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Psychology > Biopsych > Flashcards

Biopsych Flashcards

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1
Q

Branches of the Nervous System

A
  • Central Nervous System -> brain and spinal chord
  • Peripheral Nervous System -> somatic and autonomic nervous system
  • Autonomic nervous system -> sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system
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2
Q

Two functions of the central nervous system

A
  • control behaviour
  • regulates physiological processes
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3
Q

Brain notes

A
  • centre of all conscious awareness
  • outerlayer is the cerebral cortex, where higher mental functions occur
  • temporal, occipital, frontal and parietal lobes span both hemispheres
  • the brain has a cerebellum for primitive functions
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4
Q

Spinal chord notes

A
  • relays info between brain and body
  • allows brain to monitor / regulate body processes
  • connected to body by spinal nerves
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5
Q

Peripheral nervous system notes

A
  • all nerves outside the CNS
  • relays nerve impulses between CNS and body
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6
Q

Somatic nervous system notes

A
  • both sensory and motor neurons receive info from receptors
  • controls voluntary movement
  • involved in reflex action
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7
Q

Autonomic nervous system

A
  • regulates involuntary actions
  • transmits info between organs
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8
Q

Sympathetic nervous system notes

A
  • deals with emergencies
  • neurons from CNS travel to every organ and gland under threat
  • causes stored energy to be released
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9
Q

Parasympathetic nervous system notes

A
  • relaxes bodily systems once danger has passed
  • slows heart rate and blood pressure
  • resets digestion
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10
Q

What are neurons

A
  • cells specialised to carry neural info through body
  • consist of dendrites, cell body, axons and synapses
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11
Q

What are dendrites, cell bodies, axons and synapses

A
  • Dendrites receive signals from other neurons or sensory bodies and connect to the cell body
  • Cell bodies are the control centre, which carry a signal to the axon
  • Axons are where the signal terminates, insulated with myelin sheath, then transfers the signal across the synapse
  • Synapses transmit the signal between nerves, from pre-synaptic nerve to post-synaptic nerve
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12
Q

Sensory neurons notes

A
  • carry signals from receptors to CNS
  • converts info into nerve impulses
  • creates circuit for reflex action
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13
Q

Relay neurons notes

A
  • carry messages from part of CNS to another
  • situated in spinal chord and brain
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14
Q

Motor neurons notes

A
  • carry signals from CNS to effectors
  • release neurotransmitters which bind to muscles and trigger response
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15
Q

Process of synaptic transmission

A
  • action potential moves to axon terminal, needs to transfer to next axon / tissue
  • has to cross synapse, synaptic vescicles release neurotransmitters in presence of action potential
  • neurotransmitter travels from pre-synaptic nerve to post-synaptic nerve
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16
Q

What is the endocrine system

A

A network of glands, manufacturing and secreting hormones into the bloodstream.

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17
Q

How does the endocrine system work

A
  • signal stimulated by pituitary gland sends hormones to organs
  • regulated by feedback, homeostasis is known as negative feedback
  • as bloodstream levels rise , hypothalamus shuts down secretion of hormone til levels are regular again
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18
Q

What is a hormone

A

A chemical that regulates activity of cells/organs, by stimulating them.

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19
Q

Process of fight or flight

A
  • stressor is detected and assessed for threat by amygdala
  • hypothalamus activates the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system
  • sends a signal to adrenal medulla to release adrenaline
  • lasts 20 minutes til parasympathetic branch takes over, rest and digest
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20
Q

Effect of adrenaline and why

A
  • pupils dilate to help you see
  • digestion slows because it is wasted energy
  • increased heart rate, blood pressure for more oxygen
  • hairs stand on end to help you sweat and keep cool
  • decreased blood flow to skin as it is not important
  • releases glycogen for energy boost
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21
Q

What is localisation of function

A

The theory that specific parts of the brain are responsible for specific roles / abilities.

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22
Q

Visual cortex notes

A
  • located in occipital lobe
  • contralateral
  • light enters retina, strikes photoreceptors, causing nerve impulses to break transmitted to brain via optical nerve
  • impulse terminated in the thalamus, passes info onto visual cortex
23
Q

How does nerve impulse get from eye to visual cortex

A
  • light enters retina, strikes photoreceptors, causing nerve impulses to break transmitted to brain via optical nerve
  • impulse terminated in the thalamus, passes info onto visual cortex
24
Q

Auditory cortex notes

A
  • within temporal lobes on either side of the brain
25
Q

How does sound travel to audio cortex

A
  • soundwaves converted to impulse in the cochlea, which travel via the auditory nerve
  • passes through the brain stem, which decodes info, then to the thalamus which relays the informatiom to the auditory cortex
26
Q

Motor cortex notes

A
  • voluntary motor movements
  • located in frontal lobe, along precentral gynus
  • contralateral
  • different parts exert control over different body parts
27
Q

Somatosensory cortex notes

A
  • detects sensory events from different parts of body
  • located in parietal lobe, along postcentral gynus, where touch info is processed
  • contralateral
  • produce sensations of touch, pain, pressure, temperature
28
Q

Hemispheric lateralisation notes

A
  • left hemisphere dominant for speech and language, right is for visual and motor tasks
29
Q

What is the corpus callosum

A

A bundle of nerve fibres that connect the two hemispheres, allowing them to communicate.

