Biopsychology Flashcards
1
Q
What does the endocrine system do?
A
The endocrine system is a network of glands across the body that secrete hormones into the blood stream, Each hormone is secreted by a particular gland eg melatonin by the pineal gland.
2
Q
Name 5 types of glands
A
- Pituitary gland - Controls release of most hormones around body
- Thyroid gland
- Adrenal gland
- Pancreas
- Pineal gland
3
Q
Name 4 types of hormones
A
- Adrenaline - Regulates visceral functions
- Melatonin - Regulates sleep cycle
- Growth hormone - Helps cell growth and multiplication
- Oxytocin - Promotes uterine contractions and lactation
4
Q
Post mortem examination
A
Analysing the brain after a patient is dead. Involves knowing the behaviour of patient when they were alive. EG leborgne had difficulty speaking his entire life after a stroke damaged his broca language centres
5
Q
ERPs
A
Use electrodes on the scalp to look for specific brain activity in response to certain stimuli presented.
6
Q
EEGs
A
Use electrodes on the scalp to measure the general electrical activity of the cells under each electrode/ brain
7
Q
Pros and cons of ERPs and EEGs
A
Pros - Strong temporal resolutions
Cheap apparatus compared to FMRIs
Cons - Poor spatial resolutions
8
Q
FMRIs
A
Measures energy released by haemoglobin after a magnetic field is removed. Measures how much oxygen is being used at a certain part of the brain. Produces a moving image of the brain accurate to 1mm
9
Q
Pros and cons of FMRIs
A
Pros - Gaining a moving image of the brain is very useful compared to a static picture.
FMRIs have fantastic spatial resolution
Cons- Notoriously expensive compared to EEGs and ERGs so sample sizes are smaller
Poor temporal resolution as delay on scan 6 seconds
10
Q
Hemispheric Laterilisation
A
Brain is divided into left and right hemisphere.
11
Q
Sperrys split brain research
A
-Ppts saw light in both hemispheres
-the material in the left eye couldn’t be spoken about as right hemisphere has no language centre and cant speak about visual info received
12
Q
Weakness of Sperry
A
He found it was very difficult to find any differences between normal and split brain patients and it took very artificial tasks therefore has low external validity
13
Q
Contradictory evidence against Sperry
A
Case study of JW that found after a split brain procedure he developed the ability to speak out his right hemisphere. Meaning he can speak about info presented to his left or right visual field
14
Q
Advantage of split brain research
A
Practical applications such as finding out how to help stroke patients therefore has tangible effects on advancing our society
15
Q
Name 4 lobes of the brain
A
- Frontal Lobe
- Temporal lobe
- Parietal lobe
- Occipital lobe
16
Q
4 Localised areas of brain
A
- Motor cortex
- Somatosensory cortex
- Visual cortex
- Auditory cortex
17
Q
Localisation research support
A
Phineas Gage case study - Was in an accident which caused him to lose part of his frontal lobe. Frontal lobe plays a role in mood regulation. His personality changed as a result of this, therefore localisation is more credible
18
Q
Wernickes area
A
For speech comprehension
19
Q
Brocas area
A
Main centre of speech production
20
Q
Plasticity
A
The Brains tendency to change and adapt as a result of new learning
21
Q
Functional recovery
A
After injury or trauma unaffected areas of the brain can adapt to compensate
22
Q
Ultraradian rhythm
A
Less than24 hours EG - Eating
23
Q
Circadian rhythm
A
Lasts 24 hours EG - Sleep wake cycle
24
Q
Infradian rhythm
A
Lasts longer than 24 hours EG - hibernation, Menstruation
25
Exogenous zeitgeibers
Cues from the environment which help regulate timings for sleep
26
Michel Siffre cave research
- Spent 179 days underground in a cave without any natural endogenous zeitgebers.
- His body clock lengthened by 5 hours and he thought it had been 151 days.
