WGU D574 NEUROPSYCHOLOGY EXAM
SCRIPT FINAL PAPER 2026
COMPREHENSIVE Q&A STUDY GUIDE
◉ taste receptors
Answer: modified skin cells responsible for detecting taste stimuli
◉ Umami
Answer: the taste sensation associated with savory or meaty flavors
◉ olfactory receptors
Answer: proteins located on olfactory sensory neurons that detect
odor molecules in the nasal passages
◉ piriform cortex
Answer: the primary olfactory cortex where neurons respond to
combinations of chemicals, contributing to the perception of odors
◉ synesthesia
Answer: a phenomenon where stimulation of one sense evokes a
perception in another sense
,◉ ballistic movement
Answer: a type of movement executed as a whole without
adjustment, similar to a reflex
◉ fast-twitch fibers
Answer: muscle fibers that contract rapidly and fatigue quickly, used
for brief, strenuous activities
◉ golgi tendon organs
Answer: proprioceptors located in tendons that detect increases in
muscle tension and inhibit excessive contractions
◉ motor program
Answer: a fixed sequence of behaviors with predetermined rhythms,
such as grooming in mice
◉ muscle spindle
Answer: a proprioceptor located parallel to a muscle that responds
to stretches and initiates muscle contractions
◉ slow-twitch fibers
Answer: muscle fibers that contract slowly and do not fatigue easily,
used for sustained, low-intensity activities
, ◉ stretch reflex
Answer: a reflexive contraction of a muscle in response to its stretch,
mediated by muscle spindles and the spinal cord
◉ vertebrate muscles
Answer: three types of muscles found in vertebrates: smooth
muscles, skeletal (striated) muscles, and cardiac muscles
◉ basal ganglia
Answer: subcortical structures involved in self-initiated behaviors,
regulating the vigor of movements, and learning new habits
◉ cerebellum
Answer: a region of the brain that is crucial for precise timing and
and aim. It contributes to tasks beyond movement, such as attention
and classical conditioning; often referred to as the "little brain"
◉ corticospinal tracts
Answer: paths from the cerebral cortex to the spinal cord
responsible for transmitting motor commands, including the lateral
and medial corticospinal tracts
◉ depression
SCRIPT FINAL PAPER 2026
COMPREHENSIVE Q&A STUDY GUIDE
◉ taste receptors
Answer: modified skin cells responsible for detecting taste stimuli
◉ Umami
Answer: the taste sensation associated with savory or meaty flavors
◉ olfactory receptors
Answer: proteins located on olfactory sensory neurons that detect
odor molecules in the nasal passages
◉ piriform cortex
Answer: the primary olfactory cortex where neurons respond to
combinations of chemicals, contributing to the perception of odors
◉ synesthesia
Answer: a phenomenon where stimulation of one sense evokes a
perception in another sense
,◉ ballistic movement
Answer: a type of movement executed as a whole without
adjustment, similar to a reflex
◉ fast-twitch fibers
Answer: muscle fibers that contract rapidly and fatigue quickly, used
for brief, strenuous activities
◉ golgi tendon organs
Answer: proprioceptors located in tendons that detect increases in
muscle tension and inhibit excessive contractions
◉ motor program
Answer: a fixed sequence of behaviors with predetermined rhythms,
such as grooming in mice
◉ muscle spindle
Answer: a proprioceptor located parallel to a muscle that responds
to stretches and initiates muscle contractions
◉ slow-twitch fibers
Answer: muscle fibers that contract slowly and do not fatigue easily,
used for sustained, low-intensity activities
, ◉ stretch reflex
Answer: a reflexive contraction of a muscle in response to its stretch,
mediated by muscle spindles and the spinal cord
◉ vertebrate muscles
Answer: three types of muscles found in vertebrates: smooth
muscles, skeletal (striated) muscles, and cardiac muscles
◉ basal ganglia
Answer: subcortical structures involved in self-initiated behaviors,
regulating the vigor of movements, and learning new habits
◉ cerebellum
Answer: a region of the brain that is crucial for precise timing and
and aim. It contributes to tasks beyond movement, such as attention
and classical conditioning; often referred to as the "little brain"
◉ corticospinal tracts
Answer: paths from the cerebral cortex to the spinal cord
responsible for transmitting motor commands, including the lateral
and medial corticospinal tracts
◉ depression
