Biological Psychology Part 1

Question 1

What are neurons?

Answer 1

Nerve cells specialised for communication

Question 2

Function of cell body?

Answer 2

Central region of neuron, responsible for creation of new cell components

Question 3

What are dendrites and what do they do?

Answer 3

Branch like extensions for receiving information from other neurons

Question 4

What is the axon and what does it do?

Answer 4

Long thread part of neuron, allows impulses conducted from cell body to travel other cells. Synaptic vessels travel along the axon through to axon terminals.

Question 5

What is a synapse?

Answer 5

Space between two connecting neurons where messages are transmitted

Question 6

What is myelin sheath?

Answer 6

Glial cell wrapper around axon, fatty coating speeds up impulses

Question 7

What are synaptic vesicles?

Answer 7

Spherical sacs containing neurotransmitters

Question 8

What are neurotransmitters?

Answer 8

Chemical messengers specialised for communication and released at the synapse

Question 9

What are glial cells and what do they do?

Answer 9

Cells in nervous system that play a role in formation of myelin and the blood-brain barrier, respond to injury, remove debris and enhance learning and memory

Question 10

Describe the action potential

Answer 10

When a neuron is at rest, there are positive and negative ions on both sides of the membrane. During action potential, positive ions rush in and out of axon. This process occurs along the axon until the axon terminal releases a neurotransmitter. Allows neurons to communicate

Question 11

What is the resting potential?

Answer 11

More negative ions inside than outside the neuron. Neuron is not being stimulated or inhibited. Both positive and negative ions are flowing in and out of the neuron.

Question 12

What is the refractory period?

Answer 12

Time after an action potential where another cannot occur

Question 13

Difference between excitatory and inhibitory post synaptic potential?

Answer 13

E - makes the inside of neuron more positive, brings neuron closer to action potential
I - makes inside of neuron more negative, moves further away from firing action potential

Question 14

What are receptor sites?

Answer 14

After neurotransmitters are released into synapse, they bind with receptor sites - locations that uniquely recognise a neurotransmitter. E.g. like a lock and key

Question 15

What is reuptake?

Answer 15

Recycling of neurotransmitter

Question 16

Difference between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters?

Answer 16

Excitatory - excites nervous system, increasing activity
Inhibitory- inhibits nervous system, decreases activity

Question 17

Glutamate role?

Answer 17

Main excitatory neurotransmitter
Relay of sensory information
Learning

Question 18

GABA role?

Answer 18

Main inhibitory neurotransmitter

Question 19

Acetylcholine role?

Answer 19

Muscle contraction PNS
Corticol arousal

Question 20

Noradrenaline role?

Answer 20

Cortical arousal

Question 21

Dopamine role?

Answer 21

Motor function and reward

Question 22

Serotonin role?

Answer 22

Cortical arousal

Question 23

Endorphins role?

Answer 23

Pain reduction

Question 24

Anandamide role?

Answer 24

Pain reduction
Increase in appetite

Question 25

Neural plasticity during development - stages

Answer 25

1. Growth of dendrites and axons 2. Synaptogenesis - forming new synapses 3. Pruning - death of connections that are not useful 4. Myelination - insulation of axons with myelin sheath

Question 26

What is the cns made of?

Answer 26

Brain and spinal cord

Question 27

What does the pns consist of?

Answer 27

Everything else - divided into Somatic - voluntary behaviour of skeletal muscles Autonomic - involuntary behaviour

Question 28

What is the cortex made up of? (lobes)

Answer 28

Frontal lobe Parietal Temporal Occipital

Question 29

Frontal lobe functions

Answer 29

Executive functioning Motor planning Language Memory

Question 30

Parietal lobe function

Answer 30

Process touch information, integrates vision and touch

Question 31

Temporal lobe function

Answer 31

Process auditory information, language and autobiographical memory

Question 32

Occipital lobe function

Answer 32

Process visual information

Question 33

Basal ganglia function

Answer 33

Control movement and motor planning

Question 34

What does the limbic system consist of?

Answer 34

Thalamus Hypothalamus Amygdala Hippocampus

Question 35

Thalamus function

Answer 35

Convey sensory info to cortex

Question 36

Hypothalamus function

Answer 36

Oversee endocrine and autonomic nervous system

Question 37

Amygdala role

Answer 37

Arousal and fear

Question 38

Hippocampus role

Answer 38

Process memory for spatial locations

Question 39

Cerebellum role

Answer 39

Balance and movement

Question 40

Brain stem consists of?

Answer 40

Midbrain Pons Medulla

Question 41

Midbrain role?

Answer 41

Tracks visual stimuli and reflexes triggered by sound

Question 42

Pons role?

Answer 42

Conveys information between cortex and cerebellum

Question 43

Medulla role?

Answer 43

Regulates breathing and heartbeat

Question 44

Spinal cord role ?

Answer 44

Conveys information between brain and rest of body

Question 45

Somatic nervous system role

Answer 45

Carries messages from cns to muscles, controlling movement When we stabilise or move joints, cns works with somatic nervous system to regulate posture and body movement

Question 46

Autonomic nervous system role?

Answer 46

Control involuntary actions of internal organs and glands (with limbic system) participates in emotion Also made up of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system

Question 47

Sympathetic vs parasympathetic nervous system

Answer 47

When one is active the other one is passive S - fight or flight P - rest and digest

Question 48

Corpus callosum role?

Answer 48

Responsible for transferring info from one side of the brain to the other