Biops Flashcards
Name the two components of the central nervous system
Brain
Spinal chord
Name the two components of the peripheral nervous system.
Somatic nervous system
Autonomic nervous system
Name two ways in which the somatic nervous system differs from the autonomic nervous system.
Somatic controls voluntary actions
Somatic receives info from senses and to CNS whereas autonomic takes to and from organs
What does the autonomic nervous system break down into? (2)
Sympathetic
Parasympathetic
What is the difference between the SNS and ParaSNS?
SNS- emergencies=fight or flight
ParaSNS- after emergencies=rest and digest
What does the sympathetic nervous system do in emergencies? (6)
increase heart rate increase breathing rate inhibits digestion inhibits saliva production contracts rectum dilates pupils
What does the parasympathetic nervous system do after emergencies? (6)
decreases heart rate decreases breathing rate stimulates digestion stimulates saliva production relaxes rectum constricts pupils
What is the pineal glands function? (2)
releases melatonin
biological rhythms like sleep-wake cycle
What is the function of the hypothalamus? (1)
stimulates and releases hormones from the pituitary gland
What is the function of the pituitary gland? (2)
master gland
because hormones from this gland stimulate release of hormones from other glands
What is the function of the adrenal medulla? (2)
releases adrenaline and noradrenaline
the key hormone in the flight or fight response
What is the function of the adrenal cortex? (2)
releases cortisol
which stimulates the release of glucose to provide the body with energy while suppressing the immune system
What is the function of the thyroid? (2)
releases thyroxine
responsible for regulating metabolism
Give 2 examples of excitatory neurotransmitters (2)
acetylcholine
noradrenaline
give 2 examples of inhibitory neurotransmitters (2)
serotonin
GABA
What are the four lobes of the brain? (4)
frontal
temporal
parietal
occipital
Name three things the left hemisphere controlls. (3)
analytical tasks
language
right sight of body
right visual field of both eyes
Name three things controlled by right hemisphere. (3)
visual-motor tasks face recognition imagination emotion language content music left side of body
Which area of the brain is involved in production of language?
Broca’s area
Which ares of the brain is involved in understanding language?
Werenicke’s area
What would Werenicke’s aphasia cause you to do?
Not understand language, even though you’re able to produce it.
Which lobe is the Bronca’s area?
Frontal, left
Which lobe is werenickes area?
Temporal, left
Which lobe is motor area?
Frontal
Which lobe is the somatosensory area in?
Parietal
Which lobe is the visual area?
Occipital
Which lobe is the auditory area?
Temporal
Which hemisphere controls language and analytical tasks?
Left
Which hemisphere controls facial recognition, drawing, visual motor tasks?
Right
What are the four basic EGG patterns and what do they show? (4)
Alpha- awake but relaxed
Beta- awake and excited
Theta- light sleep
Delta- deep sleep
What was the aim of Sperry’s experiment?
To demonstrate that hemispheres have different functions/abilities
What are four main ways of studying the brain?
fmri
electroencephalogram
event related potentials
post-mortem examination
What is an ERP? (3)
Recording electrical aactivity
brainwave triggered by particular stimulus
uses statistical averaging techniques to filter out extraneous brain activity
What are the 3 biological rhythms and what are they? Give examples. (9)
Circadian- once a day- sleep/wake cycle
Infradian- less than once a day- menstrual cycle
Ultradian- more than once a day- movements of beach living algae with the tides
Who was it that spent 6 months in a cave to investigate circadian rhythms?
Siffre 1975
What are exogenous zeitgebers?
External factors in environment which reset out biological clocks through a process known as entrainment.
What is an example of one of the primary endogenous pacemakers in mammals, influential in maintaining circadian rhythms?
The suprachiasmatic nucleus in the hypothalamus is one of the primary endogenous pacemakers.
Give 1 strength and 1 weakness of fMRI scans.
Non invasive/more objective than verbal reports
Not direct measure of activity, just blood flow/only focuses on localisation not networked nature of brain.
Give 1 strength and 1 weakness of EEG.
In real time rather than a still image/usefulin clinical diagnosis
Can’t reveal what’s happening deeper e.g. in hypothalamus/doesn’t pinpoint where activity is
What are infradian rhythms?
A cyclical change that occurs less than once a day
What are ultradian rhythms?
A cyclical change that occurs more than once a day
What did siffre find in his research into circadian rhythms? And what was the conclusion? (2)
Originally chaotic. Then settled 24.9 hour rhythm.
Evidence for endogenous pacemakers being longer than 24 hours, suggesting exogenous zeitbeiters are needed to keep synchronized with 24hr environment
What study suggests we need endogenous pacemakers?
De coursey 2000 removed SCN of 30 chipmunks and their sleep wake cycle disappeared.
What is evidence into exogenous zeitbegers and what did they find? (2)
Chang 2014
Using light emmiting device before bed took longer to sleep than using book
Describe the process of synaptic transmission (4)
electrical impulses (action potentials) reach the presynaptic terminal
• electrical impulses (action potentials) trigger release of neurotransmitters (or named
example)
• neurotransmitters cross the synapse from vesicles
• neurotransmitters combine with receptors on the postsynaptic membrane
• stimulation of postsynaptic receptors by neurotransmitters result in either excitation
(depolarisation) or inhibition (hyperpolarisation) of the postsynaptic membrane.
Name one difference between EEGs and ERPs. (2)
EEG is a recording of general brain activity
whilst ERPs are elicited by specific stimuli presented to
the participant.
Using knowledge of endogenous pacemakers and exogenous zeitgebers, why is it bad to work night shifts?
means endogenous pacemakers try to impose inbuilt rhythm of sleep, so are out of synchrony with the zeitgeber of light
State 2 limitations of Sperry’s experiment. (2)
- the disconnection between the hemispheres was greater in some patients than others
- some patients had experienced drug therapy for much longer than others
List the effects of adrenaline in the body in the fight or flight response. (4)
– increase heart rate
– constricts blood vessels, increasing rate of blood flow and raising blood pressure
– diverts blood away from the skin, kidneys and digestive system
– increases blood to brain and skeletal muscle
– increases respiration and sweating
The general effects of adrenaline
– prepare the body for action, fight or flight,
– increase blood supply/oxygen, to skeletal muscle for physical action
– increase oxygen to brain for rapid response planning
