Use the Following to Answer Questions

question 72

Multiple Choice

Use the following to answer questions :
Scenario I
The scenario presents fabricated data consistent with the results of the following study:
Gilbertson,M.W. ,Shenton,M.E. ,Ciszewski,A. ,Kasai,K. ,Lasko,N .B. ,Orr,S.P. ,& Pitman,R.K.(2002) .Smaller hippocampal volume predicts pathologic vulnerability to psychological trauma.Nature Neuroscience,5,1242-1247.
Persons who live through a traumatic experience may develop posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) .PTSD is characterized by chronic physiological arousal,recurrent unwanted thoughts or images,and avoidance of things that bring the trauma to mind,with symptoms persisting for more than 1 month.Persons with PTSD also are at risk for other psychological disorders,with substance abuse disorder being a common comorbid diagnosis.In the last two decades,a number of studies have demonstrated that persons with PTSD have smaller hippocampi than controls.This may result from the neurotoxic effects of stress hormones examined the hippocampal volume of combat veterans with and without PTSD who each had an identical twin who never served in the military.Fabricated results consistent with this study are shown in Figure 15.1.
Figure 15.1
-(Scenario I) For a number of years,psychologists with expertise in the stress response hypothesized that glucocorticoid release at and shortly after the time of trauma was neurotoxic and led to smaller hippocampi.The results of the study by Gilbertson and colleagues (2002) :

• A)provide no evidence as to the veracity of this hypothesis.
• B)are consistent with but do not prove the theory.
• C)demonstrate a cause-and-effect relationship between hippocampal volume and PTSD.
• D)are inconsistent with the hypothesis.

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Definitions:

Occipital Lobe

The portion of the cerebral cortex located at the back of the brain, responsible for processing visual information.

Cerebral Cortex

The surface of the cerebrum, the largest structure of the brain, which contains both sensory and motor nerve cell bodies.

Frontal

Frontal pertains to the front part of something, often referring to the frontal lobe of the brain which is associated with decision making, problem-solving, and controlling behavior.

Parietal

Pertaining to the parietal lobe of the brain, which is important for processing sensory information and spatial orientation.