MCAT Psychology
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MCAT Psychology - Leaderboard
MCAT Psychology - Details
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82 questions
| 🇬🇧 | 🇬🇧 |
| 1: Came up with the idea of Phrenology | Franz Gall |
| Surgically removing various parts of the brain and observing behavior consequences. | Extirpation/Ablation |
| "Father of American Psychology" created one of the first theories responsible for the development of Functionalism. | William James |
| System of thought in psychology that studies how mental processes help individuals adapt to their environments. | Functionalism |
| First person to measure the speed of a nerve impulse. Credited with the transition of psychology into a field of natural science. | Hermann von Helmholtz |
| First inferred the existence of synapses. Initially thought that synaptic transmission was an electrical process, but it was later proven that it is a chemical process. | Sir Charles Sherrington |
| 1. Sensory neurons 2. Motor neurons 3. Interneurons | What are the three kinds of nerve cells in the Nervous System? |
| "efferent neurons" Transmit motor into from brain and spinal cord to muscles and glands | Motor Neurons |
| Interneurons | Which kind of nerve cells are most prevalent in the body? |
| Central (CNS) and Peripheral (PNS) nervous systems | 2 components of NS |
| Brain and Spinal Cord | Components of the CNS |
| Autonomic and Somatic nervous systems | Components of PNS |
| Connect rest of the body to the CNS | Purpose of PNS |
| Branch of the PNS. Only based on skeletal muscle contractions (voluntary movement) | Somatic Nervous System |
| Branch on PNS. Only based on smooth and cardiac muscle contractions (involuntary movement). | Autonomic Nervous System |
| 1. Sympathetic NS 2. Parasympathetic NS | Branches of the Autonomic NS |
| Main role is energy conservation Rest and Digest system | Parasympathetic NS |
| Activated by stress. Fight of Flight system | Sympathetic NS |
| Meninges | Thick Connective tissue covering brain and anchoring it to skull |
| 1. Dura Mater 2. Arachnoid Mater 3. Pia Mater | 3 layers of meninges from skull --> brain |
| 1. Hindbrain 2. Midbrain 3. Forebrain | 3 main subdivisions of brain |
| 1. Hindbrain 2. Midbrain | Which two subdivisions of the brain compose the brainstem |
| 3. Forebrain | Which subdivision of the brain is the LIMBIC SYSTEM found in? |
| Cerebral Cortex | What is the most recent evolutionary development of human brain? |
| Rhombencephalon | Fancy name for hindbrain |
| Where the brain meets spinal cord | Where is Hindbrain located |
| Controls: 1. Balance 2. Motor coordination 3. Breathing 4. Digestion 5. Sleeping and waking | List 3 functions of the hindbrain |
| 1. myencephalon (medulla oblongata) 2. metencephalon (pons and cerebellum) | What does rhombencephalon divide into during development? |
| Lower brain structure responsible for regulation vital functions: 1. Breathing 2. Heart rate 3. Blood pressure | What is Medulla Oblongata responsible for? |
| Contains sensory and motor pathways between cortex and medulla | What is pons responsible for? |
| Above the medulla | Where is the Pons located? |
| At the top of the hindbrain Helps maintain posture, balance, and coordinate body movements. | Where is the cerebellum located and what is its function? |
| Cerebellum | Which structure's function does the consumption of alcohol impair |
| Mesencephalon | Fancy name for Midbrain |
| Involuntary reflex responses triggered by visual/auditory stimuli | What is the midbrain associated with? |
| Two prominent nuclei of the midbrain | Colliculi |
| Both are located in the midbrain Superior colliculus: receives visual sensory input Inferior colliculus: receives auditory sensory input Both play a role in reflexive behavior | Superior colliculus and inferior colliculus location and function |
| Prosencephalus | Fancy name for forebrain |
| 1. Telencephalon 2. Diencephalon | What does the prosencephalon (Forebrain) split into during development |
| Both are located in forebrain telenceph: forms cerebral cortex and basal ganglia as well as limbic system diencephalon: forms thalamus, hypothalamus, posterior pituitary, and pineal gland | Telencephalon and Diencephalon location and functions |
| Electrically stimulating and recording brain activity. | How are cortical maps made? |
| Electroencephalogram Studies electrical activity generated by large groups of neurons | EEG full name and function |
| Blood flow to a specific part of the brain increases when that part's cognitive function is activated | Assumption made when using rCBF |
| Computed tomography many xrays of brain taken at different angles. Computer program processes images into cross-sectional sliced images of the tissue | CT full name and fucntion |
| Positron emission tomography radioactive sugar injected and absorbed into body. Dispersion of this sugar throughout target tissue is analyzed | PET scan full name and function |
| Magnetic Resonance Imaging Uses a magnetic field to interact with hydrogen to map out hydrogen dense regions of the body | MRI full name and function |
| Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Same technique as MRI. Measures changes associated with blood flow. useful for monitoring neural activity | FMRI full name and function |
| Forebrain | Which main subdivision of the brain forms the largest portion? |
| Located in the forebrain sensory way station once sensory info received, thalamus sorts and transmits them to proper area of cerebral cortex | Thalamus function and location |
| Located in forebrain. serves homeostatic function and helps control endocrine functions and the autonomic sensory system | Hypothalamus function and location |
| 1. Lateral hypothalamus (LH) 2. Ventromedial hypothalamus ( VMH) 3. Anterior hypothalamus | Three divisions of hypothalamus |
| Hunger center. thought to detect when body needs food/water. | Lateral hypothalamus function |
| Rat refuses to eat and drink to the point of starvation and death | What happens to lab rats when the lateral hypothalamus is destroyed? |
| "Satiety center" Thought to provide signal to stop eating | Ventromedial hypothalamus function |
| Rats become obese. Brain can not signal them to stop eating at proper time | How does a brain lesion on the ventromedial hypothalamus in rats impact their behavior? |
| Controls sexual behavior | Anterior hypothalamus function |
| Stimulated: they will mount anything damaged: permanent inhibition of sexual activity | What happens when anterior hypothalamus stimulated or destroyed in rats? |
| 1. Posterior Pituitary 2. Pineal 3. Connecting pathways to other brain regions | What does diencephalon differentiate to create? |
| Cerebral cortex Basal Ganglia Limbic system | What does telencephalon differentiate to create? |
| Coordinate muscle movement. Helps make movements smooth and keep posture steady | Basal ganglia function |
| No, it gathers information about body position and carries info to CNS. Does not function directly through motor neurons | Does basal ganglia use motor neurons to keep movements smooth? |
| 1. Septal Nuclei 2. Amygdala 3. Hippocampus | What 3 structures compose the limbic system |
| Part of the Limbic system One of brains primary center for pleasure. | Septal Nuclei purpose in brain |
| Intensely pleasurable sensation Addiction is strong related to this portion of brain | What is the result of mildly stimulating the Septal Nuclei? |
| Part of Limbic system plays important role in defensive/aggressive behaviors including fear and anger | Amygdala purpose in brain |
| Aggression and fear reactions severely decrease can result in a hyper-sexual state | What is the result of damaging the amygdala? |
| Part of limbic system. Helps consolidate information to form long term memories. Can redistribute remote memories to the cerebral cortex. | Hippocampus purpose in brain |
| Fornix | What structure allows the hippocampus to communicate with other portions of the limbic system |
| Anterograde amnesia | What kind of amnesia did HM's procedure leave him with? |
| Refers to memory loss of events that occurred before the brain injury | Retrograde amnesia |