Biological Basis of Behavior

Behavior is rooted in biology, and the MCAT expects you to connect the two. This lesson covers the neuron and the action potential (resting potential, depolarization, the all-or-none principle, saltatory conduction), the synapse and neurotransmitters (acetylcholine, dopamine, serotonin, GABA, glutamate, norepinephrine — and their behavioral roles), brain regions (the limbic system, cortical lobes, and the methods used to study them), the endocrine system and the HPA stress axis (cortisol, the fight-or-flight response, and feedback regulation), and nervous-system organization and behavioral genetics. The interactive lesson links each structure to the behavior it drives.