2307 neuropsychology final exam
practice questions
What are the basic ideas in the Geschwind-Galaburda theory concerning the development of cerebral
asymmetry - CORRECT ANSWER Explains sex differences in cognitive abilities by relating them to
lateralization of brain function
• Difference in maturation rates between the cerebral hemispheres are mediated by circulating
testosterone levels, and sexual maturation acts to fix the hemispheres at different stages of
development after puberty
• According to the theory, male brains mature later than female brains and the left hemisphere matures
later than the right hemisphere
Compare and contrast the visual symptoms associated with lesions of the posterior parietal lobe with
lesions of the inferotemporal cortex. - CORRECT ANSWER Visual symptoms associated with damage to
the posterior parietal lobe include:
• Decrease in perception and memory of spatial relationships
• inaccuracy in reaching or grasping objects
,• Lack of eye movement control
• Apraxia (inability to carry out learned movements).
Visual symptoms associated with damage to the inferotemporal cortex include:
• Prosopagnosia ("face blindness") which is the inability to recognize faces
• Visual agnosia: the inability to recognize or interpret visual information
What techniques permit the study of cerebral asymmetries in neurologically normal individuals? -
CORRECT ANSWER Dichotic Listening
What is the relationship between anatomical asymmetry, handedness and language lateralization? -
CORRECT ANSWER If your dominant hand is the right one, it is controlled by the left hemisphere of the
brain. The right hemisphere of the brain controls the left hand.
The left hemisphere is usually dominant in language and logical processing.
The right hemisphere is associated with spatial recognition.
Both language ability and the majority of people's handedness (right handed) are dominant in the left
hemisphere.
How could PET technology contribute to our knowledge of different visual areas in the occipital lobe? -
CORRECT ANSWER • Since vision involves many different pathways, PET technology can allow us to see
which pathway(s) is being used in the occipital lobe when stimulated differently
• Loss of visual function in the left occipital cortex can be identified by PET technology
• The function of the occipital cortex can be mapped
• Activation of specific visual areas can be examined when an object is being viewed/being presented
with different stimuli
Briefly describe the insight of Cormack and Hounsfield that led to the development of the Computerized
Axial Tomograph or CT scan. - CORRECT ANSWER • Cormack was interested in X-ray imaging which led
him to starting the basis for the CT scan
• Hounsfield used his idea of figuring out what was inside of a box by using an x-ray at different angles,
and used a CT scan on the heads of cows, people and himself.
How many hormonal effects during the fetal period contribute to the later development of male-female
differences in cognitive performance? - CORRECT ANSWER • Male and female sex hormones can affect
sexual dimorphism where we can see differences in cognitive, physical and behavioural differences
• The amount of androgens (male hormones) in the brain contributes to whether or not an individual
has a more "male-typical" brain
• Female sex hormones create more glucose utilization and cerebral blood flow in the brain leading to
larger language areas and a larger corpus callosum
, • Fetal brain develops in male direction through direct actions of testosterone on the developing nerve
cells or in the female direction through the absence of this hormone surge (testosterone)
Differentiate the roles of premotor and supplementary motor cortices in the sequencing of motor
movements - CORRECT ANSWER Premotor neurons plan and initiate movement.
The Supplementary Motor neurons are fast, monosynaptic and strongly excitatory
Why is neuropsychological testing particularly useful in cases of closed-head injury? - CORRECT ANSWER
Neuropsychological testing can help with the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation planning. It gives a
better understanding of the nature, severity and modality of the injury.
List five symptoms associated with temporal lobe dysfunctions and the hemisphere with which the
symptom is specifically associated. - CORRECT ANSWER Right hemisphere
•Perception impaired and discrimination of sound
•Spatial memory
Left hemisphere
•Perception and comprehension of speech
•Understanding written and spoken language
•Decreased verbal memory
Name four cognitive skills impaired by damage to the dorsolateral pre- frontal cortex - CORRECT
ANSWER • Disturbances of Motor Function
• Loss of Divergent Thinking
• Environmental Control of Behaviour
Poor Temporal Memory
Describe the Stroop Effect and explain how it is demonstrated. What aspect of cognition appears to be
responsible for the Stroop Effect and which part of the brain is believed to mediate it? - CORRECT
ANSWER occurs as a mental task becomes harder. It is demonstrated by listing the names of colours
that are then coloured with different colours that do not match the written word. The person is then
asked to name the colour shown, as opposed to the shade shown in the image. When compared to
reaction times and accuracy of a control test, the results are slower and less accurate.
mediated by the anterior cingulate cortex.
