Biopsych Mocks Flashcards
What are the 2 main divisions of the NS
Peripheral NS- doesn’t include brain and spinal cord
Central nervous system- includes brain and spinal cord
Describe the somatic NS
Part of the peripheral nervous system
Responsible for carrying sense or y and motor information to and from CNS
Describe synaptic transmission
A process where a nerve impulse passes across the synaptic cleft from one neuron to another
What are hormones
Body’s chemical messengers
Travel through the bloodstream
Describe flight or fight response
Triggered when the body prepares itself for defending or attacking.
Involves changes in the nervous system.
Secretion of hormones
What are axons
Carry electrical impulse down the length of a neuron.
Covered in fatty layer called myelin sheath
Describe research into localisation of brain function
Broca
Carried out a postmortem on a brain of patient ‘Tan’ (he was only able to say the word tan)
Found that part of his left frontal lobe was missing
Leading to language function disrupted- left frontal lobe
How can driving a taxi help with functional recovery?
Increases brain plasticity
Maguire et al found taxi drivers- higher volume of grey matter in their posterior hippocampus than the control group.
Describe split-brain research
Sperry
Patients had to watch as a word or image was projected to their right visual field or their left visual field which was processed by the opposite hemisphere
When it was projected. To their RVF they were able to describe what they could see.
Not when projected to their LVF
Language for speech production had been disrupted
What is Wernicke’s area
Deals with language comprehension
Located= temporal lobe
What is an electroencephalogram
Recording of brain activity
Small sensors are attached to the scalp
They pick up electrical signals produced when brain cells send messages to eachother
What are infradian rhythms
Last longer than 24 hours
E.g menstrual cycle
Describe siffre’s research
Spent long period of time in a cave
Aim= examine the effects of free-running biological rhythms without the influence of exogenous zeitgibers
Free running circadian rhythm set at about 25 hours
Wha is an endogenous pacemaker
Internal biological cocks
What is a circadian rhythm
Last 24 hours
Sleep-wake cycle
Pro and con of post-mortem examinations
Pro= can study the brain. This cannot be done on live subjects so can get a clear overview
Con= subject is dead. No follow up studies or questions can be asked to the patient based on findings from the post-mortem.
Describe the autonomic NS
Part of the brain involuntary activities
Explain the process of synaptic transmission
- Action arrives at presynaptic membrane
- Vesicles then fuse with the presynaptic membrane and release their neurotransmitters into the synaptic cleft
- Neurotransmitter diffuses across a synaptic cleft nad down a concentration gradient and binds to the receptors of the post-synaptic membrane.
- Can result in inhibitory or excitatory effect in the postsynaptic membrane.
What are the 2 effects that neurotransmitters can have
Inhibitory and excitatory
Explain inhibitory neurotransmitters
Close the channels.
Action is less likely to happen
Explain excitatory neurotransmitters
Triggers opening of synapse
Action is more likely to be generated
Explain the frontal lobe
Known as motor area
Regulating and coordinating movements
Decision making
Damage= inability to control fine movements
Explain the temporal lobe
Known as auditory area
Damage= hearing loss
Wenickes area
Explain the occipital lobe
Also known as the visual area
Responsible for processing visual information
Explain the occipital lobe
Also known as the visual area
Responsible for processing visual information
Explain the parietal lobe
Also known as the somatosensory area
Processes info on senses
Explain Wernickes area
Responsible for speech comprehension
Explain Broca’s area
Responsible for speech production.
Located in frontal lobe
What is plasticity
Brains ability to psychically and functionally adapt and change in response t trauma, new experiences and learning
Explain post mortem examinations
Comparison of patients Brian with that of a healthy brain
