Behavioral Neuroscience- Exam 1

The Neuron, Cranial Nerves, The Brain, Communication, Drugs, and Neurotransmitters (Weeks 1-5)

In which hemisphere do most people process language?

Left

Which hemisphere controls the left side of the body?

Right

Which hemisphere detects the right visual field?

Left

If your left nostril is plugged and a smell is presented to your right nostril, this olfactory information will go to which hemisphere?

Right (smells are the exception to contralateral processing)

Identify the following parts:

A: dendrite

B: soma

C: axon hillock

D: myelin sheath

E: axon

F: node of Ranvier

Identify this neuron by structure.

Multipolar

Complete the hierarchical structure of the nervous system.

A: brain

B: spinal cord

C: autonomic

D: somatic

E: parasympathetic

F: sympathetic

Which motor protein transports materials (such as vesicular organelles) in the retrograde direction in the axon?

cytoplasmic dynein

Imagine that your corpus collosum has been sectioned to minimize your epileptic seizures. Suppose that your left nostril is plugged with cotton and that a fresh rose has been placed near your right nostril. Under these conditions, you would be most likely to:

use your left hand to select a hidden plastic flower

Imagine that your corpus collosum has been sectioned to minimize your epileptic seizures. You are aske dot look directly at the dot, as this image is flashed for a moment. Under these conditions, you would be most likely to:

verbally report seeing a dog

Imagine that your corpus collosum has been sectioned to minimize your epileptic seizures. You are aske dot look directly at the dot, as this image is flashed for a moment. Under these conditions, you would be most likely to (there are 2 correct answers):

Use your right hand to draw a dog

Use your left hand to draw a fish

The three types of neurons according to function are:

afferent, motor, interneuron

What is NOT a characteristic of axons?

clustered around the cell body like tree branches

Unilateral neglect from damage to the right parietal lobe involves:

the inability to notice objects placed to the left side of a person

Which part of the nervous system plays a dominant role in preparing the body for times of emergency or stress?

sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous system

Label each part of this cell indicated by the letters. 

G= dendrite

H= soma

I= axon hillock

J= axon

K= terminal buttons

This part of the neuron is responsible for releasing neurotransmitters.

Terminal buttons

The central nervous system is comprised of the:

Brain and spinal cord

What roman numerals belong to the following cranial nerves:

Olfactory

Facial (taste, tears, saliva, and facial expressions)

Trigeminal (facial muscles and sensations)

Optic (sight)

Vestibulocochlear (auditory)

Vagus (control of PNS e.g. smooth muscles of GI tract)

Olfactory- I

Facial- VII

Trigeminal- V

Optic- II

Vestibulocochlear- VIII

Vagus- X

Which cranial nerve is responsible for vision?

optic

The trigeminal nerve is primarily responsible for:

facial sensation and chewing

Which cranial nerve controls the muscles of facial expressions?

VII- Facial

The vestibulocochlear nerve is associated with which sense?

hearing and balance

The vagus nerve is known for:

hear rate, digestion

Which of the cranial nerves are both sensory and motor?

trigeminal, facial, vagus, and glossopharyngeal

Label the lettered cranial nerves.

A: Olfactory

B: Optic

C: Vestibulocochlear

D: Oculomtor

What are the three major ways to section the human brain (planes, not hind brain, mid brain, fore brain)

Frontal/coronal

Horizontal (axial)

Sagittal

The nose is _________, whereas the back of the head is _________.

rostral; caudal

The term “neuraxis” refers to

an imaginary line drawn through the spinal cord up to the front of the brain

Which term means “above” when referring to the human brain?

superior

Assume that electrical stimulation of the right motor cortex elicits limb movements on the left side of the body. In this instance, we would describe this as a(n) ______ organization of motor cortex and the muscles of the body. 

contralateral

The order of the meningeal layers from the surface of the brain outward (so insidei to outside layers) are

pia, arachnoid, dura.

The _______ is the soft and spongy layer fo the brain meninges.

arachnoid membrane

The four hollow and interconnected spaces within the brain form the

ventricles.

