PYC4813 –Cognitive Neuroscience Exam Preparation Summaries
Textbook Multiple Choice Questions and Answers from Chapters 1 - 14
Taken from the prescribed book: Kalat, J.W. (2016). Biological psychology
(12th ed.). London: Cengage Learning
Compiled by: PsychHonours Student
,Chapters:
Chapter 1: Nerve Cells And Nerve Impulses
Chapter 2: Synapses
Chapter 3: Anatomy And Research Methods
Chapter 4: Genetics, Evolution, Development And Plasticity
Chapter 5: Vision
Chapter 6: Other sensory Systems
Chapter 7: Movement
Chapter 8: Wakefulness and Sleep
Chapter 9: Temperature Regulation
Chapter 11: Emotional Behaviours
Chapter 12: The biology of learning and memory
Chapter 13: Cognitive functions
Chapter 14: Psychological disorders
,CHAPTER 1: NERVE CELLS AND NERVE IMPULSES
1. Santiago Ramon y Cajal was responsible for which of these discoveries?
a. The human cerebral cortex has many specialisations to produce language
b. The brain’s left and right hemispheres control different functions
c. The nervous system is composed of separate cells
d. Neurons communicate at specialised junctions called synapses
2. What does an afferent axon do?
a. It controls involuntary behaviour
b. It controls voluntary behaviour
c. It carries output from a structure
d. It brings information into a structure
3. Of these species, which probably has the longest axons?
a. Humans
b. Chimpanzees
c. Cheetahs
d. Giraffes
4. Which of the following is NOT one of the four major structures that compose a
neuron?
a. Dendrites
b. Glia
c. Soma
d. Axon
e. Presynaptic terminal
5. Which of the following is something that glia do NOT do?
a. Synchronize activity of a group of axons
b. Remove waste material
c. Dilate blood vessels to increase blood flow to the most active brain areas
d. Conduct action potentials
6. An advantage of the blood – brain barrier is that it keeps out most ______ a
disadvantage is that it also keeps out ______.
a. Viruses… most nutrients
b. Small molecules… fat – soluble molecules
c. Harmful gases… oxygen
d. Waste products… water
,7. Which of these chemicals cross the blood – brain barrier by active transport?
a. Oxygen, water, and fat – soluble molecules
b. Glucose and amino acids
c. Proteins
d. Viruses
8. What makes brain cancers so difficult to treat?
a. Nearly all chemotherapy drugs fail to cross the blood – brain barrier
b. Brain cancers spread more rapidly than other cancers
c. The brain includes more pain receptors than other organs
d. The brain has a very low metabolic rate
9. What is the brain’s main source of fuel?
a. Glucose
b. Glutamate
c. Thiamine
d. Proteins
1 When the neuron’s membrane is at rest, sodium ions are more concentrated _____
the cell, and potassium ions are more concentrated _____
a. Inside… outside
b. Inside… inside
c. Outside… inside
d. Outside… outside
2. When the membrane is at rest, the concentration gradient tends to draw potassium
ions _____ the cell, and the electrical gradient draws them ______ the cell.
a. Into… out of
b. Into… into
c. Out of… into
d. Out of… out of
3. When the membrane is at rest, the concentration gradient tends to draw sodium ions
____ the cell, and the electrical gradient draws them ___ the cell.
a. Into… out of
b. Into… into
c. Out of… into
d. Out of… out of
,4. The sodium – potassium pump moves sodium ions ____ and moves potassium ions
_____.
a. Into the cell… out of the cell
b. Into the cell… into the cell
c. Out of the cell… into the cell
d. Out of the cell… out of the cell
5. Suppose a neuron has a resting potential of –70mV. If the potential goes to –80mV,
the change would be a _____
a. Depolarisation
b. Hyperpolarisation
6. Under what conditions does an axon produce an action potential?
a. Whenever the membrane is hyperpolarised
b. Whenever the membrane’s potential reaches the threshold
c. Whenever the membrane is depolarised
d. Whenever the membrane’s potential reaches zero
7. During the rising portion of the action potential, which ions are moving across the
membrane and in which direction?
a. Sodium ions move out
b. Sodium ions move in
c. Both sodium and potassium ions move in
d. Potassium ions move in
8. After the action potential reaches its peak, the potential across the membrane falls
toward its resting level. What accounts for this recovery?
a. The sodium – potassium pump removes the extra sodium
b. Potassium ions move our because their channels are open and the electrical
gradient pushes them out
c. Potassium ions move out because their channels are open and the concentration
gradient pushes them out
d. Potassium ions move in
9. Which of the following is one way of stating the all-or-nothing law?
a. The amplitude of the action potential in one axon is the same as that in another
axon
b. At a given time, either all axons produce action potentials, or none do
c. All stimuli that exceed the threshold produce equivalent responses in the axon
d. During an action potential, all sodium changes open at the same time
,10. To which part or parts of a neuron does the all–or–nothing law apply?
