EPPP Test Cognitive-Affective Behavior Bases Questions and Answers — Questions and Answers
Question 1: According to Melzack and Wall's gate-control theory of pain, which of the following mechanisms is responsible for modulating the sensation of pain?
- The complete blockage of all sensory signals at the site of injury.
- The interaction between large and small nerve fibers in the spinal cord which can inhibit or facilitate pain signals to the brain. (Correct answer)
- The release of endogenous opioids in the brain which universally dampens all incoming pain signals.
- The cognitive appraisal of the painful stimulus, which occurs exclusively in the prefrontal cortex.
Correct answer: The interaction between large and small nerve fibers in the spinal cord which can inhibit or facilitate pain signals to the brain.
The gate-control theory posits that the perception of pain is modulated by a 'gate' in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. This gate's status is influenced by the relative activity of large-diameter (non-nociceptive) and small-diameter (nociceptive) nerve fibers. Activation of large fibers (e.g., by rubbing an injured area) can 'close the gate' and inhibit the transmission of pain signals from small fibers to the brain.
Question 2: A person is participating in a sleep study. The polysomnography (PSG) recording shows high-frequency, low-amplitude brain waves similar to wakefulness, rapid eye movements, and almost complete paralysis of the skeletal muscles. Which stage of sleep is this person most likely experiencing?
- Stage 2 NREM sleep
- Stage 1 NREM sleep
- Stage 3 NREM sleep
- REM sleep (Correct answer)
Correct answer: REM sleep
REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep is characterized by a highly active brain (with EEG patterns resembling wakefulness), rapid eye movements, and muscle atonia (paralysis). This is the stage where vivid dreaming typically occurs. In contrast, NREM stages are characterized by progressively slower brain waves and deeper relaxation.
Question 3: A patient reports seeing a large, aggressive dog running towards them. According to the Schachter-Singer two-factor theory of emotion, what is the sequence of events that leads to the patient feeling fear?
- The patient simultaneously experiences physiological arousal and the emotion of fear.
- The patient first experiences the emotion of fear, which then causes physiological arousal.
- The patient experiences physiological arousal, and then cognitively appraises the situation to label that arousal as fear. (Correct answer)
- The patient's body reacts with physiological arousal, and the brain interprets this bodily change as the emotion of fear.
Correct answer: The patient experiences physiological arousal, and then cognitively appraises the situation to label that arousal as fear.
The Schachter-Singer two-factor theory proposes that emotion results from two factors: physiological arousal and a cognitive label for that arousal. The person first experiences a state of arousal (e.g., increased heart rate) and then interprets that arousal based on the environmental context (e.g., seeing an aggressive dog), leading to the specific emotional experience of fear.
Question 4: The monoamine hypothesis of depression primarily implicates a deficiency in which group of neurotransmitters?
- GABA, glycine, and glutamate
- Serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine (Correct answer)
- Acetylcholine and endorphins
- Substance P and histamine
Correct answer: Serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine
The monoamine hypothesis, a foundational theory in the neurobiology of depression, suggests that the disorder is related to a deficiency in the brain of certain monoamine neurotransmitters, most notably serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine. Many antidepressant medications work by increasing the availability of these neurotransmitters in the synapse.
Question 5: A professional musician is effortlessly playing a complex piano concerto from memory. This highly practiced, coordinated, and timed motor skill is largely dependent on the proper functioning of which brain structure?
- Hippocampus
- Amygdala
- Cerebellum (Correct answer)
- Occipital Lobe
Correct answer: Cerebellum
The cerebellum is crucial for coordinating voluntary movements, posture, balance, and motor learning. It fine-tunes motor commands to produce smooth, timed, and fluid movements, such as those required for playing a musical instrument. While the hippocampus is involved in memory, the cerebellum is specifically responsible for the procedural memory and automated motor sequences.
Question 6: Which of the following best describes the process of long-term potentiation (LTP) in the context of learning and memory?
- A temporary decrease in the firing rate of a neuron after a period of inactivity.
- The generation of new neurons in the hippocampus following a novel experience.
- A long-lasting strengthening of the connection between two neurons that are activated simultaneously. (Correct answer)
- The process by which the brain filters out irrelevant sensory information to focus on a task.
Correct answer: A long-lasting strengthening of the connection between two neurons that are activated simultaneously.
Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a cellular mechanism that is widely believed to underlie learning and memory. It involves a persistent strengthening of a synaptic connection that results from recent patterns of activity. This makes the postsynaptic neuron more likely to fire in response to stimulation from the presynaptic neuron, essentially strengthening the neural circuit.
EPPP Test Cognitive-Affective Behavior Bases Questions and Answers
According to Melzack and Wall's gate-control theory of pain, which of the following mechanisms is responsible for modulating the sensation of pain?