following is NOT a function of the limbic system?
Which of the following is NOT a function of the limbic system?
Which of the following is a characteristic of emotions and lateralization?
Which of the following is a characteristic of emotions and lateralization?
Which nervous system is responsible for conveying sensory information to the central nervous system and sending motor messages?
Which nervous system is responsible for conveying sensory information to the central nervous system and sending motor messages?
What is the primary function of the sympathetic nervous system?
What is the primary function of the sympathetic nervous system?
Which of the following is NOT a part of the autonomic nervous system?
Which of the following is NOT a part of the autonomic nervous system?
What is the primary function of the autonomic nervous system?
What is the primary function of the autonomic nervous system?
How do the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system operate?
How do the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system operate?
What is the primary function of the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system?
What is the primary function of the parasympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system?
What is the function of each segment of the spinal cord?
What is the function of each segment of the spinal cord?
What is the function of the tectum?
What is the function of the tectum?
Which nervous system is responsible for controlling involuntary actions such as reflexes?
Which nervous system is responsible for controlling involuntary actions such as reflexes?
What is the primary function of the central nervous system?
What is the primary function of the central nervous system?
What is the primary difference in the brain structure of rats raised in enriched versus impoverished environments?
What is the primary difference in the brain structure of rats raised in enriched versus impoverished environments?
What is the primary function of the amygdala?
What is the primary function of the amygdala?
What is the most likely cause of difficulty recognizing sarcastic or ironic comments?
What is the most likely cause of difficulty recognizing sarcastic or ironic comments?
What brain region is primarily responsible for controlling movements once we learn a piano piece well?
What brain region is primarily responsible for controlling movements once we learn a piano piece well?
What is a characteristic of Wernicke's aphasia?
What is a characteristic of Wernicke's aphasia?
Which two brain regions are primarily used when two individuals are having a conversation?
Which two brain regions are primarily used when two individuals are having a conversation?
What is the significance of the case of Phineas Gage?
What is the significance of the case of Phineas Gage?
What is the primary difference between Broca's area and Wernicke's area?
What is the primary difference between Broca's area and Wernicke's area?
What is a characteristic of basal ganglia damage?
What is a characteristic of basal ganglia damage?
What is the primary function of Wernicke's area?
What is the primary function of Wernicke's area?
What is the outcome of a split-brain operation on the brain's hemispheres?
What is the outcome of a split-brain operation on the brain's hemispheres?
What is the primary function of the hypothalamus?
What is the primary function of the hypothalamus?
What was the result of experiments with rats in enriched or impoverished environments?
What was the result of experiments with rats in enriched or impoverished environments?
Which of the following traits is influenced by genetic factors?
Which of the following traits is influenced by genetic factors?
What does a heritability coefficient of 50 percent mean?
What does a heritability coefficient of 50 percent mean?
What is the result of cutting the corpus callosum in a split-brain operation?
What is the result of cutting the corpus callosum in a split-brain operation?
What is the role of the hypothalamus in maintaining vital processes?
What is the role of the hypothalamus in maintaining vital processes?
What is the outcome of raising rats in enriched environments?
What is the outcome of raising rats in enriched environments?
What is the role of genetic factors in influencing behavior?
What is the role of genetic factors in influencing behavior?
What does a heritability coefficient measure?
What does a heritability coefficient measure?
Study Notes
Neurotransmitters
- Neurotransmitters are chemicals that transmit information from one cell to another
- They are responsible for communication between neurons
Types of Neurotransmitters
- Inhibitory neurotransmitters (e.g. GABA) hyperpolarize the membrane, reducing the likelihood of an action potential
- Excitatory neurotransmitters (e.g. glutamate) increase the polarization of the postsynaptic membrane
- Glutamate can produce feelings of tingling and numbness
- Dopamine is involved in emotional arousal, pleasure, and reward learning
- Serotonin is involved in regulation of mood, and low levels are associated with depression
- Acetylcholine is involved in learning and memory
Action Potential
- Occurs when the membrane is depolarized from its resting state of -70mV to about -50mV
- Has an all-or-none quality, unlike graded potentials
Nervous System
- The autonomic nervous system is involved in basic life processes such as digestion and respiration
- The sympathetic nervous system prepares the body for response to threat (e.g. fight-or-flight response)
- The parasympathetic nervous system returns the body to a calm state after a threat has passed
- The somatic nervous system is involved in conveying sensory information to the central nervous system and sending motor messages
Brain Structures and Functions
- The medulla oblongata is involved in controlling essential functions such as heartbeat, circulation, and respiration
- The tectum is involved in orienting towards sound or visual events
- The limbic system is involved in emotion, motivation, learning, and memory
- The basal ganglia are involved in movement and judgment
- The amygdala is involved in emotional processes, especially fear responses
- The cerebral cortex is involved in creating sequences of voluntary movements, making subtle discriminations among complex sensory patterns, and symbolic thinking
- The right hemisphere is involved in non-speech based information processing, such as forming visual maps, recognizing faces, and recognizing music
Emotions and Lateralization
- The left hemisphere is involved in processing positive emotions
- The right hemisphere is involved in processing negative emotions
Brain Development and Plasticity
- The brain can change in response to experience and environment
- Enriched environments can lead to increased growth and complexity of the brain
- Damage to certain brain structures can lead to specific cognitive and emotional impairments
Language and Cognition
-
Broca's area and Wernicke's area are involved in language processing
-
Damage to these areas can lead to aphasias, or language processing impairments
-
The case of Phineas Gage highlights the importance of the frontal lobes in personality and impulse control### Heritability Studies
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Heritability studies show that identical twins have similar:
- Vocational interests
- Levels of job satisfaction
- Religious attitudes
- Level of divorce (influenced by personality factors)
-
These similarities point to the role of genetic factors in influencing behavior
Heritability Coefficient
- A heritability coefficient measures the extent to which variation in a trait across individuals is accountable for by genetic variation
- The coefficient ranges from 0 (no heritability) to 1.0 (the trait is completely heritable)
- A coefficient of 50% means that 50% of the variability in a trait is due to heredity
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Description
This quiz tests your understanding of neurotransmitters and their role in neural communication. It covers the function of neurotransmitters and their importance in transmitting information between neurons.
