BIO 331 Exam 3 QUESTIONS
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ANSWERS [LATEST] GRADED
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directly and work through dedicated circuitry. Hormones, on average, act slower to set animals
up for probably behaving in certain ways (i.e. depending on environmental input) and work
through a less dedicated set of channels. Neuroendocrine systems merge when we consider
neurotransmitter hormones like epinephrine, which acts fast within the nervous system itself.
What is the main evolutionary benefit of having hormones regulate animal behaviors? -
CORRECT ANSWER-Simply put, to appropriately time an animal's behavioral response to the
specific stimulus - so that it's the right time, the right context, and towards the right individual.
Steroids: - CORRECT ANSWER-a) Mineralocorticoids:
Aldosterone is the primary mineralocorticoid, produced in the adrenal gland and influencing
salt and water balance. Animals require electrolytes to maintain mineral and osmotic balance in
the body and as such have developed behavioral drinking preferences and aversions for sodium
intake to ensure this balance (i.e. craving salt when sodium-deplete and drinking fresh water
when sodium-replete)
b) Glucocorticoids:
Glucocorticoids like corticosterone (or cortisol in some organisms) are also corticosteroids,
related to the mineralocorticoids, and similarly are produced in the adrenal cortex (hence their
name). Also as their name reveals, they function primarily in glucose metabolism, but have
, varied effects on animal behaviors. This is often referred to as a stress hormone, for example, as
it is elevated in response to environmental stressors, as a mechanism for animals to mobilize
energy (glucose) to fight through an impending stressful event.
c) Sex Steroids - testosterone and estrogen
Perhaps the most well-studied link between animal behaviors and hormones are testosterone-
mediated responses. Many classic studies show strong links between testosterone and
aggressive behavior or social dominance. In fact, a central hypothesis underlying the evolution
of animal behavioral mechanisms - the challenge hypothesis - emerged from this long-standing
body of work (Wingfield 2017). Under this idea, testosterone is argued to rise in response to the
pending (seasonal/contextual) need for aggressive confrontations. Interestingly, engaging in
combat itself (the "challenge") can be the signal that leads to feedback and surges of
testosterone that set animals up for future successful conflicts at that proper
(mating/competitive) time of year.
Peptide/protein hormones - CORRECT ANSWER-a) Prolactin:
We often think of prolactin as the parental hormone, as it often surges from the anterior
pituitary in direct response to breeding cues (e.g. nest, offspring) and motivates investment in
egg incubation or brooding or feeding of the young
b) Oxytocin
Oxytocin, by contrast, is released from the posterior pituitary, but also plays a key role in the
reproductive process. Most notably, it is released during childbirth (i.e. labor contractions;
hence the name of the drug pitocin, which is administered to human moms to stimulate uterine
contractions) and facilitates social bonding between mother and offspring, in addition other
supporting roles (nipple stimulation and milk letdown for breastfeeding).
Monoamine hormones - CORRECT ANSWER-a) Melatonin
Time-keeping is an important aspect of animal behavior. The simplest example of why time-
keeping is important is the daily solar cycle. Many animals navigate, forage, and find mates
through visual means, so you can imagine how difficult it might be to accomplish those activities
in the dark of night. The onset of darkness and the onset of daylight are therefore important
AND VERIFIED CORRECT
ANSWERS [LATEST] GRADED
A+ 100% GUARANTEES
SUCCESS
directly and work through dedicated circuitry. Hormones, on average, act slower to set animals
up for probably behaving in certain ways (i.e. depending on environmental input) and work
through a less dedicated set of channels. Neuroendocrine systems merge when we consider
neurotransmitter hormones like epinephrine, which acts fast within the nervous system itself.
What is the main evolutionary benefit of having hormones regulate animal behaviors? -
CORRECT ANSWER-Simply put, to appropriately time an animal's behavioral response to the
specific stimulus - so that it's the right time, the right context, and towards the right individual.
Steroids: - CORRECT ANSWER-a) Mineralocorticoids:
Aldosterone is the primary mineralocorticoid, produced in the adrenal gland and influencing
salt and water balance. Animals require electrolytes to maintain mineral and osmotic balance in
the body and as such have developed behavioral drinking preferences and aversions for sodium
intake to ensure this balance (i.e. craving salt when sodium-deplete and drinking fresh water
when sodium-replete)
b) Glucocorticoids:
Glucocorticoids like corticosterone (or cortisol in some organisms) are also corticosteroids,
related to the mineralocorticoids, and similarly are produced in the adrenal cortex (hence their
name). Also as their name reveals, they function primarily in glucose metabolism, but have
, varied effects on animal behaviors. This is often referred to as a stress hormone, for example, as
it is elevated in response to environmental stressors, as a mechanism for animals to mobilize
energy (glucose) to fight through an impending stressful event.
c) Sex Steroids - testosterone and estrogen
Perhaps the most well-studied link between animal behaviors and hormones are testosterone-
mediated responses. Many classic studies show strong links between testosterone and
aggressive behavior or social dominance. In fact, a central hypothesis underlying the evolution
of animal behavioral mechanisms - the challenge hypothesis - emerged from this long-standing
body of work (Wingfield 2017). Under this idea, testosterone is argued to rise in response to the
pending (seasonal/contextual) need for aggressive confrontations. Interestingly, engaging in
combat itself (the "challenge") can be the signal that leads to feedback and surges of
testosterone that set animals up for future successful conflicts at that proper
(mating/competitive) time of year.
Peptide/protein hormones - CORRECT ANSWER-a) Prolactin:
We often think of prolactin as the parental hormone, as it often surges from the anterior
pituitary in direct response to breeding cues (e.g. nest, offspring) and motivates investment in
egg incubation or brooding or feeding of the young
b) Oxytocin
Oxytocin, by contrast, is released from the posterior pituitary, but also plays a key role in the
reproductive process. Most notably, it is released during childbirth (i.e. labor contractions;
hence the name of the drug pitocin, which is administered to human moms to stimulate uterine
contractions) and facilitates social bonding between mother and offspring, in addition other
supporting roles (nipple stimulation and milk letdown for breastfeeding).
Monoamine hormones - CORRECT ANSWER-a) Melatonin
Time-keeping is an important aspect of animal behavior. The simplest example of why time-
keeping is important is the daily solar cycle. Many animals navigate, forage, and find mates
through visual means, so you can imagine how difficult it might be to accomplish those activities
in the dark of night. The onset of darkness and the onset of daylight are therefore important
