Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
OpenStax
1
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
OpenStax
Chapter 1: Structure and Function of the Nervous System
Multiple Choice
1. Axons are ________ and dendrites are ________.
A. presynaptic; postsynaptic*
B. postsynaptic; presynaptic
C. peri-synaptic; somatic
D. somatic; peri-synaptic
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
2. In immunofluorescent labeling, what is being detected (bound) by antibodies?
A. A specific cell type, like neuron or glia
B. A specific protein*
C. A fluorescent tag
D. A specific mRNA
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
3. The ________ nervous system is composed of the brain and spinal cord.
A. central*
B. peripheral
C. radial
D. cephalic
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
4. A brain section cut along the midline, separating right and left hemispheres is:
A. coronal.
B. sagittal.*
C. horizontal.
D. parallel.
Bloom’s Level 2. Understanding
5. Where in the brain are the lateral ventricles located?
A. Telencephalon*
B. Diencephalon
C. Mesencephalon
D. Metencephalon
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
2
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
OpenStax
6. Motor neuron cell bodies are found in the:
A. dorsal root ganglion.
B. ventral roots.
C. dorsal horns of the spinal cord.
D. ventral horns of the spinal cord.*
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
7. The parietal lobe is most important for which of the following?
A. Vision
B. Language
C. Memory functions
D. Somatic sensation*
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
8. Which brain region helps smooth motor movements and is especially sensitive to the
effects of alcohol?
A. The primary motor cortex
B. The basal ganglia
C. The cerebellum*
D. The reticular formation
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
9. Your peripheral nervous system:
A. is all consciously controlled/perceived .
B. is all unconsciously controlled/perceived.
C. has both consciously controlled and perceived components and components that are
not consciously controlled or perceived.*
D. all connects to your central nervous system via spinal nerves.
Bloom’s Level 2. Understanding
10. Male and female human brains:
A. are extremely different structurally; you could identify someone as male or female by
just looking at their MRI.
B. are NOT structurally different in any meaningful way; you could NOT identify someone
as male or female by just looking at their MRI.*
C. are completely the same.
D. Differ in whether they have forebrain vocal nuclei.
Bloom’s Level 2. Understanding
3
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
OpenStax
11. The ________ nervous system mediates our conscious motor control while the ________
nervous system controls involuntary motor movements.
A. somatic, autonomic*
B. autonomic, somatic
C. sympathetic, parasympathetic
D. parasympathetic, sympathetic
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
12. Graded assessments are usually stressful for students. Which of the following is probably
happening in a typical student taking a stressful exam or quiz?
A. Their sympathetic nervous system is more active than usual*
B. Their parasympathetic nervous system is more active than usual
C. Their autonomic nervous system is more active than usual
D. Their somatosensory nervous system is mostly off
Bloom’s Level 2. Understanding
13. Which part of the nervous system communicates most with your visceral organs?
A. Autonomic*
B. Somatic
C. Sympathetic
D. Cranial
Bloom’s Level 2. Understanding
14. Which of the following is not part of the peripheral nervous system?
A. The sympathetic nervous system
B. The parasympathetic nervous system
C. The enteric nervous system
D. The brain stem*
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
Chapter 1: Structure and Function of the Nervous System
Fill in the Blank
15. According to the Central Dogma, DNA is transcribed into ________ which is translated into
________.
Answer: RNA or mRNA / protein
4
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
OpenStax
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
16. ________ are structures that contain collections of neuronal cell bodies and are found in
animals above the level of the phylum Cnidaria, such as flatworms Multiple choice.
Answer: Ganglia
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
17. ________ are mesh-like systems of separate, yet interconnected neurons (not clustered
into nerves or centralized)
Answer: Neural nets
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
18. All sensory information (except smell) goes through the ________.
Answer: thalamus
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
19. ________ nerves are a part of the peripheral nervous system and emerge directly from the
spinal cord.
