Midterm Study Questions
Here is a sampling of questions for your enlightenment.
1. The basic mechanism of muscle contraction is
a. reduced protein fiber length
b. inflation
c. shifting protein fibers
d. antagonist contraction
2. The basic mechanism of muscle extension is
a. reduced protein fiber length
b. inflation
c. shifting protein fibers
d. antagonist contraction
3. The amount of tension produced passively by a muscle
a. is greatest at intermediate lengths
b. decreases with length
c. increases with length
d. cannot be determined
4. The amount of tension produced actively by a muscle
a. is greatest at intermediate lengths
b. decreases with length
c. increases with length
d. cannot be determined
5. Muscle spindles signal
a. the absolute length of intrafusal fibers
b. the difference in length between intrafusal and extrafusal fibers
c. the absolute tension on intrafusal fibers
d. the difference in tension between intrafusal and extrafusal fibers
6. An excitatory neurotransmitter like glutamate will
a. depolarize the post-synaptic neuron
b. increase the chances the post-synaptic neuron will discharge
c. open channels in the membrane
d. all of the above
7. An inhibitory neurotransmitter like GABA will
a. hyperpolarize the post-synaptic neuron
b. decrease the chances the post-synaptic neuron will discharge
c. open channels in the membrane
d. all of the above
8. Coarticulation
a. is how muscles contract
b. refers to the simultaneous motions of effectors that help achieve a temporally extended task
c. describes how the arm joints fit together
d. only happens during speaking
9. Perceptual-motor integration entails
a. how the consequences of a movement are perceived
b. how perception guides movements
c. how movements limit or impair perception
d. all of the above
10. A symptom not characteristic of lower motor neuron dysfunction is
a. ballism
b. atrophy
c. absent reflexes
d. fasciculations
11. The readiness potential is associated with
a. Primary motor cortex
b. Lateral premotor cortex
c. Cingulate motor cortex
d. None of the above
12. Hyperkinetic movement disorders are associated with ( more / less ) activation of the direct pathway from striatum to the internal segment of the globus pallidus resulting in ( more / less ) inhibition on thalamic cells.
13. A patient presents with a exagerated reflexes. He probably has
a. Upper motor neuron disorder
b. Parkinson's disease
c. Lower motor neuron disorder
d. Tardive dyskinesia
14. Which of these scientists did not work on localization of function in the brain?
a. Broca
b. Penfield
c. Wundt
d. Gall
15. It has been suggested that the lateral premotor cortex plays a role in externally triggered movements, and the supplementary motor area plays a role in internally triggered movements. What kind of experiment would you design to test this hypothesis?
16. What experimental data would you produce to persuade a philosopher that the ‘will' is caused by the activity in the brain?
17. In the resting state, if the sodium channels of a neuron open, then sodium ions enter the neuron. Why?
18. How does an excitatory synapse work?
19. How does an inhibitory synapse work?
20. Why does a muscle twitch when an action potential reaches the endplate of the nerve?
21. What is the evidence that the motor system does vector addition?
22. Hemiplegia results from damage to what part of the brain?
23. Huntington’s disease results from damage to what part of the brain?
24. Parkinson’s disease results from damage to what part of the brain?
25. Who was Parkinson’s disease named after?
26. How many action potentials makes a readiness potential?
27. Draw the basal ganglia circuit, label all of the parts and indicate whether the connections are excitatory, inhibitory or modulatory.
28. What hypothesis is offered to explain the fact that the time to initiate a sequence of movements increases with the length of the sequence?
29. Which of the following has not been proposed as a theory of serial order?
a. Closed-loop theory
b. Interelement inhibition
c. Element-to-position association
d. Response chaining
30. Which of the following is directly involved in proprioception?
a. Muscle spindle
b. Muscle fiber
c. Renshaw cell
d. Golgi ligament organ
31. Is response chaining a viable hypothesis? Why or why not?
32. Why is the active tension curve for muscles an inverted U shape?
33. What is the difference between actin and myosin?
34. An excitatory neurotransmitter like glutamate will
a. Depolarize the post-synaptic neuron
b. Increase the chance that the post-synaptic neuron will discharge an action potential
c. Open channels in the membrane of the post-synaptic neuron
d. All of the above
35. What are the three stages of learning a new skill?
36. What were some of the first experiments in experimental psychology?
37. Why do you have more cortex devoted to your mouth than to your toes?
38. Which is faster, simple or choice reaction time?
39. Activation of the direct pathway through the basal gangla (increases / decreases) the chance of movement, and activation of the indirect pathway (increases / decreases) the chance of movement.
40. Why is choice reaction time longer than simple reaction time?
41. Why did Karl Lashley think sequences of movements are important to understand?
42. What is stop signal reaction time?
43. Does imagining a movement improve performance of the movement?