Body temp desynchronized`
27
Sensory neurons
From the surface of the skin to the brain. Nerve cells are activated from sensory input from environment EG touching hot surface
28
Relay neurons
Connect the spinal motor and sensory neurons and transfer signals between sensory and motor neurons
29
Motor neurons
From the brain to the muscles and transmit impulses from the spinal cord to skeletal and smooth muscles directly controlling all muscle movemnts
30
Upper motor neurons
Between brain and spinal cord
31
Lower motor neurons
Between spinal cord and muscles
32
Fight or flight
When a threat is succesfully recognised hypothalamus sends message to adrenal medulla to release adrenaline readying body for flight or fleeing from the threat to ensure survival
33
Effects of fight or flight
Increased heart rate
Dilated pupils
34
Excitatory reponse
Increases chances of neuron firing
35
Inhibitory response
Decreases chances of a neuron firing eg GABA to calm brain down for sleep
36
Vesicles
Sacks that contain neurotransmitters
37
Nervous system
Split into two parts
1. Central nervous system
2. Peripheral nervous system
38
Central nervous system
- Brain and spinal cord
- Transmits messages to and from the brain to the peripheral nervous system
- It is also involved in reflex actions such as the startle response
- Main job to ensure life is maintained
39
Peripheral nervous system
- Extends beyond the CNS
- Transmits messages to and from the nervous system
Split into two parts
1. Somatic nervous system
2. Autonomic nervous system
40
Autonomic Nervous system (PNS)
Involuntary - We aren't in control
- Regulates the functions of our internal organs, such as heart and lungs
- Controls some of the muscles within the body
- Regulates involuntary responses. EG increased HR
- Many functions are automatic and require little or no conscious thought
41
Somatic Nervous System (PNS)
Voluntary - We are in control
- Regulates voluntary movements
- Connects the brain to the motor neurons such as those found in skeletal muscles
- We are in control of this system (voluntary) and we use it when we want to make our muscles move
42
Sympathetic nervous system (Autonomic nervous system)
Acts as an accelerant.
Responsible for mobilisation of resources during fight or flight. EG dilated pupils, accelerating heart beat
43
Parasympathetic Nervous system (Autonomic) Nervous system)
Acts as a brake to bodily functions.
Automatic response that tells the body its safe to focus on recovery and involves lowering blood pressure, breathing rate and heart rate, as well as triggering digestion
44
Neurons
Specialised cells that transmit chemical and electrical signals to facilitate communication between the brain and the body
45
First 4 points for Synaptic transmission
1. Soma fires action potential down the axon towards the pre-synaptic membrane
2. Electrical impulse is converted to a chemical impulse (neurotransmitter) in prep to move across synapse
3. The vesicles that contain the chemical neurotransmitter moves towards the membrane wall
4. The vesicles then fuse into the wall, allowing the neurotransmitter to be fired across the synapse to the post-synaptic neuron
46
Last 4 points for Synaptic transmission
5. Chemical neurotransmitter bind to appropriate receptor on surface of post-synaptic neuron. Through lock and key process.
6. Not all neurotransmitter finds the receptors. Any that remain in the synapse will be reuptaken by pre-synaptic membrane
7. Neurotransmitter that made it across synapse will elicit either excitatory response or inhibitory response
8. Excitatory response will increase chances of neuron firing, whilst inhibitory response will decrease chances
47
Hypothalamus
Detects and recognises a threat and signals to the adrenal medulla to release adrenaline, leading to increased HR, SWEATING , Tunnel vision. Stored fat turns into energy
48
Threat Appraisal
Firstly the body appraises the situation using its sensory systems and stored memories.
Secondly if the situation is appraised as potentially stressful the hypothalamus is alerted
49
Unsustainable energy use (flight or flight)
Move to a sympathetic nervous system cannot be sustained for long as it uses much more of the body's resources. So the threat needs to be extinguished as soon as possible
50
Endogenous pacemakers
Rhythms that are from internal bodily systems.
51
The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN)
Small segment of the brain that dictates the release of certain hormones throughout the body.
The SCN is regulated by external factors, such as light and noise.
eg- finding it more difficult to sleep earlier during summer due to SCN not releasing melatonin until later due to light outside
52
Vetter et al (2011)
- Investigated importance of light in the regulation of sleep-wake and activity- rest partners of two groups of volunteer ppts over 5 week study period.
- One group remained in normal artificial light over the 5 weeks, while the other group experienced artificial light
53
Vetter et al findings
- Ppts working under the normal light synchronised their circadian rhythms each day with the natural light of dawn
- Sunrise advanced by 42 minutes
- Ppts who were exposed to blue-enriched light didn't show the same 42min adjustment and instead synchronised their rhythms to office hours.
- Confirming light is the dominant zeitgeber for the SCN
54
Guo et al 2020
- Conducted meta-analysis outlining the consequences of not adjusting to a circadian rhythm
55
Aschoff and Weber cave research
- Students in underground bunker
- Days lengthened to 25-27hrs
- Individual differences shown
56
Negative Impact of exogenous zeitgebers research on economy
-People who do night shifts are likely to have issues with their mental and physical health. -----Resulting in more sick days off work and more cost to the NHS
57
Positive impact of exogenous zeitgeber research on economy
-However, research has found that 21 day shifts allow more time for workers to adapt to shift patterns.
