"Brain And Behavior" Exam; Are You Ready To Be A Biopsychologist?

The three types of sensory areas of cortex are primary sensory cortex, secondary sensory cortex, and association cortex

Both A and B are correct. Sensory systems are indeed parallel systems in which information flows over multiple pathways. This means that different aspects of sensory information are processed simultaneously through different neural pathways. Additionally, parallel systems feature parallel processing, which involves the simultaneous analysis of a signal in different ways by multiple parallel pathways of a neural network. Therefore, both statements accurately describe the nature of sensory systems and parallel processing.

Both A and B are correct. A states that sounds are vibrations of air molecules that stimulate the auditory system, which is true. B states that amplitude is linked to perception of loudness, frequency is linked to perception of pitch, and complexity of molecular vibration is linked to perception of timbre, which are all correct associations. Therefore, both statements A and B are correct.

Fourier analysis is the mathematical procedure used to break down complex waves into their component sine waves. It is a technique that allows us to analyze and understand the different frequencies present in a complex wave. By decomposing a wave into its constituent sine waves, Fourier analysis helps in studying and interpreting various phenomena, such as sound waves in the theory of audition. It is a fundamental tool in many fields, including mathematics, physics, and engineering.

Kokhlos means land snail

Both A and B are correct. The cochlea is indeed a long, coiled tube with the Organ of Corti running almost to its tip. The Organ of Corti is the auditory receptor organ and an internal structure of the cochlea. Therefore, both statements accurately describe the cochlea and the Organ of Corti.

The tectorial membrane rests on the hair cells

Both A and B are correct. In the auditory system, sound vibrations enter the ear canal and cause the eardrum to vibrate. These vibrations are then transmitted through the ossicles, specifically the stapes, which is connected to the oval window. The vibrations of the stapes trigger vibrations of the oval window. At the same time, the vibrations of the cochlear fluid, which are caused by the movement of the oval window, are dissipated by the round window. Therefore, both A and B are correct in describing different aspects of the transmission of sound vibrations in the ear.

The auditory system is only largely tonotopic, not completely

Both options A and B are correct. Option A states that the primary auditory cortex in primates receives the majority of its input from the medial geniculate nucleus, which is true. Option B states that the primate primary auditory cortex consists of three adjacent areas referred to as the core region, which is also true. Therefore, both statements are correct.

Both A and B are correct. The explanation for this answer is that most auditory neurons respond to changes in frequency rather than pitch. This means that they are more sensitive to changes in the physical properties of sound waves, such as their speed or wavelength, rather than the subjective perception of pitch. Additionally, Bondor and Wang discovered a small area interior to the primary auditory cortex that contained many neurons that responded to pitch rather than frequency. This suggests that there are specific regions in the brain that are dedicated to processing pitch information.

Hearing recovers in the ensuing weeks. The only major permanent effects are the ones stated above.

If only part of the cochlea is damaged, an individual may have nerve deafness for SOME frequencies, but not others

Both A and B are correct because Merkel's disks and Ruffini endings are both types of mechanoreceptors found in the skin. Merkel's disks adapt slowly and respond to gradual skin indentation, while Ruffini endings also adapt slowly and respond to skin stretch. Therefore, both statements accurately describe the characteristics of these two types of sensory receptors.

Both A and B are correct because stimuli applied to the skin can indeed change the chemistry of the receptor, which can then result in a neural signal. Additionally, changing the permeability of the receptor cell membrane to various ions can also result in a neural signal. Therefore, both A and B provide valid explanations for how stimuli applied to the skin can lead to a neural signal.

The correct answer is A is correct and B is wrong. This is because statement A states that each tactile sensation is produced by the interaction of multiple receptor mechanisms, which is supported by scientific evidence. On the other hand, statement B suggests that each type of skin receptor mediates a different tactile sensation, which is not entirely accurate. While different types of skin receptors may be specialized for detecting certain sensations, the perception of tactile sensations is a complex process involving the integration of multiple receptors and neural pathways.

