Chapter 3 - part 4: The Brain and Behaviour

Which brain structure controls unconscious but essential functions such as breathing and circulation?

Ian has been in a coma since he was in a serious car accident. He is still on life support because he is unable to breathe on his own. Which area of Ian’s brain is likely damaged?

A victim who is shot in the head died instantly because the bullet entered a portion of the hindbrain that regulates
breathing. Which portion would that be?

Which of the following is a hindbrain structure involved with sleep and arousal?

What is the primary function of the cerebellum?

What is the most likely consequence of damage to the cerebellum?

The drunk-driving suspect was unable to walk a straight line with her eyes closed because activity in one of her
brain structures was depressed by alcohol. Given this symptom, which brain structure is impaired?

Wanda fell down some stairs and hit her head. Prior to her accident she was an excellent flute player, but she
now has difficulty coordinating the finger movements required in complex musical pieces. Which of the following
brain areas was likely damaged in the fall?

Gaspar was a world-class diver until he hit his head on the diving board during one of his dives. He now has
difficulty coordinating the movements required for various tucks and rotations. Which of the following areas of
Gaspar’s brain is likely damaged?

In which of the following areas of the brain is the dopamine system involved in Parkinson’s disease located?

Dr. Bashir has implanted electrodes in the brain of a rabbit. When currents of different frequencies are passed
through the electrodes, the rabbit will fall into a deep sleep or suddenly awaken. Based on this information,
where are the electrodes most likely implanted?

Erin suffered a brain injury, and her neurologist has told her that there is damage to her reticular formation. Which
of the following symptoms is Erin most likely to experience?

Which brain structure appears to play an active role in integrating sensory information?

Uma just caught sight of a red hummingbird. The neural impulses from her eye will eventually travel to her
primary visual cortex, but which brain area must they first pass through?

What is the function of the hypothalamus?

Juan is in a state of high arousal. His heart is beating quickly, and he is perspiring. Which brain area is largely
responsible for controlling these automatic survival responses?

If you destroy one particular area of its brain, a rat will lose all interest in food and may well starve to death.
Which area is it?

If a person has a brain tumour that results in a disruption of his or her eating behaviour, which of the following
areas is the most likely location of the tumour?

By altering brain structures, an evil scientist has created supervillains who have specialized powers or abilities.
One of these supervillains seldom feels hungry or thirsty and can go for days without feeling the need to eat or
drink. Which brain area has likely been altered?

Which of the following brain structures is most closely associated with the regulation of emotion?

Aretha had severe epilepsy, and surgeons removed portions of her hippocampus to control the severity of her
seizures. What ability is likely to be affected by Aretha’s surgery?

By altering brain structures, an evil scientist has created supervillains who have specialized powers or abilities.
One of these supervillains has a fantastic memory and is able to form new memories incredibly well. In this case,
which brain structure was likely altered?

Madeleine has learned to fear thunder and lightning storms. Which area of her brain was likely very active when
Madeleine’s fear was first acquired?

By altering brain structures, an evil scientist has created supervillains who have specialized powers or abilities.
One of these supervillains is absolutely fearless and willing to undertake extremely dangerous missions. In this
case, what brain structure was most likely altered?

Where do “pleasure centres” in the brain appear to be most heavily concentrated?

Research has identified a “pleasure centre” in rat brains, and researchers have determined that rats will press a
lever thousands of times in order to have a tiny electrode stimulate this area of the brain. What brain area is it?

If you connect an electrode to a device that will deliver stimulation directly to the brain, where should you insert
the electrode in order to cause a sensation of pleasure?

What is the largest and most complex part of the human brain?

Which brain structure is responsible for the human ability to engage in higher mental activity such as thinking and
philosophizing?

Which structure connects the two cerebral hemispheres?

Vivian has been experiencing unexplained flashes of light and colour, even when her eyes are closed. She
recently saw a neurologist who located a small brain tumour. Where is Vivian’s tumour likely to be located?

When Taryk slipped on the stairs and hit his head, he saw “stars” for several minutes. The “stars” were most
likely a result of activity in which area of the brain?

Which lobe of the brain is primarily responsible for processing bodily sensations, like tickling?

Which lobe of the brain, when electrically stimulated, causes people to report physical sensations as if they had
been touched?

Padraigh woke up one day, unable to reach properly for objects, even though he could both see them and feel
them. His doctor determined that Padraigh had a stroke and that the damage was confined to one portion of his
brain. Which part is most likely damaged?

With which of the following can you expect to have problems if you have damaged your temporal lobe?

Sharif suffered a stroke recently, and now he finds he constantly hears a buzzing sound in his ear. Where is the
damage located?

Which of the following is strongly correlated with the amount of motor cortex devoted to each body area?

If a monkey’s mirror neurons fire when the monkey picks up a grape, when will those same neurons also fire?

If a monkey’s mirror neuron fires when he sees another monkey reaching for a stick, in what other situation
should that same neuron fire?

Stefan has suffered brain damage, and as a result, he shows deficits in attention, planning, and getting organized.
Which area was likely damaged?

Some theorists believe that the brain contains a sort of “executive control system,” which is responsible for
monitoring, directing, and organizing thought processes. In which area of the brain would you find this system?

In primary motor cortex, which of the following has the largest area of representation?

If one group of animals is raised in a stimulating environment and another group of animals is raised in a boring
environment, which of the following should be enhanced in the brains of animals raised in the stimulating
environment?

Which of the following is characteristic of stem cells?

What will be difficult for you if you experience damage to Broca’s area?

What is the area of the frontal lobe that plays an important role in the production of speech?

Zeke has no problem understanding what other people say to him, but he has difficulty producing spoken
language. If Zeke’s problem stems from damage to the cerebral cortex, where do you expect the damage to be?

If you have difficulty understanding the meaning of speech as a consequence of brain damage, where is the
damage most likely to be located?

Monique is not able to understand spoken language. If Monique’s problem stems from damage to the cerebral
cortex, where is the damage most likely to be?