Why may faces be 'special' in terms of brain processing? Hint: consider the evolution of brain and
behaviour in social primates. - CORRECT ANSWER Identifying, remembering and processing faces would
have been adaptive for survival. Having a sensitivity towards faces allowed individuals living in the
ancestral environment to detect hidden predators and would allow individuals to recall who they have
had pleasant or negative interactions with in the past. This would be adaptive because it could prepare
an individual to fight or flee given the cues presented on the face and the memory of past experiences
with that individual.
practice questions
What are the basic ideas in the Geschwind-Galaburda theory concerning the development of cerebral
asymmetry - CORRECT ANSWER Explains sex differences in cognitive abilities by relating them to
lateralization of brain function
• Difference in maturation rates between the cerebral hemispheres are mediated by circulating
testosterone levels, and sexual maturation acts to fix the hemispheres at different stages of
development after puberty
• According to the theory, male brains mature later than female brains and the left hemisphere matures
later than the right hemisphere
Compare and contrast the visual symptoms associated with lesions of the posterior parietal lobe with
lesions of the inferotemporal cortex. - CORRECT ANSWER Visual symptoms associated with damage to
the posterior parietal lobe include:
• Decrease in perception and memory of spatial relationships
• inaccuracy in reaching or grasping objects
,• Lack of eye movement control
• Apraxia (inability to carry out learned movements).
Visual symptoms associated with damage to the inferotemporal cortex include:
• Prosopagnosia ("face blindness") which is the inability to recognize faces
• Visual agnosia: the inability to recognize or interpret visual information
What techniques permit the study of cerebral asymmetries in neurologically normal individuals? -
CORRECT ANSWER Dichotic Listening
What is the relationship between anatomical asymmetry, handedness and language lateralization? -
CORRECT ANSWER If your dominant hand is the right one, it is controlled by the left hemisphere of the
brain. The right hemisphere of the brain controls the left hand.
The left hemisphere is usually dominant in language and logical processing.
The right hemisphere is associated with spatial recognition.
Both language ability and the majority of people's handedness (right handed) are dominant in the left
hemisphere.
How could PET technology contribute to our knowledge of different visual areas in the occipital lobe? -
CORRECT ANSWER • Since vision involves many different pathways, PET technology can allow us to see
which pathway(s) is being used in the occipital lobe when stimulated differently
• Loss of visual function in the left occipital cortex can be identified by PET technology
• The function of the occipital cortex can be mapped
• Activation of specific visual areas can be examined when an object is being viewed/being presented
with different stimuli
Briefly describe the insight of Cormack and Hounsfield that led to the development of the Computerized
Axial Tomograph or CT scan. - CORRECT ANSWER • Cormack was interested in X-ray imaging which led
him to starting the basis for the CT scan
• Hounsfield used his idea of figuring out what was inside of a box by using an x-ray at different angles,
and used a CT scan on the heads of cows, people and himself.
How many hormonal effects during the fetal period contribute to the later development of male-female
differences in cognitive performance? - CORRECT ANSWER • Male and female sex hormones can affect
sexual dimorphism where we can see differences in cognitive, physical and behavioural differences
• The amount of androgens (male hormones) in the brain contributes to whether or not an individual
has a more "male-typical" brain
• Female sex hormones create more glucose utilization and cerebral blood flow in the brain leading to
larger language areas and a larger corpus callosum
, • Fetal brain develops in male direction through direct actions of testosterone on the developing nerve
cells or in the female direction through the absence of this hormone surge (testosterone)
Differentiate the roles of premotor and supplementary motor cortices in the sequencing of motor
movements - CORRECT ANSWER Premotor neurons plan and initiate movement.
The Supplementary Motor neurons are fast, monosynaptic and strongly excitatory
Why is neuropsychological testing particularly useful in cases of closed-head injury? - CORRECT ANSWER
Neuropsychological testing can help with the diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation planning. It gives a
better understanding of the nature, severity and modality of the injury.
List five symptoms associated with temporal lobe dysfunctions and the hemisphere with which the
symptom is specifically associated. - CORRECT ANSWER Right hemisphere
•Perception impaired and discrimination of sound
•Spatial memory
Left hemisphere
•Perception and comprehension of speech
•Understanding written and spoken language
•Decreased verbal memory
Name four cognitive skills impaired by damage to the dorsolateral pre- frontal cortex - CORRECT
ANSWER • Disturbances of Motor Function
• Loss of Divergent Thinking
• Environmental Control of Behaviour
Poor Temporal Memory
Describe the Stroop Effect and explain how it is demonstrated. What aspect of cognition appears to be
responsible for the Stroop Effect and which part of the brain is believed to mediate it? - CORRECT
ANSWER occurs as a mental task becomes harder. It is demonstrated by listing the names of colours
that are then coloured with different colours that do not match the written word. The person is then
asked to name the colour shown, as opposed to the shade shown in the image. When compared to
reaction times and accuracy of a control test, the results are slower and less accurate.
mediated by the anterior cingulate cortex.
Why may faces be 'special' in terms of brain processing? Hint: consider the evolution of brain and
behaviour in social primates. - CORRECT ANSWER Identifying, remembering and processing faces would
have been adaptive for survival. Having a sensitivity towards faces allowed individuals living in the
ancestral environment to detect hidden predators and would allow individuals to recall who they have
had pleasant or negative interactions with in the past. This would be adaptive because it could prepare
an individual to fight or flee given the cues presented on the face and the memory of past experiences
with that individual.