Only little somatosensory loss is produced when a single dorsal root is destructed

The dorsal column refers to a pathway in the spinal cord that carries sensory information from the body to the brain. The neurons in the dorsal column are responsible for transmitting sensory signals from the toes to the brain. These neurons are considered the longest in the human body because they extend from the toes all the way up to the brain, allowing for the transmission of sensory information over long distances.

Both A and B are correct.
(A) There is no obvious cortical representation of pain because pain may activate many areas of the cortex. This means that pain does not have a specific location in the brain, but rather activates multiple areas involved in sensory processing, emotion, and cognition.
(B) Sensory experiences can be suppressed by cognitive and emotional factors. This means that our perception of pain can be influenced by our thoughts, emotions, and attention. These factors can either enhance or suppress our experience of pain.

Analgesic, not anesthetic

Both A and B are correct. The statement in option A suggests that analgesic drugs and psychological factors can block pain by activating the endorphin-sensitive circuit that descends from the periaqueductal gray. This indicates that the release of endorphins, which are natural painkillers, can help alleviate pain. Option B states that the periaqueductal gray can excite serotonergic neurons in the raphe nuclei, which in turn stimulate interneurons that block incoming pain signals in the dorsal horn. This suggests that the periaqueductal gray plays a role in inhibiting pain signals. Therefore, both options A and B provide valid explanations for how pain can be blocked.

Both A and B are correct.

(A) Neuropathic pain is indeed severe chronic pain that occurs in the absence of a recognizable pain stimulus. It is commonly associated with nerve damage or dysfunction, and it often develops after an injury.

(B) Aberrant microglia, which are a type of immune cell in the central nervous system, have been implicated in triggering hyperactivity in neural pain pathways. This can contribute to the development and maintenance of neuropathic pain.

Chemical senses monitor the chemical content of the environment. Olfaction and gustation are chemical senses.

Both A and B are correct.


(A) Olfactory receptor cells are indeed located in the upper part of the nose, embedded in a layer of olfactory mucosa. This location allows these cells to come into contact with odor molecules in the air that we breathe.
(B) Each olfactory receptor cell contains only one type of receptor protein molecules. This specificity allows different odor molecules to bind to specific receptors, which then send signals to the brain for interpretation.

Both A and B are correct.



(A) Each odor seems to be encoded by component processing, which means that the pattern of activity across different types of olfactory receptors determines how the odor is perceived. This suggests that different combinations of receptor types are activated by different odors, leading to the perception of different smells.

(B) Olfactory glomeruli are indeed clusters of neurons where the axons of olfactory receptors terminate. These glomeruli are responsible for processing and integrating the signals from the olfactory receptors, allowing for further processing and interpretation of odors in the brain.

Both A and B are correct. The statement in option A suggests that there is mirror symmetry between the left and right olfactory bulbs, meaning that they are arranged in a symmetrical manner. Option B states that the olfactory bulbs are organized topographically, meaning that they are arranged in a systematic and spatially ordered manner. Both of these statements are true and provide accurate explanations for the organization of the olfactory bulbs.

Piriform cortex is considered primary olfactory cortex

Both A and B are correct.
(A) Partial ageusia refers to a partial loss of taste sensation. It is limited to the anterior 2/3 of the tongue on one side, meaning that only a specific portion of the tongue on one side is affected.
(B) Selective attention is the cognitive process of consciously focusing on a specific subset of stimuli while ignoring others. It involves perceiving a small subset of many stimuli at one time and largely ignoring the rest.

Both A and B are correct. The explanation is that endogenous attention refers to attention that is driven by internal cognitive processes, such as goal-directed attention or voluntary attention. This type of attention involves top-down neural mechanisms, meaning that it is guided by higher-level cognitive processes and influences the processing of sensory information. On the other hand, exogenous attention refers to attention that is driven by external events, such as a sudden loud noise or a flashing light. This type of attention involves bottom-up neural mechanisms, meaning that it is driven by the sensory input itself and influences the allocation of attention.

