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Biopsychology Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the role of the central nervous system?

A

To control behaviour and regulate physiological responses of the body.

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2
Q

What are the two divisions of the central nervous system?

A

The spinal cord and the brain

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3
Q

What is the role of the peripheral nervous system?

A

The connection of the body to the external stimuli of the environment, relays nerve impulses.

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4
Q

What are the two divisions of the peripheral nervous system?

A

The autonomic nervous system (regulates involuntary processes like HR) and the somatic nervous system (carries sensory information from sensory receptors to the CNS).

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5
Q

What are the divisions of the autonomic system?

A

The sympathetic system (mobilizes body in response to threat) and the parasympathetic system (returns body back to normal after a stressor)

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6
Q

What is the role and structure of a motor neurone?

A

A motor neurone relays information to the effector (muscle) to produce contraction/ movement.
Larger dendrites followed by a cell body, an axon terminal with a myelin sheath and nodes of ranvier.

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7
Q

What is the role and structure of a relay neurone?

A

A relay neurones are an intermediate neurone carrying impulses from one neurone to another.
Smaller dendrites followed by a cell body with an axon with a myelin sheath to the synaptic knobs.

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8
Q

What is the role and structure of a sensory neurone?

A

A sensory neurone relays information from receptors as a response to external stimuli eg, taste or pressure.
Smallest dendrites followed by an axon, a cell body contained outside of the neurone an axon with a myelin sheath to the synaptic knobs.

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9
Q

What is the process of synaptic transmission?

A

An action potential is initiated at the cell body
It moves down the axon, jumps to each node of ranvier
The impulse reaches the synaptic knobs
Vesicles in the synaptic knobs are stimulated and they move towards the pre synaptic membrane
They fuse with the membrane and neurotransmitter is secreted into the cleft
The neurotransmitter bind to receptors to the post synaptic knob
Either an excitatory or inhibitory response is triggered

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10
Q

Name an excitatory neurotransmitter and what happens in an excitatory response

A

Acetylcholine/ adrenaline

This means the action potential continues to the post synaptic neurone.

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11
Q

Name an inhibitory neurotransmitter and what happens in an inhibitory response

A

Serotonin/ GABA

This means the action potential is prevented from continuing to the next neurone.

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12
Q

What is the endocrine system? Name some of the glands which make up the system.

A

A network of glands which secrete hormones
Pineal, Melatonin
Hypothalamus, Corticotrophic releasing hormone
Pituitary, Adrenocorticotrophic hormone
Thyroid, Thyroxin
Parathyroid, Parathyroid hormone
Adrenal, Cortisol/ Adrenaline/ Noradrenaline
Pancreas, Insulin
Ovary, Oestrogen
Testis, Testosterone

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13
Q

Describe the sympathomedullary pathway, the acute response to a stressor.

A

The amygdala detects a stressor, sends a message to the
Hypothalamus which uses the
Sympathetic nervous system to tell the
Adrenal glands (the adrenal medulla) to secrete adrenaline and noradrenaline
Causing the fight or flight response

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14
Q

Describe the fight or flight response

A

Increased HR
Perspiration
Shaking
Nausea

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15
Q

Following the fight or flight response, what happens?

A

The parasympathetic nervous system returns the body to normal.

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16
Q

Describe the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, the chronic response to a stressor

A

The amygdala tell the
Hypothalamus to release a corticotrophic releasing hormone to the
Pituitary gland to release an adreno corticotrophic hormone
To the adrenal cortex which releases Cortisol

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17
Q

What does cortisol do?

A

A quick burst of energy, increased threshold

Long term it causes fatty deposits in blood vessels leading to coronary heart disease

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18
Q

Name the four areas of the brain

A

Cerebrum
Diencephalon
Brainstem
Cerebellum

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19
Q

Name the four lobes of the cerebrum

A

Frontal
Parietal
Temporal
Occipital

20
Q

Where is Broca’s area located? What is its role? What happens when it is damaged?

A

The left frontal lobe
Speech production
Broca’s aphasia =slow difficult speech

21
Q

Where is Wernicke’s area? What is its role? What happens when it is damaged?

A

The posterior of the left temporal lobe
Speech comprehension
Wernicke’s aphasia =fluent gibberish

22
Q

Where is the visual cortex located and what does it do?