Answer: Spinal
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
20. The enteric nervous system is connected to the brain via the________.
Answer: gut-brain axis
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
Chapter 1: Structure and Function of the Nervous System
Application Questions for Collaborative Learning
21. An individual suffers a lesion to the right half of the spinal cord in the lower thoracic region.
What symptoms would you expect to be present? You will need to check out chapter 9 for
differences between the organization of the pain/temperature pathways versus the
touch/pressure pathways. In your answer, include a drawing of the spinal cord and these
sensory/motor tracts.
Answer:
5
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
OpenStax
Motor loss and loss of touch/proprioception in the right leg. Loss of pain and temperature
sensation in the left leg.
Bloom’s Level 4. Analyzing
22. The left middle cerebral artery (MCA) supplies blood to the left hemisphere of the brain,
including portions of the left temporal, frontal, and parietal lobes (see image 1.47 for
details). If an individual suffered a stroke that temporarily blocked the left MCA, what
deficits would you expect to be present?
Answer:
Right side weakness/paralysis and sensory loss
Speech impairment
Right visual field defect
Bloom’s Level 3. Applying
This file is copyright 2024, Rice University. All Rights Reserved.
6
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
OpenStax
Chapter 2: Neurophysiology
Multiple Choice
1. Which is a brief electrical change in a postsynaptic neuron that moves it away from firing an
action potential?
A. EPSP
B. IPSP*
C. Temporal summation
D. Spatial summation
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
2. Which of these events occurs immediately after the arrival of the action potential at the
presynaptic terminal?
A. Binding of neurotransmitter to postsynaptic receptors
B. Release of neurotransmitter into the synaptic cleft*
C. The generation of EPSPs or IPSPs in the postsynaptic neuron
D. The clearance of neurotransmitter from the synaptic cleft
Bloom’s Level 2. Understanding
3. A neuron is stimulated and fires a single action potential. What would happen if the same
neuron, then received a stronger stimulus?
A. The next action potential would appear narrower.
B. The next action potential would be taller.
C. The neuron would likely fire more than one action potential.*
D. None of the above
Bloom’s Level 2. Understanding
4. The slimy mollusk, Tritonia can swim away from a predator following stimulation of its
sensory neurons. This movement involves rhythmic muscle contraction and periodic trains
of motor neuron firing. Why do these motor neurons display periodic firing, even under
conditions when the sensory neurons that activate them fire continuously?
A. The motor neurons also activate excitatory neurons that provide positive feedback onto
the motor neurons.
B. The back muscles become exhausted with repetitive stimulation.
C. The motor neurons become exhausted and can only fire for short time periods.
D. The motor neurons also activate inhibitory neurons that provide negative feedback onto
the motor neurons.*
Bloom’s Level 2. Understanding
1
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
OpenStax
5. A neuron activates three separate downstream neurons and causes information to spread
along multiple pathways at the same time. This is an example of:
A. feedback.
B. parallel processing.*
C. rhythmic or cyclical activity.
D. efficiency.
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
6. Membrane potential is measured in ________, while current is measured in ________.
A. siemens / amps
B. ohms / siemens
C. amps / ohms
D. volts / amps *
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
7. Which is not a correct pairing between an electrical term and its symbol?
A. current = C*
B. conductance = G
C. potential = V
D. resistance = R
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
8. According to Ohm’s law, the electrical current that flows in a system is determined by the:
A. membrane potential only.
B. conductance only.
C. product of the conductance and the membrane potential.*
D. None of the above
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
9. Extracellular fluid is high in Na+, Cl- and Ca2+. Which of these is responsible for generating
IPSPs?
