To study the brains of London taxi

1. drivers, researchers studied their brains by

means of the imaging technique known as
A) MRI.
B) CT scan.
C) CAT scan.
D) NMR.
E) HPLC.

Many people wake in the middle of the

night and are able to find their way to the
kitchen for a drink of water, all without
2.
turning on the lights. Their memory of
spatial relationships between pieces of
furniture and doors is rooted in the
A) amygdala.
B) hippocampus.
C) pituitary.
D) cerebellum.
E) pons.

In the context of Matt Wilson's study of

3.
rats, “place cells”
are the fourth step in the research
A)
protocol.
B) refers to a particular location in the brain
are neurons that fire only when the rat is at
C)
a certain place.
are holding containers used to house the
D)
rats.
E) None of the above

4. Researchers at MIT studying the

hippocampal activity of rats discovered
that by observing the firing patterns of
specific neurons called _______ cells they
 were able to ascertain the direction a rat
would travel.
A) location
B) AAA
C) navigation
D) place
E) aller

Afferent information flows _______ the

5. CNS, and efferent information flows
_______ the CNS.
A) to; to
B) to; from
C) from; to
D) from; from
E) from and to; to

The peripheral nervous system connects to

6.
the central nervous system via the
A) spinal nerves.
B) cranial nerves.
C) hypothalamus.
D) Both a and b
E) None of the above

The human brain has about _______

7.
neurons.
A) 1 million
B) 10 million
C) 1 billion
D) 10 billion
E) 100 billion
 Which of the following statements about
8.
nerves is false?
A) A nerve is a bundle of axons.
Some axons in a nerve may be carrying
information to the central nervous system,
B) while other axons in the same nerve are
carrying information from the central
nervous system to organs.
“Nerve” is another name for the axon of a
C)
single neuron.
In addition to the central nervous system
and the peripheral nervous system, a third
D)
division of the nervous system exists in
the gut.
E) All of the above are true; none is false.

9. The hindbrain develops into the

A) medulla.
B) pons.
C) cerebellum.
D) All of the above
E) None of the above

In general, the more autonomic functions

are found in the _______, and the more
10.
complex functions are found in the
_______.
A) forebrain; hindbrain
B) telencephalon; diencephalon
C) thalamus; hypothalamus
D) midbrain; hindbrain
E) hindbrain; forebrain

11. The forebrain develops into the

A) telencephalon.
B) diencephalon.
C) cerebellum.
D) Both a and b
E) All of the above

Use the following to answer questions number 12-15:

Match the correct structure from the list below with each description that follows. Each term may
be used more than once.
a. Medulla
b. Cerebellum
c. Diencephalon
d. Telencephalon
e. Thalamus

Controls physiological functions such as

12.
breathing and circulation

Contains the final relay station for sensory

13.
information going to the telencephalon

14. Orchestrates and refines motor commands

Plays major roles in conscious behavior,

15.
learning, and memory

The thalamus and hypothalamus develop

16.
from the
A) telencephalon.
B) diencephalon.
C) cerebrum.
D) cerebellum.
E) hindbrain.
 The largest difference between the brains
17. of humans and the brains of fish is in the
size of the
A) medulla.
B) cerebellum.
C) cerebrum.
D) diencephalon.
E) thalamus.

In the spinal cord, the gray matter contains

18. the _______, and the white matter
contains the _______.
A) axons; cell bodies
B) cell bodies; axons
C) dorsal horn; ventral horn
D) ventral horn; dorsal horn
E) afferent information; efferent information

Efferent nerves leave the spinal cord

19.
through the
A) ventral roots.
B) dorsal roots.
C) gray matter.
D) interneurons.
E) ventral and dorsal horns.

The _______ constitutes the largest part of

20.
the human brain.
A) telencephalon
B) diencephalon
C) medulla
D) pons
E) cerebellum

Which of the following is not a function

21.
of the spinal cord?
A) Generation of repetitive motor patterns
B) Reflexes
Conduction of motor impulses from the
C)
brain
Refinement of motor and behavioral
D)
processes
Conversion of afferent to efferent
E)
information

22. The knee-jerk reflex

involves a sensory neuron that synapses
A) with a motor neuron in the ventral horn of
the spinal cord.
B) can be checked readily by a physician.
C) is a monosynaptic reflex.
D) involves the leg extensor muscle.
E) All of the above

23. Interneurons are not found in the

A) midbrain.
B) thalamus.
C) white matter of the spinal cord.
D) gray matter of the spinal cord.
E) telencephalon.

