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Psychology > Biological Influences > Flashcards

Biological Influences Flashcards

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1
Q

Neuron

A

a specialised cell transmitting nerve impulses; a nerve cell

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2
Q

Axon

A

a part of the nerve cell that transmits information from the cell body to other neurons or to cells in glands and muscles

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3
Q

Cell Body

A

the part of a cell that contains the nucleus; controls the maintenance and metabolic functions of the cell

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4
Q

Central Nervous System

A

the brain and spinal cord

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5
Q

Peripheral Nervous System

A

all neurons in the body except the CNS

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6
Q

Cortex

A

the outer layer of the forebrain; it has two halves or hemispheres

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7
Q

Hemispheres

A

two halves of the cerebral cortex that are separated by a deep groove

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8
Q

Lobes

A

areas of the brain that have different functions and are defined by grooves (fissures) in the cortex

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9
Q

Sensation

A

taking in information through our sense organs

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10
Q

Neurotransmitter

A

a chemical substance which is released at the end of a nerve fibre by the arrival of a nerve impulse and, by diffusing across the synapse or junction, to transfer the impulse to the next neuron

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11
Q

Synaptic transmission

A

chemical transmission of signals between neutrons combined with electrical transmissions of signals along neurons

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12
Q

Stimulant

A

a drug that excited the nervous system and arouses the body’s function

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13
Q

Depressant

A

a drug that slows the activity of the nervous system and slows bodily functions

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14
Q

Hormones

A

chemical messengers produced by endocrine glands

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15
Q

Psychoactive drugs

A

is a chemical substance that acts primarily upon the central nervous system where it alters brain function, resulting in temporary changes in perception, mood, consciousness and behaviour

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16
Q

Heredity

A

the passing on of physical or mental characteristics genetically from one generation to another

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17
Q

Gene

A

basic unit of heredity

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18
Q

Mitosis

A

the process whereby a cell duplicate its chromosome and divides into two identical cells

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19
Q

The human nervous system

A
  • complex communication system: monitors and controls
  • consists of PNS and CNS that work together consisting of billions of neutrons
  • uses chemical/electrical means to send messengers
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20
Q

Role of nervous system

A
  • receives sensory information
  • processes information
  • transmits messages around body
  • reacts to stimulus
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21
Q

Central Nervous System (CNS)

A
  • consists of brain and spinal cord
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22
Q

Spinal cord

A
  • delicate cable of nerve fibres
  • base of the brain to lower back
  • connects the rest of the body to the PNS
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23
Q

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

A
  • consists of all the nerves outside the CNS
  • carries sensory information from body to CNS back to body
  • carious out via spinal cord
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24
Q

Sympathetic Nervous System (fight/flight)

A
  • emergency/arousal system
  • during times of high emotion: stress/threat
  • increases activity level of some body systems
  • Adrenaline and noradrenaline (increase HR, BR, BP)
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25
Q

Parasympathetic Nervous System (rest/digest)

A
  • reverses effect of the sympathetic nervous system
  • functions return to normal
  • keeps body in a state of wellbeing or homeostasis
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26
Q

Neurons

A
  • brains is made of billions
  • trillions of synapses that are connected between these cells
  • connections enable messages to be transmitted from one neutron to another throughout the body
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27
Q

Dendrites

A

fine branches from cell bod the receive messages

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28
Q

Myelin Sheath

A

protects the axon and assists with transmission of nerve impulses

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29
Q

Somatic Nervous System

A
  • monitors bodily functions
  • receives sensory information from organs such as skin, ears, eyes
  • carries messages from CNS to muscles
  • helps understand what is going on in the environment

VOLUNTARY

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30
Q

Autonomic Nervous System

A
  • neurons sending messages from the brain to smooth muscles - hear, lungs, blood vessels

AUTO(matic) - INVOLUNTARY

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31
Q

The forebrain

A
  • upper most part of the brain and consists of the cerebrum and limbic system and thalamus and hypothalamus
  • outer brain areas are involved in perception, learning, motor and conceptual activities
  • centre brain area is involved in internal and bodily functions (e.g. body temp, reproduction, eating, sleeping, emotions)
  • how we think, act, behave
32
Q

Cerebrum (cerebral cortex)