a. Axons
b. Dendrites
c. Both axons and dendrites
11. What does the myelin sheath of an axon accomplish?
a. It enables an axon to communicate with other axons
b. It enables action potentials to travel both directions along an axon
c. It enables nutrients to enter the axon
d. It enablers action potentials to travel more rapidly
12. Is it true that we use only 10 percent of our brain? If so, what does that mean?
a. At any movement, only 10 percent of your brain and still do what you are doing
now
b. You could lose 90 percent of your brain and still do what you are doing now
c. About 90 percent of the brain’s neurons are immature and not yet functional
d. No, the statement is false and nonsensical
, CHAPTER 2: SYNAPSES
1 What evidence led Sherrington to conclude that transmission at a synapse is different
from transmission along an axon?
a. Chemicals that alter a synapse are different from those that affect action
potentials
b. The velocity of a reflex is slower than the velocity of an action potential
c. Stains and microscopic observation demonstrate a gap at the synapse
d. Reflexes can go in either direction, whereas axons transmit in only one direction
2. Although one pinch did not cause a dog to flex its leg, a rapid sequence of pinches
did. Sherrington cited this observation as evidence for what?
a. Temporal summation
b. Spatial summation
c. Inhibitory synapses
3. Although one pinch did not cause a dog to flex its leg, several simultaneous pinches
at nearby locations did. Sherrington cited this observation as evidence for what?
a. Temporal summation
b. Spatial summation
c. Inhibitory synapses
4. When a vigorous pinch existed a dog’s flexor muscle, it decreased excitation of the
exterior muscles of the same leg. Sherrington cited this observation as evidence for
what?
a. Temporal summation
b. Spatial summation
c. Inhibitory synapses
5. During an EPSP, the _____ gates in the membrane open. During an IPSP, the ____
gates open
a. Sodium… potassium or chloride
b. Potassium… sodium or chloride
c. Chloride… sodium or potassium
6. In what way were Sherrington’s conclusions important for psychology as well as
neuroscience?
a. He demonstrated the importance of unconscious motivations
b. He demonstrated the importance of inhibition
c. He demonstrated the phenomenon of classical conditioning
d. He demonstrated the evolution of intelligence
Textbook Multiple Choice Questions and Answers from Chapters 1 - 14
Taken from the prescribed book: Kalat, J.W. (2016). Biological psychology
(12th ed.). London: Cengage Learning
Compiled by: PsychHonours Student
,Chapters:
Chapter 1: Nerve Cells And Nerve Impulses
Chapter 2: Synapses
Chapter 3: Anatomy And Research Methods
Chapter 4: Genetics, Evolution, Development And Plasticity
Chapter 5: Vision
Chapter 6: Other sensory Systems
Chapter 7: Movement
Chapter 8: Wakefulness and Sleep
Chapter 9: Temperature Regulation
Chapter 11: Emotional Behaviours
Chapter 12: The biology of learning and memory
Chapter 13: Cognitive functions
Chapter 14: Psychological disorders
,CHAPTER 1: NERVE CELLS AND NERVE IMPULSES
1. Santiago Ramon y Cajal was responsible for which of these discoveries?
a. The human cerebral cortex has many specialisations to produce language
b. The brain’s left and right hemispheres control different functions
c. The nervous system is composed of separate cells
d. Neurons communicate at specialised junctions called synapses
2. What does an afferent axon do?
a. It controls involuntary behaviour
b. It controls voluntary behaviour
c. It carries output from a structure
d. It brings information into a structure
3. Of these species, which probably has the longest axons?
a. Humans
b. Chimpanzees
c. Cheetahs
d. Giraffes
4. Which of the following is NOT one of the four major structures that compose a
neuron?
a. Dendrites
b. Glia
c. Soma
d. Axon
e. Presynaptic terminal
5. Which of the following is something that glia do NOT do?
a. Synchronize activity of a group of axons
b. Remove waste material
c. Dilate blood vessels to increase blood flow to the most active brain areas
d. Conduct action potentials
6. An advantage of the blood – brain barrier is that it keeps out most ______ a
disadvantage is that it also keeps out ______.
a. Viruses… most nutrients
b. Small molecules… fat – soluble molecules
c. Harmful gases… oxygen
d. Waste products… water
,7. Which of these chemicals cross the blood – brain barrier by active transport?