The telencephalon is divided into two

24. hemispheres covered by a sheet of gray
matter called the
A) hippocampus.
B) reticular system.
C) sulci.
D) gyri.
E) cerebral cortex.

25. The function of the reticular system is to

A) conduct impulses through the spinal cord.
distribute information to its proper
B)
location in the forebrain.
regulate the level of arousal of the nervous
C)
system.
D) regulate physiological drives and emotion.
transfer short-term memory to long-term
E)
memory.

26. The function of the limbic system is the

regulation of instincts, emotions, and
A)
physiological drives.
transfer of short-term memory to long-
B)
term memory.
C) regulation of arousal levels.
D) Both a and b
E) All of the above

27. A comatose state

A) is an enhancement of sensation.
may result from damage to the brainstem
B)
below the reticular system.
may result from damage to the midbrain
or higher levels, such that information
C)
from the reticular system cannot reach the
forebrain.
may result from damage to the spinal
D)
cord.
E) None of the above

Use the following to answer questions 28-31:

Match the correct brain structure from the list below with each description that follows. Each
term may be used more than once.
a. Temporal lobe
b. Occipital lobe
c. Parietal lobe
d. Frontal lobe
e. Cerebellum

The part of the brain that most likely has

been dam-aged in a person who can see
28.
and hear but cannot recognize familiar
faces

The part of the brain that mostly likely has

been damaged in a person who suffers
29.
from a personality disorder and cannot
plan for future events

The part of the brain that most likely has

been damaged in a person who cannot feel
30.
pressure applied to the hand even though
the hand has not been injured

The part of the brain that most likely has

been damaged in a person who cannot
31.
detect motion even though the eyes are
functioning normally

The primary motor cortex is found in the

32.
_______ lobe and controls _______.
A) parietal; the detection of touch or pressure
B) parietal; movement
C) temporal; movement
D) frontal; movement
E) frontal; the detection of touch or pressure

The primary somatosensory cortex is

33. located in the _______ lobe and controls
_______.
A) parietal; the detection of touch or pressure
B) parietal; movement
temporal; the detection of touch or
C)
pressure
D) temporal; movement
E) frontal; the detection of touch or pressure

A person who exhibits contralateral

neglect syndrome and ignores stimuli
34.
from the left side of the body most likely
has sustained damage to the _______ lobe.
A) left parietal
B) right parietal
C) left frontal
D) right frontal
E) left temporal

_______ have the largest brain-to-body

size ratio, while _______ have the largest
35.
amount of association cortex relative to
body mass.
A) Whales; humans
B) Elephants; whales
C) Elephants; humans
D) Gorillas; whales
E) Humans; whales

36. Which part of the brain is involved in

 higher-order information processing?
A) Association cortex
B) Thalamus
C) Limbic system
D) Central sulcus
E) Hippocampus

The fight-or-flight mechanisms are a

37. function of the _______ branch of the
autonomic nervous system.
A) sympathetic
B) parasympathetic
C) contralateral
D) efferent
E) afferent

The parasympathetic division of the

38. autonomic nervous system controls which
of the following responses?
A) The fight-or-flight response
B) Increased heart rate and blood pressure
Increased digestion and decreased heart
C)
rate
Increased release of epinephrine and
D)
production of glucose
E) Voluntary movement

In autonomic efferent pathways,

preganglionic neurons use _______ as the
39. neurotransmitter, whereas postganglionic
neurons use _______ as the
neurotransmitter.
A) norepinephrine; acetylcholine
B) acetylcholine; norepinephrine
 norepinephrine or acetylcholine;
C)
norepinephrine
acetylcholine; norepinephrine or
D)
acetylcholine
norepinephrine or acetylcholine;
E)
norepinephrine or acetylcholine

The preganglionic neurons of the

40. sympathetic division meet their
postganglionic connections
A) mostly in the brainstem.
B) in the upper regions of the spinal cord.
in ganglia arranged like chains along the
C)
spinal cord.
D) near the target organs.
E) in the midbrain.

