Cogs 17 - Midterm 2 – UCSD Final
Review Exam with All Correct Answers
2025-2026 Edition.
across fiber coding - Answer stimulus is coded through the RATIO of response across
multiple cells
convergence - Answer multiple pre-synaptic cells all communicate to one post-synaptic cell
divergence - Answer when one pre-synaptic cell communicates to many post synaptic cells
receptive field - Answer set of receptors whose activity influences the activity of target cell
center surround RF - Answer set of receptors whose activity influences the stimulating
center increases target response, non-center decreases it
topographic map - Answer type of map (receptive field) that preserves spatial relationships
(as along a sensory surface)
"magnification center" - Answer in cortex, disproportionate enlargement of the rep. of a
sensor area of low convergence
module - Answer an area of the brain specialized for processing one particular type of
information
"binding problem" - Answer the problem posed by having several of the above, and yet
perceiving wholes
retina - Answer rear layers of neurons in the eyeball
receptors - Answer cells that respond to light; show spontaneous, graded release of
inhibitory NT
rods - Answer Vision receptors that are convergent, sensitive to motion & low light, mainly in
periphery
- high convergence
- dorsal path
,- excellent motion detection
- operate in dim light (high sensitivity)
- 1 kind of photopigment
cones - Answer Above that connect few:1, sensitive to color & detail, dispersed plus conc'd
in center
- low convergence
- high acuity (esp. in fovea)
- do code color
- require bright light
- ventral path
fovea - Answer central area of above receptor types only, connected 1:1 for highest acuity
bipolars - Answer next cell in pathway, spontaneous, graded potentials, release excitatory NT
horizontals - Answer inter-neurons that modify reaction of above, implicated in color
opponency
ganglions - Answer next cell in pathway, action potentials, release excitatory NT
optic nerve - Answer formed of axons above (next cell in pathway, action potentials, release
excitatory NT)
optic disk - Answer place where above leaves eye for brain, also called "blind spot"
amacrines - Answer inter-neurons that modify reaction of above (place where above leaves
eye for brain, also called "blind spot") implicated in contrast effects
dim light - Answer level of light (bright vs. dim?) that results in greatest release of NT from
receptors
bright lifht - Answer level of light (bright vs. dim?) that results in greatest release of NT from
bipolars
acuity - Answer high-detail dsicrimination as from low convergence, that retains info on diffs
, sensitivity - Answer high likelihood of detection, as from high convergence that crosses next
cell's threshold
lateral inhibition - Answer cell activity resulting in release of inhibitory NT to cells orthogonal
to info pathway
simultaneous contrast - Answer illusion created by above that alters perception of central
grey depending on its surround
uni-lateral inhibition - Answer direction of inhibition (uni- or bi-directional?) in direction-
sensitive motion circuit
lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) - Answer nucleus in thalamus that processes most visual
information from eye
column - Answer in cortex, set of cells, in 6 layers that all respond to the same preferred
stimulus
hyper-column - Answer in cortex, set of cells that all have same RF and include set of
orientation cols 7 bolbs
retinotopic map - Answer topological map that preserves spatial relationships found on
retina
V1 - Answer primary projection area for vision in occipital lobe of cortex
parvocellular pathway - Answer visual pathway specialized for color and detail, that "flows"
along bottom of cortex
temporal pathway - Answer above also called...because it terminates in this lobe of the
cortex
parvocellular ganglions (x gang) - Answer small ganglion cells that begin this pathway, with
small RFs & sustained response
magnocellular pathway - Answer visual pathway specialized for motion and localization,
"flows" along top part of cortex
Review Exam with All Correct Answers
2025-2026 Edition.
across fiber coding - Answer stimulus is coded through the RATIO of response across
multiple cells
convergence - Answer multiple pre-synaptic cells all communicate to one post-synaptic cell
divergence - Answer when one pre-synaptic cell communicates to many post synaptic cells
receptive field - Answer set of receptors whose activity influences the activity of target cell
center surround RF - Answer set of receptors whose activity influences the stimulating
center increases target response, non-center decreases it
topographic map - Answer type of map (receptive field) that preserves spatial relationships
(as along a sensory surface)
"magnification center" - Answer in cortex, disproportionate enlargement of the rep. of a
sensor area of low convergence
module - Answer an area of the brain specialized for processing one particular type of
information
"binding problem" - Answer the problem posed by having several of the above, and yet
perceiving wholes
retina - Answer rear layers of neurons in the eyeball
receptors - Answer cells that respond to light; show spontaneous, graded release of
inhibitory NT
rods - Answer Vision receptors that are convergent, sensitive to motion & low light, mainly in
periphery
- high convergence
- dorsal path
,- excellent motion detection
- operate in dim light (high sensitivity)
- 1 kind of photopigment
cones - Answer Above that connect few:1, sensitive to color & detail, dispersed plus conc'd
in center
- low convergence
- high acuity (esp. in fovea)
- do code color
- require bright light
- ventral path
fovea - Answer central area of above receptor types only, connected 1:1 for highest acuity
bipolars - Answer next cell in pathway, spontaneous, graded potentials, release excitatory NT
horizontals - Answer inter-neurons that modify reaction of above, implicated in color
opponency
ganglions - Answer next cell in pathway, action potentials, release excitatory NT
optic nerve - Answer formed of axons above (next cell in pathway, action potentials, release
excitatory NT)
optic disk - Answer place where above leaves eye for brain, also called "blind spot"
amacrines - Answer inter-neurons that modify reaction of above (place where above leaves
eye for brain, also called "blind spot") implicated in contrast effects
dim light - Answer level of light (bright vs. dim?) that results in greatest release of NT from
receptors
bright lifht - Answer level of light (bright vs. dim?) that results in greatest release of NT from
bipolars
acuity - Answer high-detail dsicrimination as from low convergence, that retains info on diffs
, sensitivity - Answer high likelihood of detection, as from high convergence that crosses next
cell's threshold
lateral inhibition - Answer cell activity resulting in release of inhibitory NT to cells orthogonal
to info pathway
simultaneous contrast - Answer illusion created by above that alters perception of central
grey depending on its surround
uni-lateral inhibition - Answer direction of inhibition (uni- or bi-directional?) in direction-
sensitive motion circuit
lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) - Answer nucleus in thalamus that processes most visual
information from eye
column - Answer in cortex, set of cells, in 6 layers that all respond to the same preferred
stimulus
hyper-column - Answer in cortex, set of cells that all have same RF and include set of
orientation cols 7 bolbs
retinotopic map - Answer topological map that preserves spatial relationships found on
retina
V1 - Answer primary projection area for vision in occipital lobe of cortex
parvocellular pathway - Answer visual pathway specialized for color and detail, that "flows"
along bottom of cortex
temporal pathway - Answer above also called...because it terminates in this lobe of the
cortex
parvocellular ganglions (x gang) - Answer small ganglion cells that begin this pathway, with
small RFs & sustained response
magnocellular pathway - Answer visual pathway specialized for motion and localization,
"flows" along top part of cortex
