BAPSY Biological Bases of Behavior 5

Question 1

Which neurotransmitter is released at the neuromuscular junction to trigger muscle contraction?

Accepted Answer

Acetylcholine

Answer

Motor neurons release acetylcholine (ACh) at the neuromuscular junction, which binds nicotinic receptors to initiate muscle contraction.

Question 2

Damage to the amygdala most consistently impairs which psychological function?

Accepted Answer

Fear conditioning and threat detection

Answer

The amygdala is critical for acquiring and expressing conditioned fear responses, as demonstrated by the famous case of patient S.M.

Question 3

In split-brain research, if an image is presented only to the LEFT visual field, it is processed by which hemisphere?

Accepted Answer

Right hemisphere

Answer

The left visual field projects to the right hemisphere via the optic chiasm, where nasal fibers cross and temporal fibers stay ipsilateral.

Question 4

Which structure in the midbrain contains dopamine-producing neurons whose degeneration causes Parkinson's disease?

Accepted Answer

Substantia nigra

Answer

The substantia nigra pars compacta houses dopaminergic neurons that project to the striatum; their loss causes the motor deficits of Parkinson's disease.

Question 5

Long-term potentiation (LTP), a cellular model of memory formation, primarily involves which receptor?

Accepted Answer

NMDA glutamate receptor

Answer

NMDA receptors act as coincidence detectors; their activation during LTP allows calcium influx that strengthens synaptic connections.

BAPSY - Bachelor of Arts in Psychology Practice Test

BAPSY - Bachelor of Arts in Psychology Practice Test

BAPSY Biological Bases of Behavior 5