The Nervous System, the Neuron & Neural Firing (College Board AP® Psychology): Exam Questions

3 mins3 questions
1
1 mark

A neuroscience student learns that once a neuron reaches its threshold, it fires at full strength regardless of how strong the triggering stimulus was.

Which principle does this demonstrate?

  • Reuptake

  • Depolarisation

  • The refractory period

  • The all-or-none principle

2
1 mark

A patient is prescribed a medication that increases the availability of dopamine in the synaptic cleft by blocking its reabsorption into the presynaptic neuron.

Which of the following mechanisms does this medication use?

  • Acting as a dopamine antagonist

  • Acting as a reuptake inhibitor

  • Acting as a GABA agonist

  • Triggering the refractory period

3
1 mark

A pharmacologist develops a new drug that binds to serotonin receptors and produces the same effect as naturally occurring serotonin, increasing its overall action in the brain.

Which of the following terms best describes how this drug functions?

  • As a reuptake inhibitor

  • As a receptor antagonist

  • As an inhibitory neurotransmitter

  • As an agonist