Brain Structure, Neurotransmitters, and Behavior (7A) - MCAT Psychological and Social Foundations
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What is the primary function of the cerebellum in behavior?
What is the primary function of the cerebellum in behavior?
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Coordination, balance, and motor learning. Fine-tunes movements and maintains posture through error correction.
Coordination, balance, and motor learning. Fine-tunes movements and maintains posture through error correction.
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What is Wernicke area primarily responsible for?
What is Wernicke area primarily responsible for?
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Language comprehension (receptive language). Damage causes receptive aphasia with fluent but nonsensical speech.
Language comprehension (receptive language). Damage causes receptive aphasia with fluent but nonsensical speech.
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What is Broca area primarily responsible for?
What is Broca area primarily responsible for?
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Speech production (expressive language). Damage causes expressive aphasia with intact comprehension.
Speech production (expressive language). Damage causes expressive aphasia with intact comprehension.
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What is the main role of the primary somatosensory cortex?
What is the main role of the primary somatosensory cortex?
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Processes touch, pain, temperature, and proprioception. Located in postcentral gyrus, receives sensory input from body.
Processes touch, pain, temperature, and proprioception. Located in postcentral gyrus, receives sensory input from body.
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What is the main role of the primary motor cortex?
What is the main role of the primary motor cortex?
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Initiates voluntary skeletal muscle movement. Located in precentral gyrus, sends signals to spinal motor neurons.
Initiates voluntary skeletal muscle movement. Located in precentral gyrus, sends signals to spinal motor neurons.
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What is the primary function of the temporal lobe in human behavior?
What is the primary function of the temporal lobe in human behavior?
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Auditory processing and language comprehension. Contains Wernicke's area and primary auditory cortex.
Auditory processing and language comprehension. Contains Wernicke's area and primary auditory cortex.
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What is the primary function of the frontal lobe in human behavior?
What is the primary function of the frontal lobe in human behavior?
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Executive functions: planning, inhibition, decision-making. Located in prefrontal cortex, controls higher-order cognitive processes.
Executive functions: planning, inhibition, decision-making. Located in prefrontal cortex, controls higher-order cognitive processes.
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What is the primary function of the prefrontal cortex in behavior and cognition?
What is the primary function of the prefrontal cortex in behavior and cognition?
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Executive functions: planning, inhibition, working memory, decision-making. Located in frontal lobe, controls higher-order cognitive processes.
Executive functions: planning, inhibition, working memory, decision-making. Located in frontal lobe, controls higher-order cognitive processes.
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What is the main function of the hippocampus in relation to behavior?
What is the main function of the hippocampus in relation to behavior?
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Formation of new explicit (declarative) long-term memories. Critical for converting short-term memories into long-term storage.
Formation of new explicit (declarative) long-term memories. Critical for converting short-term memories into long-term storage.
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What is the key function of the hypothalamus in regulating behavior?
What is the key function of the hypothalamus in regulating behavior?
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Homeostasis and endocrine control via the pituitary gland. Links nervous and endocrine systems to maintain body balance.
Homeostasis and endocrine control via the pituitary gland. Links nervous and endocrine systems to maintain body balance.
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What is the primary behavioral role of the basal ganglia?
What is the primary behavioral role of the basal ganglia?
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Initiation and selection of movement; habit and procedural learning. Subcortical nuclei that regulate voluntary movements and habits.
Initiation and selection of movement; habit and procedural learning. Subcortical nuclei that regulate voluntary movements and habits.
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What brainstem structure primarily controls breathing, heart rate, and arousal?
What brainstem structure primarily controls breathing, heart rate, and arousal?
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Medulla oblongata. Lowest brainstem region controlling vital autonomic functions.
Medulla oblongata. Lowest brainstem region controlling vital autonomic functions.
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What is the main function of the reticular formation in behavior?
What is the main function of the reticular formation in behavior?
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Arousal, alertness, and sleep-wake regulation. Network of neurons maintaining consciousness and sleep cycles.
Arousal, alertness, and sleep-wake regulation. Network of neurons maintaining consciousness and sleep cycles.
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Which brain structure primarily controls breathing and heart rate as vital autonomic functions?
Which brain structure primarily controls breathing and heart rate as vital autonomic functions?
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Medulla oblongata. Brainstem region containing vital centers for survival functions.
Medulla oblongata. Brainstem region containing vital centers for survival functions.
