NFB EXAM QUESTIONS AND CORRECT
ANSWERS
Acalculia - CORRECT ANSWERS Loss of math ability
Acetylcholine (ACh) - CORRECT ANSWERS First neurotransmitter discovered. Found at
neuromuscular motor end plate, at pre-ganglionic sympathetic and parasympathetic receptors,
at post-ganglionic parasympathetic receptors. Can be excitatory or inhibitory depending on
receptor. Within CNS, has role in maintaining wakefulness and memory. All efferent axons
leaving CNS use ACh. Decrease in Alzheimer's Disease causes memory impairment
Action potential - CORRECT ANSWERS Large, brief, reversal in polarity of an axon. Is
propagated down the axon when the neuron "fires."
Agraphia - CORRECT ANSWERS Loss of writing ability
Alexia - CORRECT ANSWERS Loss of reading ability
Alpha wave activity - CORRECT ANSWERS EEG activity (8-11 Hz) commonly, but not
always, thought to be associated with an alert but relaxed state.
Amplifier - CORRECT ANSWERS An active electronic circuit that yields an output which is a
direct replica of the input signal, but with a larger amplitude. The ratio of output signal to input
signal is referred to as "gain".
Amusia. - CORRECT ANSWERS Loss of musical ability
,Amygdala. - CORRECT ANSWERS Almond-shaped collection of nuclei located within the
limbic system; plays a role in emotional behavior. Involved in fear conditioning; organizes
defensive behavior, influences autonomic and endocrine responses through output to
hypothalamus.
Amplitude. - CORRECT ANSWERS A signal of a given frequency can be fully characterized
in terms of amplitude and phase. The amplitude is the size of the signal when it has its largest
value, i.e. the largest excursion from the baseline. With reference to EEGs, amplitude is usually
expressed in microvolts. An irregular signal such as the EEG is best described by a more
meaningful statistical measure, the "rms" (or root-mean-square) amplitude (q.v.).
Analog Filter - CORRECT ANSWERS An analog filter is one constructed with discrete circuit
components such as capacitors, resistors, and inductors. Active elements such as amplifiers may
also be employed as components of an analog filter..
Anosognosia - CORRECT ANSWERS Loss of awareness of deficits. Usually accompanied by
left-sided neglect and disturbances of the body image.
Artifact. - CORRECT ANSWERS The meaning of artifact is context-dependent. To a
paleontologist, artifacts are the object of the search; to the electrophysiologist, on the other
hand, artifacts are to be avoided. They are the intrusion into the EEG signal of electrical activity
unrelated to the EEG phenomena under study. They must be recognized and accounted for in
both measurement and neurofeedback training. What is artifact in one situation can be signal in
another. For example, intrusion of EKG signal into the EEG is common, but for our purposes
artifactual.
Association cortex. - CORRECT ANSWERS Neocortex outside the primary sensory and
motor cortices that functions to produce cognition.
Apraxia. - CORRECT ANSWERS Loss of the ability to perform skilled temporal-sequential
movements despite normal motor neurons and neuromuscular function.
, Attention. - CORRECT ANSWERS Selective narrowing or focusing of awareness to part of
the sensory environment or to a class of stimuli.
Autonomic nervous system (ANS). - CORRECT ANSWERS Part of the PNS that regulates the
functioning of internal organs, glands, and smooth muscles. Consists of sympathetic and
parasympathetic nervous systems (and enteric nervous system according to some authorities).
Axon hillock - CORRECT ANSWERS Juncture of soma and axon where the action potential
begins
Axon - CORRECT ANSWERS The single output process of a neuron that carries messages to
other neurons
Basal ganglia - CORRECT ANSWERS Group of nuclei in the forebrain that coordinates
voluntary movement of the limbs and the body; located just beneath the neocortex and
connected to the thalamus and to the midbrain. Also involved in cognitive and emotional
processing.
Bandpass Filter - CORRECT ANSWERS First see filter. A filter can selectively transmit a
band of frequencies by suppressing those frequencies that are either lower or higher than that
band. This is referred to as a bandpass filter, as distinguished from a high-pass and a low-pass
filter.
