A neuron ends in many branches, each with a bulb-like __________ that contains

A neuron ends in many branches, each with a bulb-like __________ that contains neurotransmitters, which can be used to communicate signals to other neurons. a. synaptic terminal b. dendrite c. axon d. cell body

What is the function of the myelin sheath?

Your nervous system can be divided into two broad subsystems: the __________ and the __________.

An action potential moves ______________. a. away from the cell body b. toward the cell body c. away from the cell body and toward the cell body at the same time

While driving down the interstate at rush hour, you get cut off by an 18-wheeler and have to slam on the brakes. In addition to a major case of road rage, you develop a rapid heart rate and a rapid breathing rate. Whats causing this reaction? Your answer should indicate the branch of the nervous system involved.

A victim of a severe head injury can live for years in a nonresponsive state in which the cerebral cortex is not functioning but the person is still alive and performing metabolic functions. Based on your knowledge of brain structure and function, how can this be possible? Make sure your answer indicates which brain structures might be keeping the person alive.

How is an action potential different from a receptor potential?

For each of the following senses in humans, identify the type of receptor: seeing, tasting, hearing, smelling.

Mr. Johnson is becoming slightly deaf. To test his hearing, his doctor holds a vibrating tuning fork tightly against the back of Mr. Johnsons skull. This sends vibrations through the bones of the skull, setting the fluid in the cochlea in motion. Mr. Johnson can hear the tuning fork this way, but not when it is held away from his skull a few inches from his ear. Where is Mr. Johnsons hearing problem located? (Explain your answer.) a. in the auditory nerve leading to the brain b. in the hair cells in the cochlea c. in the bones of the middle ear d. in the fluid of the cochlea

Where we have ball-and-socket joints (shoulders and hips), horses have hinge joints. How does this affect the movements they can perform?

One of the early symptoms of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), often referred to as Lou Gehrigs disease, is skeletal muscle weakness. As the disease progresses, a patient with ALS loses voluntary movement. ALS is not a muscular disease; it is a degenerative neurological disorder in which motor neurons that cause skeletal muscles to contract are lost. Explain what is happening to a person with ALS who can still move his or her muscles but whose muscle contraction is weak.

Much of what we know about brain function has come from rare individuals whose brains were altered as the result of surgery, accidents, or disease. Suppose a patient has brain surgery on the cerebral cortex, and immediately following the surgery, she appears normal. As she recovers over the next few days, she experiences some unusual things, such as being unable to name objects while looking at them with one eye covered. Her sensory perception seems normal except for when she tries to integrate information. What brain structure might have been damaged during the surgery that would account for these symptoms? Justify your answer.

Interpreting Data Marine mammals, such as seals, whales, and dolphins, have adapted to their watery environment in many ways, including a respiratory system that allows for long underwater dives and a language used to communicate through water. Another adaption studied by researchersinvolves bottlenose dolphins. These dolphins spend approximately 33% of a 24-hour day with one eye open andthe other closed, alternating which eye is open and which is closed at intervals of approximately 1 hour. During this time, the animals continuously swim and intermittently rise to the surface of the water to breathe air. Look below at data collected on brain activity in bottlenose dolphins. Why do the dolphins swim with one eye open and the other eye closedthat is, what are they doing? How does their brain activity relate to what is happening with their eyes? Why might this be a successful adaptation? Location Brain activity at first measurement Brain activity at second measurement (after 1 hour) Left hemisphere Right hemisphere Key Low-frequency waves characteristic of sleep High-frequency waves characteristic of wakefulness

Sensory organs tend to come in pairs. We have two eyes and two ears. Similarly, a planarian worm has two eyecups, a rattlesnake has two infrared receptors, and a butterfly has two antennae. Propose a testable hypothesis that could explain the advantage of having two eyes or ears instead of one.

Symptoms of concussion can include headache, light sensitivity, fatigue, and problems with balance, concentration, and memory. A study led by exercise sports scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill studied college football players over three seasons and found that players with previous concussions were three times more likely to sustain a concussion than players who had never had a concussion. Thus, the more concussions a player has, the more likely the player is to have another. What sports other than football are concussions seen in? Consider these data in light of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Do you think rules of practice or games need to change for children playing contact sports? For high school, college, or professional contact sports?

Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe is a big tourist attraction, and many tourists like to fly over the falls by helicopter. As many as 20 helicopters may fly over the falls and surrounding areas at the same time. The low rumbling sounds of the helicopters can cause elephant stampedes. On behalf of an environmental conservation group, construct a poster to educate tourists as they enter the region. Explain why helicopter noise pollution is particularly detrimental to elephants and how a behavior change in elephants could affect other animals. Suggest other (more elephant-friendly) ways to enjoy the falls.