PSYCH 15 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Lateral Geniculate Nucleus, Bulbous Corpuscle, Electrooculography
Midterm Study Guide
Introduction to Psychobiology
1. What is the major focus of each of the following sub-disciplines of neuroscience: psychobiology/biopsychology,
neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, neuroendocrinology, neuropathology, neuropharmacology, and neurophysiology?
2. What are the major differences between experiments and nonexperiments? Pure and applied research? Between-
subject and within-subject designs?
Try to come up with examples of different experimental designs
3. What are the dependent and independent variables?
4. What are the confounded variables?
5. What are the quasiexperimental studies and case studies?
6. What are the major six divisions of psychobiology? What are the major questions that each of these divisions studies?
Evolution, Genetics and Experience
1. What is the dualism? What are the major problems with dualism?
2. What are the major problems with nature-or-nurture dichotomy? Which other factors except for genetics and
learning contribute to behavior?
3. What are the four types of evidence supporting the theory of evolution?
4. Do similarities among species always mean that the species have common evolutionary origins?
5. What is the difference between homologous and analogous structures? Be able to give examples of each.
6. What is the convergent evolution?
7. Does evolution always result in perfectly designed structures? (- thik aout our retia eig iside-out). Ad are all
existing structures adaptive?
8. How did the brain size change during evolution? Which areas increased in size and which remained relatively
constant? What is the relationship between the brain size and intelligence?
9. What are the convolutions? What function do they serve?
10. Why might monogamous mate bonding be adaptive in humans?
11. Know the meaning of the following terms:
Chromosome
Gene
Allele
recessive vs. dominant genes
genotype vs. phenotype
dichotomous traits
homozygous vs heterozygous
12. How many pairs of chromosomes do humans have?
13. What is the difference between meiosis and mitosis?
14. What is the definition of sex-linked traits?
15. What are the major steps in the process of gene expression? Know the main structures/ organelles that are involved
in each step.
16. What is epigenetics?
17. What are microRNAs and some of their functions?
18. What is the alternative splicing mechanism?
19. What is monoallelic expression?
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Anatomy of the Nervous System
1. What are the major differences between the central and peripheral nervous systems?
2. What are the two major parts of the central nervous system?
3. What are the subdivisions of the peripheral nervous system?
4. Know the differences between somatic vs autonomic and sympathetic vs parasympathetic nervous systems. Know
their major functions.
5. What is the definition of meninges? What are the three meninges that cover the CNS?
6. What is the function of the Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)? Where is it made? Name the ventricles in the brain.
7. What is the blood-brain-barrier?
8. Know the major external features of a typical neuron: cell body (soma), axons, and dendrites.
9. What are the major types of glia cells found in the CNS and PNS? What are their functions?
10. What are the three main neuroanatomical staining techniques? Which technique allows for visualization of
individual neurons and which selectively stains the cell bodies?
11. Know how to describe the directionality in the nervous system. Know the following terms:
Medial vs lateral
Dorsal vs ventral
Anterior vs posterior
12. Know the general anatomy of the spinal cord: grey and white matter; dorsal and ventral horns.
13. Know the five major subdivisions of the brain:
Telencephalon (cerebral cortex)
Diencephalon (thalamus and hypothalamus)
Mesencephalon (tectum: inferior and superior colliculi; tegmentum: periaqueductal gray and substantia nigra;
reticular formation)
Metencephalon (pons and cerebellum)
Myelencephalon (medulla)
14. What are the main functions of the medulla? What symptoms are likely to be present in a patient with damage to
this structure?
15. What disorder is associated with damage to substantia nigra?
16. What are the major functions of the pons and cerebellum?
17. What is the reticular formation? And which functions does it serve?
18. What are the functions of the thalamus?
19. What are some functions of the cerebral cortex?
20. What are the four major lobes of the cerebral cortex?
21. What are the major parts of the limbic system and the basal ganglia?
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