A. Cl-*
B. Na+
C. Ca2+
D. Na+ and Ca2+
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
2
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
OpenStax
10. Postsynaptic potentials are produced by:
A. ion pumps.
B. leak channels.
C. voltage-gated channels.
D. ligand-gated channels.*
Bloom’s Level 2. Understanding
11. When the pressure of diffusion pulling Na+ into the neuron is equally opposed by the
electrostatic repulsion pushing Na+ out of the neuron, the neuron has reached the
________ for Na+.
A. equilibrium potential*
B. resting potential
C. threshold potential
D. maximum potential
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
12. Which type of electrical signal impacts the whole neuron and is driven mainly by K+ leak
channels?
A. EPSP
B. IPSP
C. Resting potential*
D. Action potential
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
13. When EPSPs from two presynaptic events sum over time allowing the post-synaptic neuron
to reach threshold, it is referred to as:
A. multiplicative summation.
B. temporal summation.*
C. spatial summation.
D. inhibitory summation.
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
14. During which phase of the action potential does the permeability of the membrane toward
Na+ increase dramatically?
A. Resting
B. Rising*
C. Falling
D. Undershoot
Bloom’s Level 2. Understanding
3
, Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
OpenStax
15. Which phase of the action potential is associated with opening of voltage-gated K+ channels
and inactivation of voltage-gated Na+ channels?
A. Resting
B. Rising
C. Falling*
D. Undershoot
Bloom’s Level 2. Understanding
16. During which phase of the action potential do the inactivated Na+ channels “unclog” such
that they can later become activatable to fire another action potential?
A. Resting
B. Rising
C. Falling
D. Undershoot*
Bloom’s Level 2. Understanding
Chapter 2: Neurophysiology
Fill in the Blank
17. The neuron that releases neurotransmitter is called the ________ neuron.
Answer: presynaptic
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
18. At electrical synapses pre- and postsynaptic neurons express ________ forming a protein
bridge between the two neurons that allows electrical current to flow.
Answer: connexons
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
19. The separation of charge produces an electrical ________ across the membrane.
Answer: potential
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
20. The more channels that open in the membrane the higher the ________.
Answer: conductance
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
4
OpenStax
1
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
OpenStax
Chapter 1: Structure and Function of the Nervous System
Multiple Choice
1. Axons are ________ and dendrites are ________.
A. presynaptic; postsynaptic*
B. postsynaptic; presynaptic
C. peri-synaptic; somatic
D. somatic; peri-synaptic
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
2. In immunofluorescent labeling, what is being detected (bound) by antibodies?
A. A specific cell type, like neuron or glia
B. A specific protein*
C. A fluorescent tag
D. A specific mRNA
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
3. The ________ nervous system is composed of the brain and spinal cord.
A. central*
B. peripheral
C. radial
D. cephalic
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
4. A brain section cut along the midline, separating right and left hemispheres is:
A. coronal.
B. sagittal.*
C. horizontal.
D. parallel.
Bloom’s Level 2. Understanding
5. Where in the brain are the lateral ventricles located?
A. Telencephalon*
B. Diencephalon
C. Mesencephalon
D. Metencephalon
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
2
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
OpenStax
6. Motor neuron cell bodies are found in the:
A. dorsal root ganglion.
B. ventral roots.
C. dorsal horns of the spinal cord.
D. ventral horns of the spinal cord.*
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
7. The parietal lobe is most important for which of the following?
A. Vision
B. Language
C. Memory functions
D. Somatic sensation*
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
8. Which brain region helps smooth motor movements and is especially sensitive to the
effects of alcohol?
A. The primary motor cortex
B. The basal ganglia
C. The cerebellum*
D. The reticular formation
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
9. Your peripheral nervous system:
A. is all consciously controlled/perceived .
B. is all unconsciously controlled/perceived.
C. has both consciously controlled and perceived components and components that are
not consciously controlled or perceived.*
D. all connects to your central nervous system via spinal nerves.
Bloom’s Level 2. Understanding
10. Male and female human brains:
A. are extremely different structurally; you could identify someone as male or female by
just looking at their MRI.