30
Q

What is plasticity

A

The brains ability to modify its own structure and functioning through experience.

31
Q

How can plasticity be affected by various events

A

Life experience - new experiences strengthen neural pathways, rarely used pathways die out (Boyke juggling)
Video games - improvements in spatial navigation, strategic planning, working memory and motor performance (Kühn)
Meditation - tibetan monks have a larger increase in gamma activity when meditating (Davison et al)

32
Q

What is functional recovery

A

The brains ability to recover abilities and mental processes damaged by brain injury and disease

33
Q

What is neuronal unmasking

A

Dormant synapses open connections of the brain that are not normally activated, creating a lateral spread of activation, replacing damaged synapses

34
Q

What is axonal sprouting

A

Undamaged axons can grow new axons and nerve endings to reconnect the neurons, thus regaining neural activity

35
Q

What are stem cells

A
  • unspecialised cells with the potential to differentiate into cells with different functions, including nerve cells.
  • can be transplanted in and directly replace dead / dying cells
36
Q

What is a post mortem

A

Studying the brain after death

37
Q

What are fMRI scans

A
  • functional magnetic resonance imaging
  • measures change of blood flow in particular areas of the brain, as areas that are in use require oxygen
38
Q

What is an EEG

A
  • electroencephalogram
  • measures electrical activity in the brain, electrodes are placed on the scalp and measure tiny electrical changes
39
Q

What is an ERP

A
  • event related potential
  • uses an EEG but while performing a task
40
Q

What is a biorhythm

A

An internal process that happens around a specific clock or time period

41
Q

What are endogenous pacemakers

A

Any internal mechanism that regulates internal biorhythms

42
Q

What are exogenous zeitgebers

A

Any external mechanism that regulates internal biorhythms

43
Q

What is the superchiasmatic nucleus

A
  • tiny cluster of cells in the hypothalamus responsible for circadian rhythms
  • SCN neurons synchronise with eachother, keeping target neurons coordinated
  • works in correlation with light: light enters eye, travels along optic nerve to the SCN, the light readjusts the clock, putting us in sync with the outside world
44
Q

What is the pineal gland

A
  • secretes melatonin, which is the hormone for sleep
  • kept informed by the SCN, when light hits eye in the morning it tells the pineal gland to slow production of melatonin, works inversely at night
45
Q

Importance of social cues in biorhythms

A
  • e.g meal times, social activities, siestas
  • klein & wagmann found that jet lag time reduces the more travellers adjust to social cues of their destination
  • for example, eating at correct times links to digestive system, which helps reset pacemakers
46
Q

What is a circadian rhythm

A

A biological rhythm that occurs roughly every 24 hours

47
Q

Sleep wake cycle notes

A
  • circadian
  • controlled by light which triggers pineal gland to secrete melatonin
  • affected by homeostasis, the longer we are awake, the more energy we use, the more our body tells us to sleep
  • circadian rhythm tells us to sleep when dark, homeostasis tells us to sleep when tired
  • in absence of external cues, circadian rhythm can free run at 24-25 hours
48
Q

What is an infradian rhythm

A

Cycle that takes longer than 24 hours to complete

49
Q

Menstrual cycle notes

A
  • cycle regulates ovulation
  • pituitary gland releases hormones which stimulate release of egg and oestrogen
  • once egg ripens, progesterone secretes snd builds up blood supply in womb
  • 2 weeks after if no pregnancy, the womb lining breaks down
    2 refinetti found fluctuation of 23 - 36 day cycles
50
Q

Exogenous zeitgebers that affect menstrual cycle

A
  • stress
  • extreme calorie reduction
  • extreme exercise
51
Q

What is an ultradian rhythm

A

Happens more than once every 24 hours

52
Q

Stages of sleep

A

1) alpha waves, light sleep, slowing of muscles, heart rate and breathing, occasional hypnagogic twitch
2) theta waves, functions slow further, temp decreases
3) core / SWS sleep begins, delta waves begin
4) deepest sleep, all functions very slow, little body movement, long slow delta waves, growth hormone released
5) back to stage 2 where you enter REM

53
Q

What is rapid eye movement

A

Brainwaves return to beta waves, HR + BP increase, all near to waking levels, but muscles are relaxed and cannot move, dreaming state.

Psychology (10 decks)

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