A

The occipital lobe

Processes visual information

23
Q

Where is the auditory cortex and what does it do?

A

The temporal lobe

Processes auditory information

24
Q

Where is the motor cortex and what does it do?

A

Frontal lobe

Controls voluntary movement

25
Q

Where is the somatosensory cortex and what does it do?

A

The parietal lobe

Processes sensory information from receptors

26
Q

What is the cerebellum involved in?

A

Balance
Motor skills, both fine and gross
Formation of long term memories

27
Q

What are the two structures of the diencephalon involved in?

A

The thalamus acts as a relay station allowing the brain to work efficiently.
The hypothalamus regulates body temperature, hunger and thirst.

28
Q

What is the brain stem involved in?

A

Breathing, heart beat, swallowing

With motor and sensory neurones to pass through

29
Q

What is Sperry’s research?

A

11 participants, all epileptic, corpus callosum cut
Shown projected image on the right= processed in left temporal lobe and were able to say they saw it
Shown projected image on the left= processed in the right temporal lobe and couldn’t say they saw it

30
Q

Give a reason as to why Sperry’s research came to its conclusion

A

The two hemispheres were unable to communicate as the corpus callosum was cut
When the image is shown on the left it is processed on the right, which was unable to communicate with Broca’s area on the left.

31
Q

What was the touch variation of Sperry’s research?

A

Image flashed on left
Asked to select item by feeling it
Could only select using their left hand

32
Q

What was the composite words variation of Sperry’s research?

A

Shown compound word like Keychain
Presented simultaneously
Could write key with left hand
And say ring

33
Q

Name some strengths of Sperry’s research

A

Strengths:
Left hemisphere is geared towards analysis the right is adapt to performing spatial tasks and music
High internal validity, well controlled and designed standardised procedures were used

34
Q

Name some weaknesses of Sperry’s research

A

Weaknesses:
Inappropriate control group and sample (all right handed and control group was not epileptic)
Biologically determined, evidence suggests its too rigid

35
Q

What does plasticity of the brain suggest?

A

The brain is able to change and adapt it’s structures and processing referred to as neuroplasticity and cortical remapping

36
Q

Outline the video game study

A

Participants either didn’t train or trained 30 mins a day for 2 months
Participants who trained had more grey matter in their cerebrum which allowed new synaptic connections, strategies and motor performance.

37
Q

Outline the monk study

A

8 meditation practitioners vs 10 non meditators
Electrical sensors on brain whilst meditating
Meditators had more gamma waves

38
Q

What does functional recovery of the brain after trauma suggest?

A

After physical trauma to the brain unaffected areas adapt and compensate
However it is not long lasting

39
Q

Name the to ways the brain restores functions

A 
Neural unmasking (smaller dormant synapses are unveiled, they can take on a function)
Stem cells (unspecialised cells are used to take on the characteristics of a nerve cell, can be transplanted to encourage growth or to form a neural network, replace dying or dead cells)
40
Q

Negatives of plasticity of the brain

A

Henry Moliason was unable to recover

41
Q

Positives of plasticity of the brain

A

One eyed kittens were able to continue to process information, the other hemisphere adapted
Taxi drivers had more grey matter in hippocampus as they learned the knowledge
Brain injured rats were found to recover with stem cells

42
Q

Name all the ways of investigating the brain

A

FMRI
EEG
Event-related potentials
Post mortem examinations

43
Q

What do FMRI’s do?

A

Detect radio waves, certain parts show the haemodynamic response.
Pros: non invasive, objective, detailed picture
Cons: Costs, lie very still, false positives

44
Q

What do EEG’s do?

A

Measures electrical activity in the brain and provides an overall account
Pros: in real time, good diagnosis, better understanding of sleep
Cons: Doesn’t pinpoint, can’t look in deep areas

45
Q

What do event-related potentials do?

A

Using raw EEG data to find neural responses to particular stimuli. The responses are averaged
Pros: good temporal resolution, different types means they’re precise
Cons: large number of trials, can’t detect deep things

46
Q

What do post mortems do?

A

Examinations of the brain after death, areas of damage are examined
Pros: damaged areas can be looked at closely, rare disorders can also be looked at closely
Cons: can’t consent, confounding variables eg. dead brain.

Psychology (7 decks)

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