Neuroscience Exam 3 Exam Questions With Correct Verified Answers | 100% Pass (A+ Certified)

1. EEG recordings are made through the scalp. (t/f): T 2. Differentiate between male and female sexual behavior in rodents. a. Identify the specific brain area(s) that control the sexual behavior Answer Female: ventromedial hypothalamus controls lordosis Male: medial preoptic area controls mounting **steroid hormones (testosterone, estrogen, progesterone) are important in regulating VMH and Mpoa 3. b. Identify the specific brain area(s) that control the reward associated with sexual behavior Answer Nucleus accumbens 4. Describe the experiment that determined the roles of each of these brain areas in sexual behavior Answer Male is in box and if presses lever female drops so they can sex. If lesion to mPOA male still hits lever to drop female but cannot sex her If lesion to VMH female still wants to sex but she won't arch her back 2 / 46 If lesion to NAc they will no longer desire to have sex even though they can 5. Describe how conditioned place preference is used to determine whether an animal finds an experience rewarding Answer If the animal spends more time in the area associated with the behavior than in the area not associated with the behavior, then the animal finds that behavior rewarding **not used in people—can't lock people in boxes 6. Explain the experiment that determined that dopamine is necessary to experience the reward associated with sexual behavior Answer Injected rodents with D2 antagonist Raclopride before sex conditioning DA antagonist blocks CPP shows that reward associated with sex behavior is DA dependent 7. Identify how dopamine concentrations are affected during sexual behavior in both males and females Answer DA transmission increases in the NAc of male rats during their first exposure to sexually receptive female rats Primed female = female that is sexually in heat When a primed female is placed into the male's cage, there is an increase in DA within the NAc of the male DA concentration increases in female hamsters during sex 3 / 46 Males exhibit increases in DA during sex Females do so when pacing (sex behavior) animals are "working" for DA release Females do not enjoy sex if it is forced upon them Many drugs of abuse are "rewarding" due to their ability to increase DA in the NAc 8. What circuit in the brain underlies the motivational aspects of these behaviors?: Mesolimbic Dopamine Circuit 9. Where are the cell bodies located at the start of this pathway, and where do those cells project?: Cell bodies located in the Ventral Tegmental Area, project to the nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex 10. What neurotransmitter do these cells (at the start of the pathway) release?: DA 11. Why do you think it is beneficial for motivated behaviors to be reinforcing/rewarding?: Animals are more likely to engage in those behaviors... so they don't die from starvation, they procreate, etc.