B. are NOT structurally different in any meaningful way; you could NOT identify someone
as male or female by just looking at their MRI.*
C. are completely the same.
D. Differ in whether they have forebrain vocal nuclei.
Bloom’s Level 2. Understanding
3
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
OpenStax
11. The ________ nervous system mediates our conscious motor control while the ________
nervous system controls involuntary motor movements.
A. somatic, autonomic*
B. autonomic, somatic
C. sympathetic, parasympathetic
D. parasympathetic, sympathetic
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
12. Graded assessments are usually stressful for students. Which of the following is probably
happening in a typical student taking a stressful exam or quiz?
A. Their sympathetic nervous system is more active than usual*
B. Their parasympathetic nervous system is more active than usual
C. Their autonomic nervous system is more active than usual
D. Their somatosensory nervous system is mostly off
Bloom’s Level 2. Understanding
13. Which part of the nervous system communicates most with your visceral organs?
A. Autonomic*
B. Somatic
C. Sympathetic
D. Cranial
Bloom’s Level 2. Understanding
14. Which of the following is not part of the peripheral nervous system?
A. The sympathetic nervous system
B. The parasympathetic nervous system
C. The enteric nervous system
D. The brain stem*
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
Chapter 1: Structure and Function of the Nervous System
Fill in the Blank
15. According to the Central Dogma, DNA is transcribed into ________ which is translated into
________.
Answer: RNA or mRNA / protein
4
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
OpenStax
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
16. ________ are structures that contain collections of neuronal cell bodies and are found in
animals above the level of the phylum Cnidaria, such as flatworms Multiple choice.
Answer: Ganglia
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
17. ________ are mesh-like systems of separate, yet interconnected neurons (not clustered
into nerves or centralized)
Answer: Neural nets
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
18. All sensory information (except smell) goes through the ________.
Answer: thalamus
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
19. ________ nerves are a part of the peripheral nervous system and emerge directly from the
spinal cord.
Answer: Spinal
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
20. The enteric nervous system is connected to the brain via the________.
Answer: gut-brain axis
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
Chapter 1: Structure and Function of the Nervous System
Application Questions for Collaborative Learning
21. An individual suffers a lesion to the right half of the spinal cord in the lower thoracic region.
What symptoms would you expect to be present? You will need to check out chapter 9 for
differences between the organization of the pain/temperature pathways versus the
touch/pressure pathways. In your answer, include a drawing of the spinal cord and these
sensory/motor tracts.
Answer:
5
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
OpenStax
Motor loss and loss of touch/proprioception in the right leg. Loss of pain and temperature
sensation in the left leg.
Bloom’s Level 4. Analyzing
22. The left middle cerebral artery (MCA) supplies blood to the left hemisphere of the brain,
including portions of the left temporal, frontal, and parietal lobes (see image 1.47 for
details). If an individual suffered a stroke that temporarily blocked the left MCA, what
deficits would you expect to be present?
Answer:
Right side weakness/paralysis and sensory loss
Speech impairment
Right visual field defect
Bloom’s Level 3. Applying
This file is copyright 2024, Rice University. All Rights Reserved.
6
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
OpenStax
Chapter 2: Neurophysiology
Multiple Choice
1. Which is a brief electrical change in a postsynaptic neuron that moves it away from firing an
action potential?
A. EPSP
B. IPSP*
C. Temporal summation
D. Spatial summation
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
2. Which of these events occurs immediately after the arrival of the action potential at the
presynaptic terminal?
A. Binding of neurotransmitter to postsynaptic receptors
B. Release of neurotransmitter into the synaptic cleft*
C. The generation of EPSPs or IPSPs in the postsynaptic neuron
D. The clearance of neurotransmitter from the synaptic cleft
Bloom’s Level 2. Understanding
3. A neuron is stimulated and fires a single action potential. What would happen if the same
neuron, then received a stronger stimulus?