a. Oxygen, water, and fat – soluble molecules
b. Glucose and amino acids
c. Proteins
d. Viruses
8. What makes brain cancers so difficult to treat?
a. Nearly all chemotherapy drugs fail to cross the blood – brain barrier
b. Brain cancers spread more rapidly than other cancers
c. The brain includes more pain receptors than other organs
d. The brain has a very low metabolic rate
9. What is the brain’s main source of fuel?
a. Glucose
b. Glutamate
c. Thiamine
d. Proteins
1 When the neuron’s membrane is at rest, sodium ions are more concentrated _____
the cell, and potassium ions are more concentrated _____
a. Inside… outside
b. Inside… inside
c. Outside… inside
d. Outside… outside
2. When the membrane is at rest, the concentration gradient tends to draw potassium
ions _____ the cell, and the electrical gradient draws them ______ the cell.
a. Into… out of
b. Into… into
c. Out of… into
d. Out of… out of
3. When the membrane is at rest, the concentration gradient tends to draw sodium ions
____ the cell, and the electrical gradient draws them ___ the cell.
a. Into… out of
b. Into… into
c. Out of… into
d. Out of… out of
,4. The sodium – potassium pump moves sodium ions ____ and moves potassium ions
_____.
a. Into the cell… out of the cell
b. Into the cell… into the cell
c. Out of the cell… into the cell
d. Out of the cell… out of the cell
5. Suppose a neuron has a resting potential of –70mV. If the potential goes to –80mV,
the change would be a _____
a. Depolarisation
b. Hyperpolarisation
6. Under what conditions does an axon produce an action potential?
a. Whenever the membrane is hyperpolarised
b. Whenever the membrane’s potential reaches the threshold
c. Whenever the membrane is depolarised
d. Whenever the membrane’s potential reaches zero
7. During the rising portion of the action potential, which ions are moving across the
membrane and in which direction?
a. Sodium ions move out
b. Sodium ions move in
c. Both sodium and potassium ions move in
d. Potassium ions move in
8. After the action potential reaches its peak, the potential across the membrane falls
toward its resting level. What accounts for this recovery?
a. The sodium – potassium pump removes the extra sodium
b. Potassium ions move our because their channels are open and the electrical
gradient pushes them out
c. Potassium ions move out because their channels are open and the concentration
gradient pushes them out
d. Potassium ions move in
9. Which of the following is one way of stating the all-or-nothing law?
a. The amplitude of the action potential in one axon is the same as that in another
axon
b. At a given time, either all axons produce action potentials, or none do
c. All stimuli that exceed the threshold produce equivalent responses in the axon
d. During an action potential, all sodium changes open at the same time
,10. To which part or parts of a neuron does the all–or–nothing law apply?
a. Axons
b. Dendrites
c. Both axons and dendrites
11. What does the myelin sheath of an axon accomplish?
a. It enables an axon to communicate with other axons
b. It enables action potentials to travel both directions along an axon
c. It enables nutrients to enter the axon
d. It enablers action potentials to travel more rapidly
12. Is it true that we use only 10 percent of our brain? If so, what does that mean?
a. At any movement, only 10 percent of your brain and still do what you are doing
now
b. You could lose 90 percent of your brain and still do what you are doing now
c. About 90 percent of the brain’s neurons are immature and not yet functional
d. No, the statement is false and nonsensical
, CHAPTER 2: SYNAPSES
1 What evidence led Sherrington to conclude that transmission at a synapse is different
from transmission along an axon?
a. Chemicals that alter a synapse are different from those that affect action
potentials
b. The velocity of a reflex is slower than the velocity of an action potential
c. Stains and microscopic observation demonstrate a gap at the synapse
d. Reflexes can go in either direction, whereas axons transmit in only one direction
2. Although one pinch did not cause a dog to flex its leg, a rapid sequence of pinches
did. Sherrington cited this observation as evidence for what?
a. Temporal summation
b. Spatial summation
c. Inhibitory synapses
3. Although one pinch did not cause a dog to flex its leg, several simultaneous pinches
at nearby locations did. Sherrington cited this observation as evidence for what?
a. Temporal summation
b. Spatial summation
c. Inhibitory synapses
4. When a vigorous pinch existed a dog’s flexor muscle, it decreased excitation of the
exterior muscles of the same leg. Sherrington cited this observation as evidence for
what?
a. Temporal summation
b. Spatial summation
c. Inhibitory synapses
5. During an EPSP, the _____ gates in the membrane open. During an IPSP, the ____
gates open
a. Sodium… potassium or chloride
b. Potassium… sodium or chloride
c. Chloride… sodium or potassium
6. In what way were Sherrington’s conclusions important for psychology as well as
neuroscience?
a. He demonstrated the importance of unconscious motivations
b. He demonstrated the importance of inhibition
c. He demonstrated the phenomenon of classical conditioning
d. He demonstrated the evolution of intelligence