Norepinephrine _______ the heart rate,

41. whereas acetylcholine _______ the heart
rate.
A) decreases; increases
B) increases; decreases
C) increases; increases
D) decreases; decreases
E) increases; does not affect

Use the following to answer questions 42-46:

Match the correct part of the nervous system from the list below with each description that
follows. Each component can be used more than once, and each question may require more than
one answer.
a. The parasympathetic nervous system
b. The autonomic nervous system
c. The sympathetic nervous system
d. Cholinergic neurons
e. The voluntary nervous system
 The tendency to feel tired or sleepy when
42. bored reflects the actions of this nervous
system component.

You are about to leave home for a job

interview and realize you can't find your
car keys; you panic because you really
43. need the job. The physiological reactions
experienced in situations of fear or panic
are under the control of this part of the
nervous system.

You haven't eaten in a while so your

stomach is empty and your body slows its
44.
secretion of digestive juices, reflecting the
actions of this nervous system component.

You are about to jump off the high dive

for the first time; your pupils dilate and
45.
your pulse rate increases, reflecting the
actions of this part of the nervous system.

After cooking a big meal you eat way too

much; sensors in your stomach are
stretched and your body begins to increase
46.
production of digestive enzymes,
reflecting the actions of this nervous
system component.

Use the following to answer questions 47-52:

Match the correct neural region from the list below with each description that follows. Each term
may be used more than once.
a. Brainstem
b. Cervical region
c. Thoracic region
d. Lumbar region
e. Sacral region
 The preganglionic sympathetic neurons
47. projecting to the heart come from this
region.

The preganglionic sympathetic neurons

48. projecting to the urinary bladder come
from this region.

The preganglionic sympathetic neurons

49. projecting to the lungs come from this
region.

The preganglionic parasympathetic

50. neurons projecting to the lungs come from
this region.

The preganglionic parasympathetic

51. neurons projecting to the penis or clitoris
come from this region.

The preganglionic parasympathetic

52. neurons projecting to the digestive system
come from this region.

Complex cells in the visual cortex are

53.
stimulated by
A) specific colors.
bars of light with specific orientations and
B)
locations on the retina.
bars of light with any orientation but at a
C)
specific location on the retina.
bars of light with specific orientations at
D)
any location on the retina.
E) any type of light flashed on the retina.
 In their studies on vision, David Hubel
54.
and Torsten Wiesel found that
many areas of the retina can stimulate a
A)
single cell in the visual cortex.
cells in the visual cortex respond to a
B)
receptive field on the retina.
cats can see bars of light at specific
C)
orientations only.
simple cells make connections to complex
D)
cells in the visual cortex.
visual information crosses over the optic
E)
chiasm.

Which of the following statements about

55. the receptive field of a retinal ganglion
cell is true?
There is no overlap with the receptive
A)
fields of neighboring ganglion cells.
The ganglion cell receives input from one
B)
rod or cone cell.
The receptive field depends on
C) connections of horizontal and bipolar
cells.
A signal at the edge of the receptive field
D) is more significant than one from the
center.
The receptive field is defined by signals
E)
from neighboring ganglion cells.

Which of the following best describes the

56. visual processing that occurs within the
retina?
Impulses are processed within individual
A) photoreceptors and then travel to the
brain.
B) Light signals are processed in retinal cells
 immediately in front of the
photoreceptors.
Signals pass directly from photoreceptor
C)
cells to ganglion cells.
Action potentials in photoreceptor cells
D) affect bipolar cells before reaching
ganglion cells.
Membrane potential changes in a network
E)
of retinal cells activate ganglion cells.

Each retina sends _______ million axons

to the brain; these are received by about
57.
_______ million neurons in the visual
cortex.
A) 1; 200
B) 1; 2
C) 100; 2
D) 100; 200
E) 200; 1

Which of the following is the correct

58. pathway for the flow of visual
information?
Eye, thalamus, occipital lobe, optic
A)
chiasm
Eye, thalamus, optic chiasm, occipital
B)
lobe
Eye, optic chiasm, occipital lobe,
C)
thalamus
Eye, occipital lobe, optic chiasm,
D)
thalamus
Eye, optic chiasm, thalamus, occipital
E)
lobe

