Biological Psychology CNS

Question 1

Name the 2 parts of the Nervous System

Answer 1

• the Central Nervous System (CNS)

- the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

Question 2

Give the 2 functions of the Nervous System

Answer 2

• responds to info in our env

- coordinates working of organs + cells in body

Question 3

What is the CNS made up of?

Answer 3

the brain and the spinal chord

Question 4

What are 2 functions of the CNS?

Answer 4

• controls many basic behaviours e.g. reflex actions…

- involved in complex commands + decisions

Question 5

Name the 4 lobes in the cerebral cortex of the CNS and their functions (1 point each)

Answer 5

• Frontal lobe (reasoning, planning, some speech, movement in motor cortex, emotions + problem-solving)
• Parietal lobe (perception of stimuli e.g. touch/pressure/temp/pain)
• Temporal lobe (perception + recognition of auditory stimuli + mem in hippocampus)
• Occipital lobe (deals w many aspects of vision)

Question 6

What are the 6 key subcortical structures in the CNS?

Answer 6

• Thalamus (T)
• Hypothalamus (Hypot)
• Limbic system (Limb)
• Cerebellum (Cer)
• Corpus callosum (Corp)
• Cerebral cortex (Cer Cor)

Question 7

Give the functions of the 6 key subcortical structures in the CNS

Answer 7

• T: receives info from senses (but not smell) + passes it onto areas of Cer Cor for higher level processing
• Hypot: controls motivational behaviours (e.g. hunger/ thirst) + fight/flight response
• Limb: has many structures (e.g. the amygdala- regulates emotional responses like aggression)
• Cer: coordinates posture, balance + movement
• Corp: physically connects 2 hemispheres below Cer Cor + allows communication btw them by passing signals back + forth
• Cer Cor: wrinkled + divided into 8 lobes*

Question 8

What are the 5 main features of a neuron?

Answer 8

• dendrites
• cell body
• axon
• axon terminals
• action potential (the arrows outside it)