A _______ is a large groove found in the surface of the human cortex.

fissure

What would be expected following damage to the cortex just in front of the central sulcus?

difficulty in controlling the muscles of the body

Which plane is shown here?

coronal

Which plane is shown here?

sagittal

Which substructure of the hind brain is responsible for arousal and sleep?

reticular formation

Which substructure of the forebrain acts like a sensory relay?

thalamus

Identify the lettered parts.

A= hypothalamus

B= hippocampus

C= thalamus

D= Corpus Callosum

A cation would be attracted to

an anion.

What is true of ion distribution across the axon membrane?

Sodium ions are more concentrated outside the axon membrane

As a consequence of the activity of the sodium-potassium pumps,

intracellular sodium concentrations are kept low

What kind of electrical event is the action potential?

It is an all-or-none electrical event

What event repolarizes the membrane potential from the peak of the action potential (e.g., returns the membrane potential to resting level

Potassium ions move out of the cell

The nervous system codes for variation in the intensity of incoming sensory stimuli by variations in the ________ of a neuron

firing rate

Influx (entry) of ______ ions result in depolarization.

Na+

The electrical charge of the membrane potential is the result of a balance between two passive forces. The first is ________ which is the process by which molecules evenly distribute in a medium (from regions of high concentration to regions of low concentration). The second is ________ which is the process exerted by the attraction of cations and anions.

There is a third, active force that helps maintain the concentration of sodium ions outside of the cell. It is called the ________ pump.

1) diffusion

2) electrostatic force

3) sodium-potassium

Explain how the presence of myelin on an axon speeds up conduction velocity.

The myelin, a fatty membrane, insulates the axon from extracellular fluid. The signal can then jump from one node of Ranvier to the next.

Drugs like selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) prevent the reuptake of serotonin. They are:

agonists

Administering a molecule that is a precursor for the synthesis of a synaptic neurotransmitter would be expected to

increase the rate of synthesis and release of that neurotransmitter.

A drug that binds with a postsynaptic receptor, but does not open ion channels, would be termed a(n)

direct antagonist

PCP binds to an alternate binding site for the NMDA glutamate receptor, causing less neurotransmitter action. This binding action makes PCP a(n)

indirect antagonist

Inactivation of a transporter in the presynaptic membrane would be expected to

increase the levels of the transmitter in the synapse

Muscle contractions often need to happen quickly, so they are controlled via _______ receptors.

ionotropic

What do antagonist do?

They reduce postsynaptic effects.

Valium has a therapeutic index of over 100. Barbiturates have an index of around 2-3. Which drug is safer?

Valium

John has been prescribed a pain medication for chronic back pain. Over time, he notices that the same dose of the medication no longer provides the same level of pain relief, and he needs to take a higher dose to achieve the same effect. What is John experiencing?

tolerance

What are the four steps of pharmacokinetics?

1. Absorption

2. Distribution

3. Metabolism

4. Excretion

What are some routes of drug administration?

Oral Administration

Intravenous (IV) Injection

Intramuscular (IM) Injection

Sublingual Administration

Inhalation Administration

Topical Administration

Subcutaneous (SC) Injection

Intrarectal Administration

Intraperitoneal (IP) Injection

Intracerebral Administration

Intracerebroventricular Administration

What is blindsight?

unconscious vision

What are the amino acids?

glutamate, GABA, and glycine

What are the catecholamines?

dopamine, norepinephrine, and epinephrine

What are the peptides?

opioids

What are the things associated with dopamine?

drive

psychosis

Parkinson’s

attention

motor control

inhibition of prolactin

narcotics

extrapyramidal functioning

Which amino acids are inhibitory?

GABA and Glycine

What is associated with acetylcholine?

Botox and muscarinic receptors

Where is dopamine produced?

ventral tegmental area and substantia nigra

Where is serotonin produced?

raphe nuclei

Which neurotransmitter is usually released through axonal varicosities?

norepinephrine

What things are associated with opioids?

analgesia, pain relief, drowsiness, and constipation

What is an example of a soluble gas?

nitric oxide

Which neurotransmitter does caffeine affect?

adenosine

Which neurotransmitter does Sildenafil (Viagra) affect?

nitric oxide

Which receptor does marijuana affect?

cannabinoid receptor

Which neurotransmitter does nicotine affect?

acetylcholine

What is the reward pathway of the brain?

mesolimbic system