Practice quiz · by a Quizcard user

AP Psychology: Biological Bases of Behavior — quiz

15 multiple-choice questions covering Neuron structure, Action potential, Neurotransmitter action, Neurotransmitters, Nervous system. One answer each; you get a score at the end and the explanation for every question. No account needed.

Updated 2026-11-04. Keys 1–4 pick an answer, Enter moves on. Redo it any time, in order or shuffled.

The questions

Answers and explanations are shown after you finish.

1. Neuron structure

   A patient with multiple sclerosis experiences slowed neural signaling because the fatty insulating layer around her axons is breaking down. Which structure is being damaged?

   • Soma
   • Myelin sheath
   • Node of Ranvier
   • Dendrite
2. Action potential

   When stimulation of a neuron reaches the threshold of about -55 mV, what happens inside the cell?

   • The sodium-potassium pump reverses direction permanently
   • The neuron immediately enters its refractory period
   • Sodium channels open and the inside becomes briefly positive
   • Potassium channels open and the cell hyperpolarizes
3. Neurotransmitter action

   SSRIs increase the amount of serotonin available in the synapse by interfering with which process?

   • Enzymatic degradation
   • Antagonist blocking
   • Reuptake
   • Agonist binding
4. Neurotransmitters

   A new medication increases GABA activity in the brain. Based on GABA's normal role, this drug would most likely be prescribed to treat which condition?

   • Parkinson's disease
   • Depression
   • Seizures
   • Schizophrenia
5. Nervous system

   During a stressful exam, Maria's heart races, her pupils dilate, and she feels a surge of energy. Which branch of her nervous system is producing this response?

   • Sympathetic nervous system
   • Somatic nervous system
   • Central nervous system
   • Parasympathetic nervous system
6. Endocrine system

   Which sequence correctly describes the pathway the body uses to coordinate its hormonal stress response?

   • Hypothalamus signals the pituitary, which signals the adrenal glands
   • Adrenal glands signal the pituitary, which signals the hypothalamus
   • Pituitary signals the hypothalamus, which signals the adrenal glands
   • Hypothalamus signals the adrenal glands directly, bypassing the pituitary
7. Subcortical structures

   After a brain injury, a patient has trouble with balance and smooth, coordinated voluntary movement, though her senses and language remain intact. Which structure was most likely damaged?

   • Cerebellum
   • Reticular formation
   • Thalamus
   • Medulla
8. Limbic system

   A patient can no longer form new conscious memories after a brain injury, even though her procedural skills and old memories remain intact. Which structure was most likely damaged?

   • Thalamus
   • Amygdala
   • Hippocampus
   • Hypothalamus
9. Cerebral cortex

   A stroke damages the back portion of a patient's brain, causing significant vision loss even though her eyes are healthy. Which lobe was most likely affected?

   • Occipital lobe
   • Temporal lobe
   • Parietal lobe
   • Frontal lobe
10. Hemispheric specialization

    In a split-brain experiment, an image is flashed only to a patient's right hemisphere. He cannot name the object, but he can correctly pick it out by touch with his left hand. What does this best demonstrate?

    • The left hand is controlled by the left hemisphere
    • The corpus callosum successfully shared the information between hemispheres
    • Language is controlled by the right hemisphere
    • The right hemisphere can process information without being able to verbally report it
11. Brain imaging

    A researcher wants to observe, in real time, which brain areas show increased blood oxygen use while a participant solves math problems. Which technique is best suited for this?

    • PET scan using radioactive glucose
    • EEG
    • Structural MRI
    • fMRI
12. Heredity & twin studies

    Identical twins reared apart show much more similarity in IQ than fraternal twins reared together. This pattern provides the strongest evidence for which factor's influence on IQ?

    • Heritability
    • Shared family environment
    • Evolutionary adaptation
    • Non-shared environment
13. Sleep stages

    During sleep, a person shows rapid eye movements, brain activity resembling wakefulness, vivid dreaming, and temporary muscle paralysis. Which sleep stage is this?

    • N2
    • N3
    • N1
    • REM
14. Sleep disorders

    A young child wakes up screaming in intense fear during deep sleep but has no memory of the episode the next morning. This is most consistent with which phenomenon?

    • Narcolepsy
    • Night terror
    • Nightmare
    • Sleep apnea
15. Psychoactive drugs

    After months of regular use, a person now needs twice the original dose of a drug to feel the same effect. What is this phenomenon called?

    • Tolerance
    • Withdrawal
    • Psychological dependence
    • Physical dependence