A
  • control motor and mental activity
  • develops in early childhood
  • divided into left/right hemispheres
  • outer layer of brain
33
Q

Cerebellum

A
  • lies below the cerebrum
  • responsible for motor control and balance
  • nerve connections that go to most of the sense organs
  • contributes to making movements coordinated and precise
  • makes sure movements are smooth rather than jerky
  • damage might walk as if you were drunk
34
Q

Brainstem

A
  • lowest part of brain
  • connects the brain to the spinal cord
  • MIDBRAIN, PONS, RETICULAR SYSTEM, MEDULLA OBLONGATA
  • relays messages
  • important in hearing/vision
  • functions; breathing, sleep patterns, hunger, thirst, blood pressure, heart rhythms, body temperature
35
Q

Spinal cord

A
  • runs down from brain stem
  • relays messages between brain and body
  • organised into 32 segments with sensory and motor neurone attached - start of PNS
  • 12 cranial nerves that leave the brainstem at the top of the spine
36
Q

Neurons

A
  • send messages to the brain: sensory

- send messages to the body: motor

37
Q

Cranial nerves

A
  • carry sensory input from the skin or motor output to the muscles of the head/face
  • carry information for vision, hearing etc
38
Q

Frontal lobe

A
  • characterised by the primary motor area and broca’s area
  • frontal lobe is associated with thinking, decision making, feeling and behaviour
  • determines behavioural responses
  • coordinated the function of other lobes
  • higher mental ability and control of movement
    damage: change in personality, reduced capacity for problem solving
39
Q

Frontal lobe: primary motor cortex

A
  • located at the back of the frontal love
  • generates neural impulses that pass down to the spinal cord to plan and control movement
  • does this by controlling the skeletal muscle
  • the primary motor cortex in the left frontal lobe contains controls the right side of the body
40
Q

Frontal lobe: Broca’s area

A
  • used in production of speech
  • usually found in the left frontal lobe
  • damage to this area can result in language loss and is known as Broca’s aphasia
41
Q

Parietal lobe

A
  • sits behind frontal love, on top of the cortex
  • responsible for bodily sensations (mainly touch)
  • spacial awareness
  • aspects of speech
  • enables individuals to read, write and solve math
42
Q

Parietal lobe: damage

A
  • problems with math, reading, writing, loss of imagery, visualisation
  • reduction in bodily feelings
43
Q

Occipital lobe

A
  • directly behind and below parietal lobe
  • responsible for visual functions of the eyes
  • consists of the primary visual cortex
  • involved in visual perception and colour recognition
44
Q

Occipital lobe: damage

A
  • full blindness
  • partial blindness
  • word blindness
45
Q

Temporal lobe

A
  • base of cortex
  • important in auditory perception, language and speech production and memory
  • receives info from ears and interprets sounds
  • contains: limbic system, amygdala, hippocampus, wernicks area
    Damage: affects persons language ability
46
Q

Temporal lobe: wernick’s area

A
  • linked to brocas
  • involved in speech production
  • language comprehension is impaired, speech remains normal
  • mimicking words and syllables
47
Q

Dopamine

A
  • learning, attention, pleasurable senstations
48
Q

Serotonin

A
  • sleep, mood

- less can be linked to depression

49
Q

Noradrenaline

A
  • helps the body to deal with danger or threats
50
Q

Endorphins

A
  • allow perceptions of pain

- release when experiencing a positive mood

51
Q

The endocrine system

A
  • hormones are released by endocrine glands throughout the body and travel through the blood stream
  • hormonal responses are slower than nervous responses
  • from the blood stream, the hormones communicate with the body by heading towards their target cell to bring about a particular change of effect to that cell
52
Q

Adrenaline

A

ADRENIAL GLAND

  • responsible for flight/flight
  • increasing heart rate, blood pressure
  • expands air passages or lungs
  • enlarges pupils
  • alters bodies metabolism
53
Q

Thyroxin

A

THYROID GLAND

  • development brain and NS
  • effects bones, reproductive, digestive and cardiovascular systems, energy production, basal metabolic rate (BMR)
  • controls mental altertness
54
Q