59. About _______ percent of a typical night's

sleep is devoted to REM sleep, the stage at
which dreams or nightmares are
 experienced.
A) 10
B) 20
C) 30
D) 40
E) 50

A sleeping dog that seems to be chasing

squirrels in his sleep, with his closed eyes
60.
and feet showing jerky movements, is
most likely in the midst of _______ sleep.
A) non-REM
B) EMG
C) slow-wave
D) REM
E) fast-wave

Which of the following occurs during

61.
REM sleep?
A) Dreaming
B) Paralysis of the skeletal muscles
C) Sleepwalking
D) Both a and b
E) All of the above

On the cellular level, sleep occurs because

62.
of
hyperpolarization of the cells of the
A)
thalamus and cortex.
depolarization of the cells of the thalamus
B)
and cortex.
increased synaptic input between axons
C)
and neurons in the thalamus and cortex.
D) desynchronization of electrical impulses
 in the cortex.
decreased opening of potassium and
E) calcium channels in the membranes of
cortical cells.

Roger Sperry won the Nobel Prize for his

63.
work on
A) the hippocampus and memory loss.
B) the conditioned reflex.
C) hemispheric lateralization.
lateralization of language to the left
D)
hemisphere.
E) REM sleep.

64. The corpus callosum is the

tract of gray matter connecting the two
A)
cerebral hemispheres.
B) white matter in the spinal cord.
C) gray matter in the spinal cord.
tract of white matter connecting the two
D)
cerebral hemispheres.
E) None of the above

65. Damage to Broca's area results in loss of

A) language comprehension.
B) speech, or in poor speech.
C) the ability to recognize faces.
D) the ability to read.
E) hearing.

Damage to Wernicke's area results in loss

66.
of
A) language comprehension.
B) speech, or in poor speech.
C) the ability to recognize faces.
D) hearing.
E) long-term memory.

67. Long-term potentiation is

increased sensitivity to an electrical
A)
stimulus.
decreased sensitivity to an electrical
B)
stimulus.
C) habituation to a stimulus.
the application of high-frequency
D)
electrical stimulation.
a decreased entry of calcium ions into the
E)
post-synaptic cell.

68. Long-term depression is

increased sensitivity to an electrical
A)
stimulus.
decreased sensitivity to an electrical
B)
stimulus.
the application of a continuous low-level
C)
stimulus.
the inability of neurons to fire an electrical
D)
impulse.
E) the inability to retain long-term memory.

The Russian physiologist Ivan Pavlov and

69.
his dog became famous for demonstrating
how short-term memory converts to long-
A)
term memory.
B) associative learning.
C) long-term potentiation.
D) the eye-blink reflex.
E) that muscles twitch during REM sleep.

In eye-blink reflex studies, the

70. conditioned reflex was localized to a
region in the
A) medulla.
B) spinal cord.
C) cerebellum.
D) thalamus.
E) frontal lobe.

71. Ivan Pavlov discovered

that if he rang a bell after presenting food
A) to a dog, the dog would eventually
salivate at the sound of the bell alone.
B) operant conditioning.
that if he rang a bell before presenting
C) food to a dog, the dog would eventually
salivate at the sound of the bell alone.
a form of learning in which two very
D) similar stimuli become linked to the same
response.
E) None of the above

In a famous medical case, both sides of a

person's hippocampus were removed in an
72. attempt to cure severe epilepsy. An
unfortunate side effect of the surgery was
the patient's loss of
A) the ability to feel emotion.
B) short-term memory.
the ability to convert short-term memory
C)
into long-term memory.
D) immediate memory.
E) the ability to recognize faces.
 _______ memory is almost perfectly
73.
photographic.
A) Immediate
B) Short-term
C) Long-term
D) Declarative
E) Procedural

74. Short-term memory lasts about

A) a few seconds.
B) 10–15 minutes.
C) 20–30 minutes.
D) 1 hour.
E) a few days.

The basic functional unit of the brain is

75.
the _______.

The brain and spinal cord together are

76.
called the _______.

The _______ is made up of a network of

77.
nerves throughout the body.

Vision, hearing, touch, and balance make

78.
up _______ information.

_______ information is sent from the

79.
brain to the muscles and glands.

80. Efferent pathways that are involuntary are

 also called the _______ division.