-Leads to better physical and mental health
-Meaning increased productivity at work, fewer sick days and less cost to the NHS
58
Right-brain functions
Creativity
Imagination
Music awareness
59
Left brain functions
Logic
Language
Reasoning
60
Contralateral
Brain works contralaterally meaning the left hemisphere controls the right side of the body and vice versa.
Eg stroke in right hemisphere would affect left side of body
61
Localisation of function
The brain consists of two hemispheres connected by a bunch of fibres called the corpus callosum.
This bridge allows the 2 hemispheres to communicate with each other
Certain parts of the brain have specific jobs and functions they are programmed to carry out
62
Motor Cortex
- Involved in the planning and execution of skilled and voluntary movements
- Divided into primary and nonprimary motor cortex
- Primary cortex stimulates movements of the leg
- Nonprimary cortex stimulates movements of the face
63
The somatosensory cortex
- Responsible for interpreting incoming sensory info.
- Mainly tactile info that is received.
- Different parts of the somatosensory area receive messages from different locations of the body
64
Robertson (1995)
Found that somatosensory cortex is highly adaptable with Braille readers having larger areas in the somatosensory area for their fingertips compared to normal sighted ppts
65
Visual cortex
- Responsible for processing visual info
- Info from right-hand side visual field is processed in left hemisphere and vice versa
- Visual area contains different parts that process different types of info, such as colour, shape or movement
- Damage here can lead to interesting conditions like Anton syndrome
66
Auditory cortex
- Responsible for analysing and processing acoustic info
- Info from the left ear goes to right hemisphere and vice versa
- Auditory area contains different parts,
- Primary auditory area is involved in processing simple features of sound, such as volume, tempo and pitch
67
Lashleys (1930) Equipotentiality theory
Refutes localisation
- Suggests that your basic functions are localised, but higher mental functions are not.
- He also claimed that intact areas of the cortex could take over responsibility for specific functions following brain injury, suggesting functions are not localised to just one region.
68
Evaluation of localisation of function
- Suffers from beta bias no clear differences identified between sexes
- Theory is biologically reductionist as complex brain communication and functionality is brought down to one specific region of the brain
- Over reliance on caste studies eg brocas and wernickes
69
Evaluations of Laterilisation
- Functions such as language are too complex to be assigned to just one region
- Research from Sperry
70
Evaluations of Laterilisation
- Functions such as language are too complex to be assigned to just one region
- Research from Sperry
71
Evaluations of split brain research
- Sperry used highly artificial tasks
- Study lacks ecological validity and ignores the fact they cope very well irl
- Research into split brain patients has small samples lacking representativeness, e.g. Sperry only used 11 ppts
72
Synaptic pruning
Neurons that are used frequently develop stronger connections and those that are rarely or ever used eventually die.
By developing new connections and pruning away weak ones, the brain is able to adapt to the changing environment
73
3 ways body replaces axon functioning after trauma
1. Increased brain stimulation
2. Axon sprouting
3. Denervation supersensitivity
74
Axon sprouting
The brain's ability to build around damage sustained by growing new axons to reconnect with damaged neurons
- Two types of sprouting
1. Compensatory sprouting
2. Regeneration
75
4 factors affecting rate and success of recovery
1. Perseverance
2. Physical exhaustion, stress and alcohol consumption
3. Age
4. Gender
76
Terms for plasticity
Synaptic pruning
Functional Plasticity
Structural plasticity
77
Terms for functional recovery
Increased brain stimulation
Axon sprouting
Neural reorganisation
Neural unmasking
78
Neural unmasking
Involves dormant synapses opening connections to compensate for damage to nearby areas of the brain
79
Neural reorganisation
Brain transfers functions from the damaged area to undamaged sections of the brain
80
Danelli 2013 (Functional recovery)
- investigated a case of a boy who had most of his left hemisphere removed to remove a tumour.
- With intensive therapy his right hemisphere was able to take over almost of all of the functioning that would normally be done by the left
81
Structural plasticity
Refers to the everyday events that shape our brains development. Eg taking up a new sport
82
Functional plasticity
Refers specifically to the brain's ability to move functions from damaged areas of the brain to undamaged areas
83
Evaluations for functional recovery
- Practical applications for stroke patients
- Research from Danelli 2013
- Ebert et al found that capacity for neural reorganisation is much greater in children than in adults.