Growth

A

PITUITARY GLAND

  • growth
  • development
  • released during sleep
55
Q

Testosterone

A

TESTES

- stimulates the male secondary sexual characteristics

56
Q

Oestrogen

A

OVARIES

  • stimulates the female secondary sexual characteristics
  • repairs wall of uterus
  • controls ovulation
57
Q

Progesterone

A

OVARIES/PLACENTA

- prevents the wall of the uterus breaking down

58
Q

Stimulants

A
  • increase heart/breathing rates
  • decrease appetite because blood sugar rises
  • gives energy and confidence boosts
  • people use stimulants to stay awake, lose weight, boost athletic performance
  • after effects can include headaches, tiredness and irritability
  • highly addictive
59
Q

Hallucinogens

A
  • mind-altering drugs
  • change perceptions and can result in vivid images
  • can be natural in origin (marijuana and mushrooms)
  • some are synthetically produced (LSD)
60
Q

Marijuana

A
  • mild hallucinogen
  • reduces inhibitions
  • increases sensitivity to sounds, colours, tastes and smells
61
Q

LSD

A
  • ‘trip’ can range from one of euphoria to one of absolute terror and panic
  • user’s mood and expectations can affect the ‘trip’
62
Q

Ecstasy

A
  • stimulant and mild hallucinogen
  • creates heightened emotions and a feeling of connectedness with those around them
    causes: dehydration, overheating, increased blood pressure, potential death (due to previous symptoms)
    long term: deflated mood, memory loss, damage to immune system
63
Q

Drugs affect on brain

A

Healthy: high dopamine levels - normal pleasure/interest

Drug abuser: low dopamine levels - lack of pleasure

64
Q

Alcohol affect on brain

A

Forebrain: assaults motor coordination and decision making
Midbrain: lose control over emotions and increase chances of blackout
Brainstem: affects HR, body temp, appetite and consciousness

65
Q

Benefits of physical activity

A
  • numerous studies show that a moderate amount of exercise has benefits for out physical health, halving the risks of hear attacks and adding two years to life expectancy
66
Q

studies - exercise

A
  • studies in Canada has found that 1 in 4 Canadians who exercised regularly report feeling more energetic, less depressed and tired less often
67
Q

Exercise and depression

A
  • cheaper
  • more effective that no intervention
  • more acceptable to patients than antidepressants
68
Q

Positive effects of exercise

A
  • strengthens heart, increases blood flow, lowers blood pressure
  • promotes perceived ability to cope with depression
  • increases the production of mood boosting neurotransmitters
69
Q

neurotransmitters and exercise

A
  • chemical that affect the way messages are passed from one neuron to another
  • carry a message from sending neuron across a synapse to a receptor site on a receiving neuron
  • NORADRENALINE
  • ENDORPHINS
  • SEROTONIN
70
Q

Hindbrain

A
  • base of the brain near the back of the skull
  • brainstem and cerebellum
  • controls vital activities over which we have no conscious control
71
Q

Midbrain

A
  • sits on top of brainstem under cerebral hemispheres
  • brains sensory switchboard
  • receives messages from sense and sends them on to higher regions of the brain
72
Q

EEG or electroencephalograph

A
  • used to investigate whole brain rather than parts

- measures brain waves or electrical activity

73
Q

CT or CAT

A
  • type of x-ray that involves sending a series of narrow beams through the head
  • scans through 180 degrees and takes measurements
  • cross-sectional picture of brain is produced
  • aid in detection of tumours, strokes and other injuries
74
Q

MRI

A
  • uses strong magnetic field, radio frequency pulses and computers to produce an image of the brain
  • patient places in a tunnel surrounded by a large magnet that produces a magnetic field
  • body emits a signal that can be measured
  • 3D image
  • enables detections of tumours and abnormalities
75
Q

fMRI

A
  • used to measure activity of the brain when neutrons are consuming oxygen
  • measures brain function
  • parts of brain are active, it contains more oxygen-rich blood
  • higher levels of oxygen means higher levels of oxyhemoglobin which indicated higher activity
76
Q

PET

A
  • based on glucose consumption of the brain
  • glucose containing a harmless radioactive tracer is injected or taken orally
  • can show which areas of the brain are using more energy or consuming more glucose
  • higher glucose levels reflect higher brain activity
  • epilepsy, tumours and blood clots can be identified

Psychology (9 decks)

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