Exam 2: The Biological Perspective

Felicia is recovering from a brain injury. She is able to speak fluently but often uses incorrect words in a sentence. In one instance at a friend's birthday party, she said, "I would like something to drink. Can I have some battery?" Felicia's problem may be a symptom of __________.

Which hemisphere of the cerebral cortex is usually dominant in language tasks?

The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord.

The part of the autonomic nervous system that is responsible for reacting to stressful events and bodily arousal is called the __________ nervous system.

The part of the brain that receives sensations of touch, balance, and bodily position is the ________ lobe.

The thyroid and pituitary glands are parts of the __________ system.

__________ is a brain-imaging method that takes computer-controlled X-rays of the brain.

Insertion into the brain of a thin insulated wire through which an electrical current is sent that destroys the brain cells at the tip of the wire is called __________.

If Sam's brain is like that of most people, then language will be handled by his __________.

Which of the following regions contains the somatosensory cortex?

Nina has decided to undergo surgery to treat her severe epilepsy. Consequently, her doctors will use a surgical procedure in which they will sever her __________.

The cortex is divided into two sections referred to as __________.

If the pancreas secretes too little insulin, the result is diabetes.

If you are shot in the head and there is damage to the medulla, this can seriously impair your ability to __________.

Activation of the sympathetic nervous system leads to pupil dilation, inhibition of digestion, and an accelerated heartbeat.

Describe the functions of the brain and the spinal cord. How are these functions similar? How are these functions dissimilar?

The corpus callosum __________.

Eli is studying alone in his room late at night when he hears a loud noise downstairs. His heartbeat increases significantly and his breathing becomes shallow. He wonders if a burglar has entered the house and decides to investigate. When he gets downstairs, he discovers his cat has knocked over a plant stand. His body begins to relax and return to normal. Which part of his nervous system was responsible for putting Eli's body on "high alert" when he did not know the source of the sound?

Which of the following are the three basic types of neurons?

LaKeisha stepped on a piece of glass and quickly pulled her foot away from that sharp object. Which of the following are responsible for sending a message to the muscles in LaKeisha's foot, resulting in her pulling her foot away from the piece of glass?