A. The next action potential would appear narrower.
B. The next action potential would be taller.
C. The neuron would likely fire more than one action potential.*
D. None of the above
Bloom’s Level 2. Understanding
4. The slimy mollusk, Tritonia can swim away from a predator following stimulation of its
sensory neurons. This movement involves rhythmic muscle contraction and periodic trains
of motor neuron firing. Why do these motor neurons display periodic firing, even under
conditions when the sensory neurons that activate them fire continuously?
A. The motor neurons also activate excitatory neurons that provide positive feedback onto
the motor neurons.
B. The back muscles become exhausted with repetitive stimulation.
C. The motor neurons become exhausted and can only fire for short time periods.
D. The motor neurons also activate inhibitory neurons that provide negative feedback onto
the motor neurons.*
Bloom’s Level 2. Understanding
1
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
OpenStax
5. A neuron activates three separate downstream neurons and causes information to spread
along multiple pathways at the same time. This is an example of:
A. feedback.
B. parallel processing.*
C. rhythmic or cyclical activity.
D. efficiency.
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
6. Membrane potential is measured in ________, while current is measured in ________.
A. siemens / amps
B. ohms / siemens
C. amps / ohms
D. volts / amps *
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
7. Which is not a correct pairing between an electrical term and its symbol?
A. current = C*
B. conductance = G
C. potential = V
D. resistance = R
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
8. According to Ohm’s law, the electrical current that flows in a system is determined by the:
A. membrane potential only.
B. conductance only.
C. product of the conductance and the membrane potential.*
D. None of the above
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
9. Extracellular fluid is high in Na+, Cl- and Ca2+. Which of these is responsible for generating
IPSPs?
A. Cl-*
B. Na+
C. Ca2+
D. Na+ and Ca2+
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
2
,Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
OpenStax
10. Postsynaptic potentials are produced by:
A. ion pumps.
B. leak channels.
C. voltage-gated channels.
D. ligand-gated channels.*
Bloom’s Level 2. Understanding
11. When the pressure of diffusion pulling Na+ into the neuron is equally opposed by the
electrostatic repulsion pushing Na+ out of the neuron, the neuron has reached the
________ for Na+.
A. equilibrium potential*
B. resting potential
C. threshold potential
D. maximum potential
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
12. Which type of electrical signal impacts the whole neuron and is driven mainly by K+ leak
channels?
A. EPSP
B. IPSP
C. Resting potential*
D. Action potential
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
13. When EPSPs from two presynaptic events sum over time allowing the post-synaptic neuron
to reach threshold, it is referred to as:
A. multiplicative summation.
B. temporal summation.*
C. spatial summation.
D. inhibitory summation.
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
14. During which phase of the action potential does the permeability of the membrane toward
Na+ increase dramatically?
A. Resting
B. Rising*
C. Falling
D. Undershoot
Bloom’s Level 2. Understanding
3
, Introduction to Behavioral Neuroscience
OpenStax
15. Which phase of the action potential is associated with opening of voltage-gated K+ channels
and inactivation of voltage-gated Na+ channels?
A. Resting
B. Rising
C. Falling*
D. Undershoot
Bloom’s Level 2. Understanding
16. During which phase of the action potential do the inactivated Na+ channels “unclog” such
that they can later become activatable to fire another action potential?
A. Resting
B. Rising
C. Falling
D. Undershoot*
Bloom’s Level 2. Understanding
Chapter 2: Neurophysiology
Fill in the Blank
17. The neuron that releases neurotransmitter is called the ________ neuron.
Answer: presynaptic
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
18. At electrical synapses pre- and postsynaptic neurons express ________ forming a protein
bridge between the two neurons that allows electrical current to flow.
Answer: connexons
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
19. The separation of charge produces an electrical ________ across the membrane.
Answer: potential
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
20. The more channels that open in the membrane the higher the ________.
Answer: conductance
Bloom’s Level 1. Remembering
4
