NEUROBIOLOGY EXAM QUESTIONS WELL ANSWERED LATEST UPDATE 2026
acetylcholine - Answers Neurotransmitter involved with motor control and memory
action potential - Answers The electrical signal that moves down a neuron's axon
adrenal glands - Answers Located above the kidneys; secrete hormones involved in the stress
response, such as epinephrine and norepinephrine
agonists - Answers Drugs that mimic or strengthen the effects of a neurotransmitter
alcohol - Answers A widely used legal psychoactive drug; GABA agonist; depressant
all-or-none phenomenon - Answers The phenomenon in which an incoming signal from another
neuron is either sufficient or insufficient to reach the threshold of excitation; can be thought of as
flipping a light switch—it is either on or off
allele - Answers A specific version of a gene
antagonist - Answers A drug that blocks or impedes the normal activity of a given neurotransmitter
axon - Answers A major extension of the cell body (soma); carries a signal from the cell body along
the length of the neuron
behavioral genetics - Answers The study of how individual differences arise, in the present, through
the interaction of genes and the environment
cell body - Answers The nucleus of a neuron; also known as the soma
cell membrane - Answers The biological membrane that separates the inside of a cell from the
outside of a cell
chromosome - Answers A long strand of genetic material
cocaine - Answers An illegal stimulant; acts as a dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine reuptake
inhibitor; an agonist
computerized tomography (CT) scan - Answers Imaging technique in which a computer coordinates
and integrates multiple x-rays of a given area
deep brain stimulation (DBS) - Answers A treatment in which electrodes implanted in the brain are
connected to a stimulator that produces current; has clinical applications such as stopping tremors in
those with Parkinson's; developed using animal research
dendrite - Answers Branch-like extension of the soma that receives incoming signals from other
neurons
depressants - Answers Drugs that decrease neuron firing
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) - Answers A molecule made up of nucleotide base pairs arranged in two
strands that form a double helix
dopamine - Answers Neurotransmitter involved with motor control and motivation
electrocorticography (ECOG) - Answers Measures electrical potentials on and inside the brain;
provides fast signals and high resolution but is very invasive (requires open-brain surgery)
electroencephalography (EEG) - Answers Records the electrical activity of the brain via electrodes on
the scalp
endocrine system - Answers Consists of a series of glands that produce chemical substances known as
hormones
endorphin - Answers Neurotransmitter involved with pain and emotion
epigenetics - Answers The study of gene-environment interactions, such as how the same genotype
leads to different phenotypes
equilibrium - Answers A state in which both sides are equal
evolutionary psychology - Answers Study of how universal patterns of behavior and cognitive
processes have evolved over time
excitatory neurotransmitter - Answers A neurotransmitter that increases the likelihood that a neuron
will have an action potential
fight or flight response - Answers Activation of the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous
system, allowing access to energy reserves and heightened sensory capacity so that we might fight off
a given threat or run away to safety
fraternal twins - Answers Twins who develop from two different eggs fertilized by different sperm;
their genetic material varies as much as non-twin siblings
functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) - Answers A type of MRI that shows changes in
metabolic activity over time; measures oxygen-rich blood flow inside brain
gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) - Answers An all-purpose inhibitory neurotransmitter
gene - Answers Sequence of DNA that controls or partially controls physical characteristics
acetylcholine - Answers Neurotransmitter involved with motor control and memory
action potential - Answers The electrical signal that moves down a neuron's axon
adrenal glands - Answers Located above the kidneys; secrete hormones involved in the stress
response, such as epinephrine and norepinephrine
agonists - Answers Drugs that mimic or strengthen the effects of a neurotransmitter
alcohol - Answers A widely used legal psychoactive drug; GABA agonist; depressant
all-or-none phenomenon - Answers The phenomenon in which an incoming signal from another
neuron is either sufficient or insufficient to reach the threshold of excitation; can be thought of as
flipping a light switch—it is either on or off
allele - Answers A specific version of a gene
antagonist - Answers A drug that blocks or impedes the normal activity of a given neurotransmitter
axon - Answers A major extension of the cell body (soma); carries a signal from the cell body along
the length of the neuron
behavioral genetics - Answers The study of how individual differences arise, in the present, through
the interaction of genes and the environment
cell body - Answers The nucleus of a neuron; also known as the soma
cell membrane - Answers The biological membrane that separates the inside of a cell from the
outside of a cell
chromosome - Answers A long strand of genetic material
cocaine - Answers An illegal stimulant; acts as a dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine reuptake
inhibitor; an agonist
computerized tomography (CT) scan - Answers Imaging technique in which a computer coordinates
and integrates multiple x-rays of a given area
deep brain stimulation (DBS) - Answers A treatment in which electrodes implanted in the brain are
connected to a stimulator that produces current; has clinical applications such as stopping tremors in
those with Parkinson's; developed using animal research
dendrite - Answers Branch-like extension of the soma that receives incoming signals from other
neurons
depressants - Answers Drugs that decrease neuron firing
deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) - Answers A molecule made up of nucleotide base pairs arranged in two
strands that form a double helix
dopamine - Answers Neurotransmitter involved with motor control and motivation
electrocorticography (ECOG) - Answers Measures electrical potentials on and inside the brain;
provides fast signals and high resolution but is very invasive (requires open-brain surgery)
electroencephalography (EEG) - Answers Records the electrical activity of the brain via electrodes on
the scalp
endocrine system - Answers Consists of a series of glands that produce chemical substances known as
hormones
endorphin - Answers Neurotransmitter involved with pain and emotion
epigenetics - Answers The study of gene-environment interactions, such as how the same genotype
leads to different phenotypes
equilibrium - Answers A state in which both sides are equal
evolutionary psychology - Answers Study of how universal patterns of behavior and cognitive
processes have evolved over time
excitatory neurotransmitter - Answers A neurotransmitter that increases the likelihood that a neuron
will have an action potential
fight or flight response - Answers Activation of the sympathetic division of the autonomic nervous
system, allowing access to energy reserves and heightened sensory capacity so that we might fight off
a given threat or run away to safety
fraternal twins - Answers Twins who develop from two different eggs fertilized by different sperm;
their genetic material varies as much as non-twin siblings
functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) - Answers A type of MRI that shows changes in
metabolic activity over time; measures oxygen-rich blood flow inside brain
gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) - Answers An all-purpose inhibitory neurotransmitter
gene - Answers Sequence of DNA that controls or partially controls physical characteristics
