Foundation 6

Question 1

What are the scientific tools used to study brain functions?

Answer 1

Electroencephalogram (EEG), Positron emission tomography (PET), Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and Functional MRI.

Question 2

What does an Electroencephalogram (EEG) do?

Answer 2

Records electrical activity from the brain.

Question 3

What is Positron emission tomography (PET)?

Answer 3

Creates images of brain activity through computer interpretation of PET scan data.

Question 4

What does Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) do?

Answer 4

Creates images of brain anatomy by detecting magnetic activity from atomic nuclei.

Question 5

What does Functional MRI measure?

Answer 5

Measures brain activity by detecting changes in neuronal oxygen use.

Question 6

What is the primary role of the left cerebral hemisphere?

Answer 6

Analyzes the logical content of language.

Question 7

What is the primary role of the right cerebral hemisphere?

Answer 7

Processes information about shapes and spatial locations.

Question 8

In what percentage of the population is language control primarily in the left hemisphere?

Answer 8

0.9

Question 9

Which hemisphere is more active when memorizing verbal items?

Answer 9

Left frontal lobe

Question 10

Which hemisphere is more active when memorizing visual shapes and locations?

Answer 10

Right frontal lobe

Question 11

What type of information does the left cerebral cortex primarily handle?

Answer 11

Verbal information

Question 12

What type of information does the right cerebral cortex primarily handle?

Answer 12

Visual information

Question 13

Which hemisphere is more involved in processing negative emotions?

Answer 13

Right hemisphere

Question 14

Which hemisphere is more involved in processing positive emotions?

Answer 14

Left hemisphere

Question 15

How does a stroke in the left hemisphere affect emotions?

Answer 15

Increases likelihood of depression

Question 16

How does damage to the right hemisphere affect emotions?

Answer 16

May result in cheerfulness and lack of depression

Question 17

How does the average size of the female brain compare to the male brain?

Answer 17

Smaller

Question 18

What structural difference is noted in the female brain?

Answer 18

More folds, more complex, greater surface area

Question 19

In which tasks do females tend to be more accurate?

Answer 19

Verbal tasks

Question 20

Which hemisphere shows more activation in females?

Answer 20

Left cerebral hemisphere

Question 21

Which hemisphere shows more activation in males?

Answer 21

Right cerebral hemisphere

Question 22

Is the brain a changeable structure?

Answer 22

Yes

Question 23

How does the brain change throughout life?

Answer 23

Through changes in white and gray matter and neurogenesis

Question 24

What happens to the brain’s white and gray matter from childhood through middle age?

Answer 24

White matter increases, gray matter decreases due to neural pruning

Question 25

What is neural pruning?

Answer 25

Elimination of unnecessary neural cells to improve efficiency

Question 26

What happens to the brain's gray and white matter after the 5th decade of life?

Answer 26

Both decrease, leading to reduced working memory and cognitive speed

Question 27

What is neurogenesis?

Answer 27

Growth of new neurons in the brain

Question 28

What role does neurogenesis play?

Answer 28

Important for learning and storing new memories

Question 29

How does learning a new skill affect the brain?

Answer 29

Increases the number of neural cell bodies (gray matter) in relevant cortical areas.