Unit 3: Biological Bases of Behavior

Liz is a high school tennis player. She started to lose weight rapidly during the season. She couldn’t control her emotions and acted out on them, never holding back. It appears that Liz could have a classic case of anorexia. Which part of the brain are new studies focusing on in understanding the role of the brain in this eating disorder?

• Hippocampus

• Hypothalamus

• Thalamus

• Brain Stem

• Nucleus accumbens

Mrs. Johnson took her husband to see a doctor after being in the car with him for one day. He repeatedly ran red lights and drove right past the building where he was supposed to drop her off, even though he had been there several times. After many tests, the doctor told Mrs. Johnson that her husband had a brain tumor and it had already started to spread. Where did the tumor likely begin?

• Hippocampus

• Cerebellum

• Thalamus

• Brain stem

• Nucleus accumbens

Sasha had tried every diet in the book. Cutting portions had not worked because she finds herself constantly hungry. Her weight gain has been depressing her, and her mom has gotten very worried. She also consumes large quantities of water. What part of the brain might be damaged and responsible for Sasha’s behavior?

• Amygdala

• Hippocampus

• Lateral hypothalamus

• Pons

• Ventromedial hypothalamus

Susie works in an ice cream shop and suffered brain damage from an accident. Now when something goes wrong in the store, she has no idea how to fix it. Her favorite type of ice cream has always been chocolate chip, yet now she can never decide what flavor she wants to eat on her break. Susie’s coworkers have also noticed that she just doesn’t seem like her herself. Where did Susie suffer the brain damage?

• Occipital lobes

• Temporal lobes

• Reticular formation

• Parietal lobes

• Frontal lobes

As a result of a surgical procedure, Hakim’s career as a violinist is over. He finds that he can no longer compose music. When he tries to play, he gets confused because he can’t retain what he hears. What part of the brain is likely implicated?

• Occipital lobes

• Temporal lobes

• Reticular lobes

• Parietal lobes

• Frontal lobes

Lately, Maria has not been sleeping well. It seems like she hears everything at night. Even the faintest noises, such as the refrigerator humming and the toilet down the hall flushing, wake her up. If she does fall asleep, she has a very hard time getting up. Maria is desperate for some rest. What part of her brain is not functioning properly?

• Occipital lobes

• Temporal lobes

• Reticular activating system

• Parietal lobes

• Frontal lobes

Valeria is a dancer. She has been dancing for years, but one day at a late-night rehearsal, her tired partner accidentally dropped her on her head. Now, Valeria has problems dancing. She knows the correct steps she must make, but she feels as if her legs and arms are moving as if directed by someone else. What area of her brain was damaged by her fall?

• Amygdala

• Hippocampus

• Lateral hypothalamus

• Pons

• Cerebellum

Jon has a very strong fear of spiders. One day while he was lying in bed, a spider fell on his head. Jon quickly jumped out of bed as a result of his fear. However, the spider still managed to bite him. Jon darted toward the door, and within seconds he collapsed to the ground. When his mother rushed into the room to ask what was wrong, he was unable to understand her question. He saw her moth move, but was unable to make sense of the words. What area of the brain did the poison affect?

• Amygdala

• Hippocampus

• Lateral hypothalamus

• Pons

• Cerebellum

Dr. Ramachandran needs to examine a patient’s brain to find out if there is a tumor and, if so, where it is. Which method should he use?

• PET Scan

• EEG

• CT Scan

• Deep Brain Stimulation

• fMRI

Mr. Murphy has suffered a stroke and is no longer able to communicate the ideas he has in his head. He knows what he wants to say but is unable to speak. What part of Mr. Murphy’s brain has been damaged by the stroke?

• Wernicke’s area

• Broca’s area

• The amygdala

• The hypothalamus

• The reticular formation