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Which neurotransmitter is most associated with alertness and sympathetic arousal in the CNS?
Which neurotransmitter is most associated with alertness and sympathetic arousal in the CNS?
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Norepinephrine. Released by locus coeruleus to enhance attention and arousal.
Norepinephrine. Released by locus coeruleus to enhance attention and arousal.
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What is the primary function of Wernicke area?
What is the primary function of Wernicke area?
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Language comprehension (receptive language). Located in temporal lobe, damage causes receptive aphasia.
Language comprehension (receptive language). Located in temporal lobe, damage causes receptive aphasia.
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What is the primary function of the occipital lobe in human behavior?
What is the primary function of the occipital lobe in human behavior?
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Visual processing. Contains primary visual cortex (V1) at the back of the brain.
Visual processing. Contains primary visual cortex (V1) at the back of the brain.
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What is the primary function of the parietal lobe in human behavior?
What is the primary function of the parietal lobe in human behavior?
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Somatosensory processing and spatial awareness. Integrates sensory information for body position and navigation.
Somatosensory processing and spatial awareness. Integrates sensory information for body position and navigation.
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What neurotransmitter is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system?
What neurotransmitter is the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system?
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GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). Opens chloride channels causing hyperpolarization to reduce firing.
GABA (gamma-aminobutyric acid). Opens chloride channels causing hyperpolarization to reduce firing.
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What neurotransmitter is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system?
What neurotransmitter is the primary excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system?
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Glutamate. Opens ion channels causing depolarization and neural firing.
Glutamate. Opens ion channels causing depolarization and neural firing.
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What neurotransmitter is most associated with mood regulation and major depressive disorder?
What neurotransmitter is most associated with mood regulation and major depressive disorder?
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Serotonin. SSRIs increase levels by blocking reuptake to treat depression.
Serotonin. SSRIs increase levels by blocking reuptake to treat depression.
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What neurotransmitter is most associated with reward, motivation, and Parkinson disease?
What neurotransmitter is most associated with reward, motivation, and Parkinson disease?
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Dopamine. Depletion in substantia nigra causes motor symptoms of Parkinson's.
Dopamine. Depletion in substantia nigra causes motor symptoms of Parkinson's.
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What structure connects the two cerebral hemispheres for interhemispheric transfer?
What structure connects the two cerebral hemispheres for interhemispheric transfer?
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Corpus callosum. Largest white matter tract enabling communication between hemispheres.
Corpus callosum. Largest white matter tract enabling communication between hemispheres.
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What is the primary function of the reticular formation?
What is the primary function of the reticular formation?
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Arousal, alertness, and sleep-wake regulation. Network in brainstem controlling consciousness and attention.
Arousal, alertness, and sleep-wake regulation. Network in brainstem controlling consciousness and attention.
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What is the primary function of the thalamus?
What is the primary function of the thalamus?
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Sensory relay to cortex (except olfaction). All sensory pathways synapse here before reaching cortex.
Sensory relay to cortex (except olfaction). All sensory pathways synapse here before reaching cortex.
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What is the primary role of the hypothalamus in behavior?
What is the primary role of the hypothalamus in behavior?
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Homeostasis and endocrine control via pituitary. Regulates hunger, thirst, temperature, and hormone release.
Homeostasis and endocrine control via pituitary. Regulates hunger, thirst, temperature, and hormone release.
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What is the primary function of the hippocampus?
What is the primary function of the hippocampus?
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Formation of new explicit (declarative) memories. Converts short-term memories to long-term storage.
Formation of new explicit (declarative) memories. Converts short-term memories to long-term storage.
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What is the primary function of the amygdala?
What is the primary function of the amygdala?
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Threat detection and fear/aggression processing. Part of limbic system, triggers fight-or-flight responses.
Threat detection and fear/aggression processing. Part of limbic system, triggers fight-or-flight responses.
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What is the primary function of the basal ganglia?
What is the primary function of the basal ganglia?
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Movement initiation and habit/procedural learning. Includes caudate, putamen, and globus pallidus for motor control.
Movement initiation and habit/procedural learning. Includes caudate, putamen, and globus pallidus for motor control.
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What is the typical effect of stimulating the sympathetic nervous system on heart rate?
What is the typical effect of stimulating the sympathetic nervous system on heart rate?
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Increases heart rate. Fight-or-flight response prepares body for action via norepinephrine.
Increases heart rate. Fight-or-flight response prepares body for action via norepinephrine.
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