Both A and B are correct. In option A, it is stated that eye movement plays an important role in visual attention. This is true because our eyes naturally move to different areas of a scene to gather information and focus on specific objects or regions. This movement helps us allocate our attention to relevant visual stimuli. In option B, it is stated that visual attention can be shifted without shifting the direction of visual focus. This is also true because we can direct our attention to different parts of a scene without necessarily moving our eyes to that location. We can use our peripheral vision or mental imagery to shift our attention while keeping our gaze fixed.

Both A and B are correct. The ventral stream is responsible for processing visual information related to object recognition and identity, while the dorsal stream is responsible for processing visual information related to spatial location and motion. Therefore, when attending to the identity of an object, the ventral stream is more active, and when attending to the position of an object, the dorsal stream is more active.

Both A and B are correct. The push-pull mechanism refers to the process in which neural responses to attended aspects are strengthened while responses to other aspects are weakened. This mechanism helps in focusing attention on specific aspects while suppressing irrelevant information. On the other hand, visual receptive fields of inferotemporal cortex neurons do shrink to become smaller when focusing on objects. This allows for more precise and detailed processing of the objects being attended to.

Disorder of attention of attending to more than one object at a time.

Both A and B are correct because they both describe the input pathways of the sensory cortex. A states that the primary sensory cortex receives most of its input directly from the thalamic relay nuclei, while B states that the sensory cortex receives input from the primary sensor cortex or other areas of secondary sensory cortex within the same system. Both statements are accurate and provide different perspectives on the input sources of the sensory cortex.

Most input to areas of association cortex comes via areas of SECONDARY sensory cortex

The higher the level of damage, the more specific and complex the deficit

Sensation is the process of detecting stimulus presence. Perception is the higher-order processing of sensations.

The correct answer is A is correct and B is wrong. This is because the statement in option A is supported by research and is consistent with the current understanding of sensory systems. It states that sensory systems have specialized areas that perform different functions, indicating functional segregation. On the other hand, option B suggests that all areas of the cortex at any level of a sensory hierarchy perform the same function, which is not supported by evidence and contradicts the concept of functional specialization in sensory systems. Therefore, option A is correct and option B is incorrect.

Both A and B are correct because our sensory systems have multiple parallel streams of analysis. One of these streams is capable of influencing behavior without conscious awareness, while another stream can influence behavior by engaging conscious awareness. This means that our behavior can be influenced both consciously and unconsciously through different processes in our sensory systems.

Though the brain may have multiple pathways, complex stimuli are perceived as integrated wholes.

In real life sound is always associated with complex patterns of vibrations. For any pure tone, there is a close relationship between the frequency of tone and its perceived pitch.

The pitch of a complex sound may NOT be directly related to the frequency of any of the sound's components

Maximal stimulation

Both statements are about the vestibular, not the auditory system

Localization of sounds in space is mediated by the medial and lateral superior olives

Both A and B are correct. The superior colliculi have a general function of locating sources of sensory input in space, which means they are involved in processing sensory information and determining the location of stimuli in the environment. Additionally, the deep layers of the superior colliculi specifically receive auditory input and are organized according to a map of auditory space, further supporting the idea that they play a role in spatial processing of sensory information.

*functional columns
*neurons respond optimally to sounds in the same frequency range

Anterior - whAt
postErior - whEre

Both statements A and B are correct.

Statement A states that the association cortex is where interactions or associations take place. This is accurate as the association cortex is responsible for integrating information from different sensory modalities and regions of the brain, allowing for complex cognitive processes such as perception, memory, and decision-making.

Statement B states that the primary function of the auditory posterior pathway is preparation for action. This is also correct as the auditory posterior pathway, which includes areas such as the posterior parietal cortex and premotor cortex, is involved in processing auditory information and translating it into motor actions or responses. This pathway helps in preparing and planning actions based on the auditory stimuli received.