Question 1

Which part of the brain was most likely damaged in the famous case of Phineas Gage, leading to significant changes in his personality and decision-making abilities?

Accepted Answer

Frontal lobe

Question 2

Which neuroimaging technique is best suited for studying both the structure and function of the brain in awake humans?

Accepted Answer

fMRI

Question 3

A patient is unable to produce coherent speech but can understand language. Which brain area is most likely damaged?

Accepted Answer

Broca's area

Question 4

Which of the following best describes the function of the nodes of Ranvier?

Accepted Answer

They allow action potentials to jump from node to node, speeding up neural transmission.

Question 5

Which glial cell type is responsible for creating the blood-brain barrier and helping heal brain damage?

Accepted Answer

Astroglia

Question 6

If a person has difficulty integrating sensory information and spatial awareness, which lobe of the cerebral cortex is most likely affected?

Accepted Answer

Parietal lobe

Question 7

Which of the following statements about action potentials is correct?

Accepted Answer

An action potential occurs when the inside of the neuron becomes more positive relative to the outside.

Question 8

Which brain structure acts as a relay station for incoming sensory information?

Accepted Answer

Thalamus

Question 9

A person with damage to the corpus callosum may experience which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Split-brain, where the hemispheres act independently

Question 10

Which neurotransmitter event increases the likelihood that a neuron will fire an action potential?

Accepted Answer

Excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP)

Question 11

Which part of the limbic system is most involved in processing emotions related to fear and anxiety?

Accepted Answer

Amygdala

Question 12

Which of the following best describes the function of the basal ganglia?

Accepted Answer

Cognitive flexibility and voluntary movement control

Question 13

A person is unable to understand spoken language but can produce fluent, though nonsensical, speech. Which condition does this describe?

Accepted Answer

Wernicke's aphasia

Question 14

Which of the following is true about the brain's energy consumption?

Accepted Answer

The brain uses about 20% of the body's energy.

Question 15

Which type of neuron carries sensory impulses toward the central nervous system?

Accepted Answer

Afferent neuron

Question 16

Which brain structure is primarily responsible for regulating basic drives such as hunger and thirst, and controlling the endocrine system?

Accepted Answer

Hypothalamus

Question 17

Which of the following best describes the function of the cerebellum?

Accepted Answer

Important for motor coordination and movement learning

Question 18

Which of the following is a correct description of the resting potential of a neuron?

Accepted Answer

The inside of the neuron is negatively charged relative to the outside, at about $$-70$$ millivolts.

Question 19

Which brain region is most involved in higher intellectual thinking, planning, and morality?

Accepted Answer

Prefrontal lobe

Question 20

Which of the following best describes the role of oligodendrocytes in the nervous system?

Accepted Answer

They provide myelin to speed up transmission of neurons.

Biological Psychology: Structure and Function of the Brain and Neurons

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