Psychology Degree FREE Psychology Degree Biological Bases of Behavior Questions and Answers 2

Question 1

Which neurotransmitter is most directly involved in the regulation of mood, sleep, and appetite?

Accepted Answer

Serotonin

Answer

Serotonin plays a central role in regulating mood, sleep cycles, and appetite, and its dysregulation is linked to depression.

Question 2

What is the primary function of the myelin sheath surrounding axons?

Accepted Answer

To increase the speed of neural impulse transmission

Answer

The myelin sheath insulates axons and enables saltatory conduction, which greatly increases the speed of action potential propagation.

Question 3

A patient with damage to Wernicke's area would most likely exhibit which symptom?

Accepted Answer

Difficulty comprehending spoken language

Answer

Wernicke's area in the left temporal lobe is critical for language comprehension, and damage results in receptive aphasia.

Question 4

During an action potential, what event occurs during the depolarization phase?

Accepted Answer

Sodium ions rush into the cell through voltage-gated channels

Answer

Depolarization occurs when voltage-gated sodium channels open, allowing Na+ ions to flood into the neuron and reverse the membrane charge.

Question 5

Which brain structure serves as the primary relay station for sensory information heading to the cerebral cortex?

Accepted Answer

Thalamus

Answer

The thalamus routes nearly all incoming sensory information (except smell) to the appropriate cortical areas for processing.

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