AP Psychology : Biology
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for AP Psychology
All AP Psychology Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #41 : Brain And Nervous System
Which of the following terms is best defined as the part of the brain that is in charge of processing auditory information?
Parietal lobe
Temporal lobes
Frontal lobe
Hippocampus
Occipital lobe
Temporal lobes
The temporal lobes are located on the sides of the brain, close to where the ears are. They are in charge of processing auditory information.
Example Question #42 : Brain And Nervous System
Which of the following terms is best defined as the part of the brain that is in charge of movement, balance, and coordination?
Hippocampus
Frontal lobe
Amygdala
Brain stem
Cerebellum
Cerebellum
The cerebellum is important in helping us maintain balance and coordination. It is also in charge of precise timing and other motion related activities. It is located in the back of the brain, under the occipital lobe, and near the brain stem.
Example Question #43 : Brain And Nervous System
Which of the following terms is best defined as the part of the brain that controls essential bodily functions such as heart rate and breathing?
Frontal lobe
Amygdala
Hippocampus
Cerebellum
Brain stem
Brain stem
The brain stem is one of the first parts of the brain to be formed during fetal development. It controls essential bodily functions such as heart rate, body temperature, and breathing. It is located at the base of the brain, near the cerebellum, and connects to the spine through a bundle of nerves.
Example Question #41 : Brain And Nervous System
Which of the following parts of a neuron are responsible for helping speed up neural impulses?
Terminal Buttons
Myelin sheath
None of these
Dendrites
Axon
Myelin sheath
The myelin sheath is the fatty layer that covers the axon. It helps to speed up nerve impulses and keeps them channeled on the neuron.
Example Question #1392 : Ap Psychology
Which individual is commonly credited with the discovery of the brain structure called the pons?
Gabriele Falloppio
Costanzo Varolio
Giulio Aranzio
Andreas Vesalius
Costanzo Varolio
Varolio, a 16th-century anatomist and lecturer, was likely the first anatomist to study the brain from the bottom upwards, instead of the traditional top-down approach used by anatomists until that time. He also correctly theorized the pons as being vital in communication between the brain and spinal cord.
Example Question #52 : Brain And Nervous System
A patient arrives in the hospital after a sudden injury to the head. The patient is lucid enough to talk, has a fast, thready pulse, is hyperventilating without fear response, and has abnormally low blood pressure and body temperature. Which part of the brain most likely took damage from the injury?
Forebrain
Hindbrain
Midbrain
Brainstem
Hindbrain
The hindbrain is the division of the brain containing the pons, medulla, and cerebellum, which are together largely responsible for autonomous processes of the body, such as breathing, blood pressure, heart rate, and body temperature.
Example Question #51 : Brain And Nervous System
Which of the following is closest to how many times faster a myelinated nerve sheath can transmit a neural impulse compared to an unmyelinated sheath?
There is no difference in speed.
Myelination works by providing a faster medium (fatty material) for the transmission of electrical impulses than could otherwise be achieved. While not present on all nerve fibers, myelinated nerves are found throughout the body.
Example Question #52 : Brain And Nervous System
Too much __________ in the body can cause muscle spasms and tremors, while too little can cause paralysis and torpor.
epinephrine
dopamine
acetylcholine
GABA
dopamine
The presence of dopamine in excess causes the classic symptoms of agitation, which can include inattention, aggressiveness, inability to focus the eyes, and in severe cases muscle tremors or spasms. In severe cases of dopamine limitation, paralysis, torporous aspect and even death can occur.
Example Question #55 : Brain And Nervous System
When an impulse reaches the end of one neuron and needs to cross the synaptic gap, neurotransmitters are released by the ____________.
Myelin sheath
Synaptic vesicles
Synaptic branch
Dendrites
Synaptic vesicles
The vesicles, located in the synaptic knob, also help with the resorption of used neurotransmitters during the reuptake phase.
Example Question #55 : Brain And Nervous System
Areas of the cerebral cortex which are associated neither with primary motor movements nor with sensory input or processing are referred to as _____________.
sympathetic areas
coordination areas
association areas
limbic areas
association areas
Association areas, such as Broca's area, are involved in "higher" brain processes such as pattern recognition, speaking, thinking and memory.
Certified Tutor
All AP Psychology Resources
