Neuropsychology Exam 1, Mayhew questions with
verified answers
What is trephination or trepanning, why is it done? What cultures was it known
in? Ans✓✓-Making holes in skull; possibly for relieving pressure on skull b/c of
TBI; magical form of healing; ancient neurosurgery
What were the two theories about the structure where behavior originates?
What theory was held by Hippocrates? Aristotle? Ans✓✓-Cardiac hypothesis and
brain hypothesis; Hippocrates = brain hypothesis, Aristotle = cardiac hypothesis
What was Galen's knowledge of anatomy based on? How did Andreas Vesalius
improve upon this, how was he able to do so? Ans✓✓-Galen dissected monkeys;
Vesalius was able to dissect convicted criminals after execution
4. What is phrenology and its relation to localization of function? Who were the
first two men famous for holding to localization of function? Ans✓✓-Phrenology
is non-scientific map of the brain based on bumps outside of skull, determines
personality/qualities; Franz Joseph Gall and Johann Casper Spurzheim
5. What is equipotentiality? What led Flourens to hold the view of
equipotentiality of function in the brain? Ans✓✓-Equipotentiality is the view that
pieces of brain could take over any function, so all parts had equal potential for
any action; plasticity of brain; conducted surgery on animals by cutting out parts
of brain and observing effects - discovered functions of hemispheres
6. What view did Hughlings Jackson propound w.r.t the organization of the
nervous system? Ans✓✓-Brain is organized in hierarchical way; higher level =
more complex
,Motor cortex
Premotor
Thalamus
Spine
PNS
Stimulus
7. What was Luria's view on the organization of the nervous system? Ans✓✓-
Nervous system contains 3 functional units:
1. Brain stem - basic functions;
2. Back of brain - perception and analyzing sensory info;
3. Front of brain - analyzing complex behavior; whole units can't take over in
injury but small parts could
8. What is the distinction between the central and peripheral nervous system?
Ans✓✓-Central nervous system - process info and determine appropriate
responses
Peripheral nervous system - gather sensory info and control actions
9. What parts comprise the central nervous system? Ans✓✓-Brain and spinal
cord
10. What is the difference between the somatic and autonomic nervous system?
Ans✓✓-Somatic nervous system - controls body actions
Autonomic nervous system - regulated bodily functions
, 11. Explain the difference between efferent and afferent fibers? Ans✓✓-Efferent
- "away" ; nerves go away from brain and make muscles move
Afferent - "towards" ; nerves go towards brain and info sent to brain
12. How are the directions ventral, dorsal, rostral, caudal, medial, lateral,
superior, inferior, anterior and posterior used? Ans✓✓-• ventral - towards
stomach
• dorsal - toward back
• rostral - towards snout
• caudal - towards tail
• medial - towards middle
• lateral - towards side
• superior - (dorsal) towards top of head
• inferior - (ventral) towards bottom of head
• anterior - (rostral) towards front of head
• posterior - (caudal) towards back of head
13. How are dorsal, ventral, rostral and caudal different for the head and the
trunk? Ans✓✓-Dorsal: trunk = back, head = top
Ventral: trunk = stomach, head = down
Rostral: trunk = up towards neck, head = forehead
Caudal: trunk = bottom/down, head = back
14. What are the sagittal, transverse, horizontal, frontal, coronal, midsagittal
planes of section? Ans✓✓-Coronal (frontal) - frontal view
verified answers
What is trephination or trepanning, why is it done? What cultures was it known
in? Ans✓✓-Making holes in skull; possibly for relieving pressure on skull b/c of
TBI; magical form of healing; ancient neurosurgery
What were the two theories about the structure where behavior originates?
What theory was held by Hippocrates? Aristotle? Ans✓✓-Cardiac hypothesis and
brain hypothesis; Hippocrates = brain hypothesis, Aristotle = cardiac hypothesis
What was Galen's knowledge of anatomy based on? How did Andreas Vesalius
improve upon this, how was he able to do so? Ans✓✓-Galen dissected monkeys;
Vesalius was able to dissect convicted criminals after execution
4. What is phrenology and its relation to localization of function? Who were the
first two men famous for holding to localization of function? Ans✓✓-Phrenology
is non-scientific map of the brain based on bumps outside of skull, determines
personality/qualities; Franz Joseph Gall and Johann Casper Spurzheim
5. What is equipotentiality? What led Flourens to hold the view of
equipotentiality of function in the brain? Ans✓✓-Equipotentiality is the view that
pieces of brain could take over any function, so all parts had equal potential for
any action; plasticity of brain; conducted surgery on animals by cutting out parts
of brain and observing effects - discovered functions of hemispheres
6. What view did Hughlings Jackson propound w.r.t the organization of the
nervous system? Ans✓✓-Brain is organized in hierarchical way; higher level =
more complex
,Motor cortex
Premotor
Thalamus
Spine
PNS
Stimulus
7. What was Luria's view on the organization of the nervous system? Ans✓✓-
Nervous system contains 3 functional units:
1. Brain stem - basic functions;
2. Back of brain - perception and analyzing sensory info;
3. Front of brain - analyzing complex behavior; whole units can't take over in
injury but small parts could
8. What is the distinction between the central and peripheral nervous system?
Ans✓✓-Central nervous system - process info and determine appropriate
responses
Peripheral nervous system - gather sensory info and control actions
9. What parts comprise the central nervous system? Ans✓✓-Brain and spinal
cord
10. What is the difference between the somatic and autonomic nervous system?
Ans✓✓-Somatic nervous system - controls body actions
Autonomic nervous system - regulated bodily functions
, 11. Explain the difference between efferent and afferent fibers? Ans✓✓-Efferent
- "away" ; nerves go away from brain and make muscles move
Afferent - "towards" ; nerves go towards brain and info sent to brain
12. How are the directions ventral, dorsal, rostral, caudal, medial, lateral,
superior, inferior, anterior and posterior used? Ans✓✓-• ventral - towards
stomach
• dorsal - toward back
• rostral - towards snout
• caudal - towards tail
• medial - towards middle
• lateral - towards side
• superior - (dorsal) towards top of head
• inferior - (ventral) towards bottom of head
• anterior - (rostral) towards front of head
• posterior - (caudal) towards back of head
13. How are dorsal, ventral, rostral and caudal different for the head and the
trunk? Ans✓✓-Dorsal: trunk = back, head = top
Ventral: trunk = stomach, head = down
Rostral: trunk = up towards neck, head = forehead
Caudal: trunk = bottom/down, head = back
14. What are the sagittal, transverse, horizontal, frontal, coronal, midsagittal
planes of section? Ans✓✓-Coronal (frontal) - frontal view
