UBC PSYC 304 - BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR MIDTERM 1 QUESTIONS WELL ANSWERED LATEST
UPDATE 2025-2026
Neuron - Answers basic unit of the nervous system; nerve cell
Glial cells - Answers cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons
Two basic types of cells - Answers neurons and glial cells
Two basic types of neurons - Answers projection and interneurons
Neuron Doctrine - Answers The hypothesis that the brain is composed of separate cells that are
distinct structurally, metabolically, and functionally.
Synapse - Answers Gap between neurons
4 structural divisions found in all neurons - Answers dendrites, cell body, axon, axon terminals
Dendrites - Answers the receptive surfaces of the neuron and serve as an input zone
Input zone - Answers receives information from other cells through dendrites
Major divisions of the nervous system - Answers Central Nervous System (CNS):
Brain and Spinal Cord
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS):
Somatic nervous system (SNS) and Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
ANS and SNS:
Afferent and Efferent Nerves
Efferent nerves in the ANS:
Sympathetic Nervous System (fight-or-flight) and Parasympathetic Nervous System (rest-and-
digest)
Central Nervous System (CNS) - Answers consists of the brain and spinal cord
Peripheral nervous system - Answers A division of the nervous system consisting of all nerves
that are not part of the brain or spinal cord.
,Autonomic Nervous System - Answers the nerves that primarily control the internal organs
somatic nervous system - Answers consists of nerves that interconnect the brain and the major
muscles and sensory systems of the body
afferent nerves - Answers nerves that carry sensory information toward the central nervous
system
efferent nerves - Answers carry motor signals from the CNS to the skeletal muscles
Spinal cord - Answers comprises two different areas: gray matter and white matter
divisions of the human brain - Answers 3 divisions: forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain
5 divisions: telencephalon, diencephalon, mesencephalon, metencephalon, myelencephalon
Nucleus and bundles of Axons in CNS - Answers Nucleus in CNS: Cluster of cell bodies
Bundles of Axons in CNS: Tract
Forebrain - Answers The anterior division of the brain
Containing the telencephalon and diencephalon
Also called prosencephalon
Hindbrain - Answers Rear division of the brain
Contains the metencephalon and the myelencephalon
Also called rhombecephalon
Midbrain - Answers Middle division of the brain
Also called mesencephalon
Telencephalon - Answers Also called the cerebral hemisphere
Consist of the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia and the limbic system
Myelencephalon - Answers Also known as the medulla
Composed largely of tracts carrying signals between the rest of the brain and the body
Metencephalon - Answers consists of pons and cerebellum
Houses many fiber tracts and houses the reticular formation
takes up 10% of the brain's volume
,Mesenchephalon - Answers composed of the tectum and tegmentum
Diencephalon - Answers Contains thalamus and hypothalamus
Cerebral cortex - Answers the outer coverings of the cerebral hemisphere that consists largely
of neuronal cell bodies and their branches
location and function of the corpus callosum - Answers The corpus callosum is located in the
central hemisphere and connected by cerebral commissures.
It connects the left and right hemisphere and allows for communication between them.
Major fissures - Answers Longitudinal fissure:
Separates the two hemispheres.
Central fissure:
Separates the frontal and parietal lobe.
Lateral fissure:
Separates the occipital and temporal lobe.
Major components of the limbic system - Answers Left/Right Singulate Cortex
Hippocampus
Amygdala
Major components of the basal ganglia - Answers Caudate+Putamen = Striatum
Ventral Striatum (Nucleus Accumbens)
Lobes of the cerebral cortex - Answers frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal
Anatomical features that protect the brain - Answers Skull: Skin of scalp --> skull of brain.
Meninges:Dura mater --> Arachnoid mater --> pia mater.
, Ventricles: Four ventricles, lateral ventricle --> third ventricle --> cerebral aquaduct --> fourth
ventricle --> central canal ad
Anatomical features that protect the brain - Answers Skull: Skin of scalp --> skull of brain.
Meninges:Dura mater --> Arachnoid mater --> pia mater.
Ventricles: 2 lateral ventricles, 3rd ventricle, cerebral aqueduct and 4th ventricle
cell body - Answers contains the cell nucleus and serves as an integration zone
integration zone - Answers combining the information that the neuron has received to determine
whether or not to send a signal of its own
axon - Answers a single extension leads away from the cell body and serves as a conduction
zone
conduction zone - Answers carrying the cell's own electrical signals away from the cell body
axon terminals - Answers specialized swellings at the end of the axon and are a functional
output zone
output zone - Answers transmit the neuron's activity across synapses to other cells
Why is the cerebral cortex convoluted? - Answers convolutions increase surface area while
maintaining a small volume
3 principal types of neurons - Answers Multipolar neurons, bipolar neurons, unipolar neurons
motor neurons - Answers neurons that govern movements and have long axons reaching out to
synapse on muscles causing them to contract in response to commands from the brain
sensory neurons - Answers The neuron that receive information from other neurons, process it,
and pass the integrated information to other neurons
The axons tend to be shorter than other neurons
Arborization - Answers the elaborate branching of dendrites of some neurons
3 components of synapse - Answers Presynaptic membrane, synaptic cleft, postsynaptic
membrane
Synaptic vesicles - Answers a small, spherical structure that contains molecule of
UPDATE 2025-2026
Neuron - Answers basic unit of the nervous system; nerve cell
Glial cells - Answers cells in the nervous system that support, nourish, and protect neurons
Two basic types of cells - Answers neurons and glial cells
Two basic types of neurons - Answers projection and interneurons
Neuron Doctrine - Answers The hypothesis that the brain is composed of separate cells that are
distinct structurally, metabolically, and functionally.