A spinal _______ occurs when afferent

information is converted to efferent
81.
information without the involvement of
the brain.

Neurons that share certain anatomical or

other distinctive characteristics, such as
82.
the neurotransmitter they produce and
release, are called a(n) _______.

The transfer of short-term memory to

83. long-term memory is the function of the
_______.

The cortex is folded into ridges called

84.
_______ and valleys called _______.

The autonomic nervous system is crucial

85. to the main-tenance of _______ in the
body.

A person who is blind in one eye will have

86.
difficulty discriminating _______.

In the visual cortex, cells that receive

87. information from both eyes are called
_______ cells.

Sleep researchers use a(n) _______ to

88. measure electric potential differences
among neurons.
 A deficit in the ability to use or
89.
understand words is called a(n) _______.

During storytelling hour at the local

library, a college student volunteers to
read aloud to preschoolers. This generous
90.
act requires the ability to integrate the
written word and the spoken word, which
is controlled by the _______.

91. Broca's area is essential for _______.

The process by which experiences modify

behavior is called _______; the ability of
92.
the brain to retain this information is
called _______.

A type of learning in which a response

93. becomes linked to two unrelated stimuli is
called _______ learning.

Remembering how to perform a motor

task, such as using a computer keyboard,
94. involves _______ memory. This type of
memory cannot be consciously recalled
and described.

Use the following to answer questions 95-96:

Refer to the diagram below.

Which brain region (indicated by the

numbers) is paired incorrectly with the
95.
region of the embryonic brain from which
it originates?
A) 2 – Diencephalon
B) 3 – Hindbrain
C) 5 – Diencephalon
D) 6 – Diencephalon
E) 7 – Telencephalon

Which brain region (indicated by the

96. numbers) is paired incorrectly with its
brain function?
A) 1 – Controls breathing and circulation
3 – Compares motor neuron activity with
B) behavior of muscles and refines motor
commands
5 – Regulates many physiological
C) functions and receives physiological
information of which we are not conscious
6 – Final relay station for sensory activity
D)
going to telencephalon
7 – Regulates biological drives such as
E)
hunger and thirst

Use the following to answer questions 97-98:

Refer to the diagram below.

Which brain region (indicated by the

numbers) is paired incorrectly with the
97.
region of the embryonic brain from which
it originates?
A) 1 – Forebrain
B) 3 – Forebrain
C) 5 – Hindbrain
D) 6 – Midbrain
E) 7 – Forebrain
 Which brain region (indicated by the
98. numbers) is paired incorrectly with one of
its brain functions?
A) 1 – Smell
B) 2 – Planning and personality
C) 3 – Attending to complex stimuli
4 – Receiving and processing visual
D)
information
5 – Receiving and processing auditory
E)
information

Refer to the diagram below. Which of the

following represents the correct sequence
of participation of left cerebral cortex
99. areas in the process of reading a written
word aloud?

A) 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
B) 1, 5, 2, 3, 4
C) 4, 3, 2, 1, 5
D) 4, 3, 2, 5, 1
E) 5, 1, 2, 3, 4
Answer Key

1. A
2. B
3. C
4. D
5. B
6. D
7. E
8. C
9. D
10. E
11. D
12. a
13. e
14. b
15. d
16. B
17. C
18. B
19. A
20. A
21. D
22. E
23. C
24. E
25. C
26. D
27. C
28. a
29. d
30. c
31. b
32. D
33. A
34. B
35. A
36. A
37. A
38. C
39. D
40. C
41. B
42. a, b, and d
43. b, c, and d
44. b, c, and d
45. b and c
46. a and b
47. c
48. d
49. c
50. a
51. e
52. a
53. D
54. B
55. C
56. E
57. A
58. E
59. B
60. D
61. D
62. A
63. D
64. D
65. B
66. A
67. A
68. B
69. B
70. C
71. C
72. C
73. A
74. B
75. neuron
76. central nervous system
77. peripheral nervous system
78. afferent
79. Efferent
80. autonomic
81. reflex
82. nucleus
83. hippocampus
84. gyri; sulci
85. homeostasis
86. distance
87. binocular
88. electroencephalograph
89. aphasia
90. angular gyrus
91. speech
92. learning; memory
93. associative
94. procedural
95. A
96. E
97. D
98. E
99. D