15–25% of the AP exam. Key topics: Heredity and environment: nature vs. nurture, behavior genetics, twin and adoption studies, epigenetics, Nervous system structure: central vs. peripheral, somatic vs. autonomic, sympathetic vs. parasympathetic divisions, Neural communication: neuron anatomy (dendrites, axon, myelin, nodes of Ranvier), action potential, all-or-none law, synaptic transmission, Neurotransmitters and associated disorders: dopamine, serotonin, acetylcholine, GABA, glutamate, norepinephrine, endorphins, Brain structures and function: hindbrain (medulla, pons, cerebellum), midbrain (reticular formation), forebrain (thalamus, hypothalamus, limbic system, cerebral cortex), Corpus callosum and split-brain research, Neuroimaging and research methods: EEG, fMRI, PET scan, CT/MRI, lesion studies, Endocrine system: pituitary and adrenal glands, hormones (cortisol, testosterone, estrogen, melatonin), Sleep and circadian rhythms: sleep stages, REM sleep, sleep disorders (insomnia, narcolepsy, sleep apnea), Sensation and perception: transduction, absolute and difference thresholds, Weber's Law, signal detection theory, Visual system: rods, cones, opponent-process and trichromatic theories, Auditory system: place vs. frequency theories of hearing, Gestalt principles, depth cues, perceptual constancies, top-down vs. bottom-up processing.
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