Synapse - Answers Gap between neurons
4 structural divisions found in all neurons - Answers dendrites, cell body, axon, axon terminals
Dendrites - Answers the receptive surfaces of the neuron and serve as an input zone
Input zone - Answers receives information from other cells through dendrites
Major divisions of the nervous system - Answers Central Nervous System (CNS):
Brain and Spinal Cord
Peripheral Nervous System (PNS):
Somatic nervous system (SNS) and Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)
ANS and SNS:
Afferent and Efferent Nerves
Efferent nerves in the ANS:
Sympathetic Nervous System (fight-or-flight) and Parasympathetic Nervous System (rest-and-
digest)
Central Nervous System (CNS) - Answers consists of the brain and spinal cord
Peripheral nervous system - Answers A division of the nervous system consisting of all nerves
that are not part of the brain or spinal cord.
,Autonomic Nervous System - Answers the nerves that primarily control the internal organs
somatic nervous system - Answers consists of nerves that interconnect the brain and the major
muscles and sensory systems of the body
afferent nerves - Answers nerves that carry sensory information toward the central nervous
system
efferent nerves - Answers carry motor signals from the CNS to the skeletal muscles
Spinal cord - Answers comprises two different areas: gray matter and white matter
divisions of the human brain - Answers 3 divisions: forebrain, midbrain and hindbrain
5 divisions: telencephalon, diencephalon, mesencephalon, metencephalon, myelencephalon
Nucleus and bundles of Axons in CNS - Answers Nucleus in CNS: Cluster of cell bodies
Bundles of Axons in CNS: Tract
Forebrain - Answers The anterior division of the brain
Containing the telencephalon and diencephalon
Also called prosencephalon
Hindbrain - Answers Rear division of the brain
Contains the metencephalon and the myelencephalon
Also called rhombecephalon
Midbrain - Answers Middle division of the brain
Also called mesencephalon
Telencephalon - Answers Also called the cerebral hemisphere
Consist of the cerebral cortex, basal ganglia and the limbic system
Myelencephalon - Answers Also known as the medulla
Composed largely of tracts carrying signals between the rest of the brain and the body
Metencephalon - Answers consists of pons and cerebellum
Houses many fiber tracts and houses the reticular formation
takes up 10% of the brain's volume
,Mesenchephalon - Answers composed of the tectum and tegmentum
Diencephalon - Answers Contains thalamus and hypothalamus
Cerebral cortex - Answers the outer coverings of the cerebral hemisphere that consists largely
of neuronal cell bodies and their branches
location and function of the corpus callosum - Answers The corpus callosum is located in the
central hemisphere and connected by cerebral commissures.
It connects the left and right hemisphere and allows for communication between them.
Major fissures - Answers Longitudinal fissure:
Separates the two hemispheres.
Central fissure:
Separates the frontal and parietal lobe.
Lateral fissure:
Separates the occipital and temporal lobe.
Major components of the limbic system - Answers Left/Right Singulate Cortex
Hippocampus
Amygdala
Major components of the basal ganglia - Answers Caudate+Putamen = Striatum
Ventral Striatum (Nucleus Accumbens)
Lobes of the cerebral cortex - Answers frontal, parietal, occipital, temporal
Anatomical features that protect the brain - Answers Skull: Skin of scalp --> skull of brain.
Meninges:Dura mater --> Arachnoid mater --> pia mater.
, Ventricles: Four ventricles, lateral ventricle --> third ventricle --> cerebral aquaduct --> fourth
ventricle --> central canal ad
Anatomical features that protect the brain - Answers Skull: Skin of scalp --> skull of brain.
Meninges:Dura mater --> Arachnoid mater --> pia mater.
Ventricles: 2 lateral ventricles, 3rd ventricle, cerebral aqueduct and 4th ventricle
cell body - Answers contains the cell nucleus and serves as an integration zone
integration zone - Answers combining the information that the neuron has received to determine
whether or not to send a signal of its own
axon - Answers a single extension leads away from the cell body and serves as a conduction
zone
conduction zone - Answers carrying the cell's own electrical signals away from the cell body
axon terminals - Answers specialized swellings at the end of the axon and are a functional
output zone
output zone - Answers transmit the neuron's activity across synapses to other cells
Why is the cerebral cortex convoluted? - Answers convolutions increase surface area while
maintaining a small volume
3 principal types of neurons - Answers Multipolar neurons, bipolar neurons, unipolar neurons
motor neurons - Answers neurons that govern movements and have long axons reaching out to
synapse on muscles causing them to contract in response to commands from the brain
sensory neurons - Answers The neuron that receive information from other neurons, process it,
and pass the integrated information to other neurons
The axons tend to be shorter than other neurons
Arborization - Answers the elaborate branching of dendrites of some neurons
3 components of synapse - Answers Presynaptic membrane, synaptic cleft, postsynaptic
membrane
Synaptic vesicles - Answers a small, spherical structure that contains molecule of