Beta - CORRECT ANSWERS EEG frequency band from approximately 12 to 30 Hz. Fast
brain-wave activity pattern associated with a waking EEG. See Sensorimotor Rhythm
Bipolar recording - CORRECT ANSWERS EEG derivation with an electrically active
reference
ANSWERS
Acalculia - CORRECT ANSWERS Loss of math ability
Acetylcholine (ACh) - CORRECT ANSWERS First neurotransmitter discovered. Found at
neuromuscular motor end plate, at pre-ganglionic sympathetic and parasympathetic receptors,
at post-ganglionic parasympathetic receptors. Can be excitatory or inhibitory depending on
receptor. Within CNS, has role in maintaining wakefulness and memory. All efferent axons
leaving CNS use ACh. Decrease in Alzheimer's Disease causes memory impairment
Action potential - CORRECT ANSWERS Large, brief, reversal in polarity of an axon. Is
propagated down the axon when the neuron "fires."
Agraphia - CORRECT ANSWERS Loss of writing ability
Alexia - CORRECT ANSWERS Loss of reading ability
Alpha wave activity - CORRECT ANSWERS EEG activity (8-11 Hz) commonly, but not
always, thought to be associated with an alert but relaxed state.
Amplifier - CORRECT ANSWERS An active electronic circuit that yields an output which is a
direct replica of the input signal, but with a larger amplitude. The ratio of output signal to input
signal is referred to as "gain".
Amusia. - CORRECT ANSWERS Loss of musical ability
,Amygdala. - CORRECT ANSWERS Almond-shaped collection of nuclei located within the
limbic system; plays a role in emotional behavior. Involved in fear conditioning; organizes
defensive behavior, influences autonomic and endocrine responses through output to
hypothalamus.
Amplitude. - CORRECT ANSWERS A signal of a given frequency can be fully characterized
in terms of amplitude and phase. The amplitude is the size of the signal when it has its largest
value, i.e. the largest excursion from the baseline. With reference to EEGs, amplitude is usually
expressed in microvolts. An irregular signal such as the EEG is best described by a more
meaningful statistical measure, the "rms" (or root-mean-square) amplitude (q.v.).
Analog Filter - CORRECT ANSWERS An analog filter is one constructed with discrete circuit
components such as capacitors, resistors, and inductors. Active elements such as amplifiers may
also be employed as components of an analog filter..
Anosognosia - CORRECT ANSWERS Loss of awareness of deficits. Usually accompanied by
left-sided neglect and disturbances of the body image.
Artifact. - CORRECT ANSWERS The meaning of artifact is context-dependent. To a
paleontologist, artifacts are the object of the search; to the electrophysiologist, on the other
hand, artifacts are to be avoided. They are the intrusion into the EEG signal of electrical activity
unrelated to the EEG phenomena under study. They must be recognized and accounted for in
both measurement and neurofeedback training. What is artifact in one situation can be signal in
another. For example, intrusion of EKG signal into the EEG is common, but for our purposes
artifactual.
Association cortex. - CORRECT ANSWERS Neocortex outside the primary sensory and
motor cortices that functions to produce cognition.
Apraxia. - CORRECT ANSWERS Loss of the ability to perform skilled temporal-sequential
movements despite normal motor neurons and neuromuscular function.
, Attention. - CORRECT ANSWERS Selective narrowing or focusing of awareness to part of
the sensory environment or to a class of stimuli.
Autonomic nervous system (ANS). - CORRECT ANSWERS Part of the PNS that regulates the
functioning of internal organs, glands, and smooth muscles. Consists of sympathetic and
parasympathetic nervous systems (and enteric nervous system according to some authorities).
Axon hillock - CORRECT ANSWERS Juncture of soma and axon where the action potential
begins
Axon - CORRECT ANSWERS The single output process of a neuron that carries messages to
other neurons
Basal ganglia - CORRECT ANSWERS Group of nuclei in the forebrain that coordinates
voluntary movement of the limbs and the body; located just beneath the neocortex and
connected to the thalamus and to the midbrain. Also involved in cognitive and emotional
processing.
Bandpass Filter - CORRECT ANSWERS First see filter. A filter can selectively transmit a
band of frequencies by suppressing those frequencies that are either lower or higher than that
band. This is referred to as a bandpass filter, as distinguished from a high-pass and a low-pass
filter.
Beta - CORRECT ANSWERS EEG frequency band from approximately 12 to 30 Hz. Fast
brain-wave activity pattern associated with a waking EEG. See Sensorimotor Rhythm
Bipolar recording - CORRECT ANSWERS EEG derivation with an electrically active
reference
