Biopsychology

Question 1

Why is the nervous system important?

Answer 1

It allows us to respond to environmental changes and coordinate action/organs.

Question 2

What are the branches of the nervous system?

Answer 2

CNS, PNS
PNS branches into somatic and autonomic.
Autonomic branches into sympathetic and parasympathetic

Question 3

What is the function of the different NS branches?

Answer 3

ANS - unconscious activities
SNS - conscious activities
PNS - info to and from the senses and the CNS

Question 4

How do neurones work?

Answer 4

They transmit information into electrical impulses. The dendrites receive the signal into the pre-synaptic neurone. Synaptic vesicles containing neurotransmitters - released across synapse. Bind to receptor sites on the post-synaptic cell.

Question 5

What is an excitatory effect?

Answer 5

Increased positive charge, and the neurone is more likely to fire eg. adrenaline

Question 6

What is an inhibitory effect?

Answer 6

Increased negative charge, less likely to fire eg. serotonin

Question 7

What are the different types of neurones?

Answer 7

Motor, sensory, relay

Question 8

What is the function of a motor neurone?

Answer 8

CNS to effectors. Controls muscles

Question 9

What is the function of a sensory neurone?

Answer 9

Carries impulses from receptors to the CNS.

Question 10

What is a reflex?

Answer 10

A fast, automatic response to a stimulus. Bypasses conscious brain to avoid damage.

Question 11

What is the endocrine system?

Answer 11

It involves glands and hormones - uses blood vessels. Maintains homeostasis.

Question 12

How does the fight or flight response work?

Answer 12

Hypothalamus triggers ANS, stimulating the adrenal medulla so adrenaline is released.

Question 13

What are symptoms of fight or flight?

Answer 13

• Increased bp and heart rate
• Decreased digestion
• Tenses muscles
• Dilates pupils
• Increased breathing rate

Question 14

What are parts of the endocrine system?

Answer 14

Hypothalamus
Pituitary - master gland
Thyroid - thyroxine
Adrenal - adrenaline
Pancreas - insulin and glucagon
Gonads - sex hormones

Question 15

What is the structure of the brain?

Answer 15

It is contralateral with non symmetrical hemispheres. 4 lobes: temporal, occipital, parietal, frontal.

Question 16

What is the function of the left hemisphere?

Answer 16

Language processing, detail in visual field.

Question 17

What is the function of the right hemisphere?

Answer 17

Recognising emotions, spatial relationships.

Question 18

What is the function of the motor cortex?

Answer 18

Sends messages via CNS. Complex movement.

Question 19

What is the function of the somatosensory cortex?

Answer 19

Sensations of the body.

Question 20

What is the function of the visual cortex?

Answer 20

Primary is in occipital lobe = main visual centre.

Question 21

What is the function of the auditory cortex?

Answer 21

2 x primary. In both hemispheres gets info from both ears but mostly contralateral.

Question 22

What is the function of the language centres?

Answer 22

Broca’s area - speech production
Wernicke’s area - language comprehension

Question 23

What does lateralisation mean?

Answer 23

2 brain halves are functionally different and each have specialisations.
The corpus callous joins hemispheres.

Question 24

What is plasticity?

Answer 24

The brain’s ability to change and adapt due to physical damage.

Question 25

Why is brain plasticity important?

Answer 25

Replaces function to compensate for the loss of axons. Trauma recovery, learning.

Question 26

What were Sperry's findings?

Answer 26

11 split brain patients had pictures projected into a visual field or held an object. If shown in right, could say/write what it was. If shown in left, could only choose the related object. Different areas of the brain specialise in different functions.

Question 27

What are evaluation points for Sperry?

Answer 27

- qualitative and quantitative data - high reliability and validity - small sample - not generalisable - low ecological validity - contradicting research

Question 28

What did Elbert et al find?

Answer 28

Brains scans of violinists shows there is a big region dedicated to the left hand - brain responded to demands and extra neurons for left hand finger control developed.

Question 29

What did Maguire et al find?

Answer 29

Brain scans on London taxi drivers showed they have a very large posterior hippocampus. Biggest in those with 40+ years experience. Positive correlation.

Question 30

What is functional recovery?

Answer 30

The transfer of functions from a damaged area to an undamaged area.

Question 31

Why is functional recovery important?

Answer 31

- Increases brain stimulation to increase recovery - Ability can decrease with age - Women can recover better - Correlation between education level and recovery rate.

Question 32

What are ways of studying the brain?

Answer 32

fMRI, EEG, ERP, post mortem

Question 33

What are pros and cons of ways of studying the brain?

Answer 33

fMRI - poor temporal resolution, high spatial EEG - good temporal, low spatial ERP - same as EEG

Question 34

What are circadian rhythms?

Answer 34

Biological rhythms that occur every 24 hours. eg. sleep-wake cycle

Question 35

What did Siffre find?

Answer 35

6 months in cave without daylight or clocks. Sleep-wake cycle changed to 25 hours naturally. Light is needed.

Question 36

What are endogenous pacemakers?

Answer 36

Innate biological clocks affected by the environment. SCN controls the release of melatonin.

Question 37

What are exogenous zeitgebers?

Answer 37

Environmental cues that affect biological rhythms. eg. light, noise, temp.

Question 38

What did Ralph do and find?

Answer 38

He removed the SCN from hamsters with a 20 hour sleep cycle and swapped them with normal hamsters. Hamsters changed to match their new SCN.

Question 39

What are infradian rhythms?

Answer 39

Occur less than once a day. eg. menstrual cycle.

Question 40

What are ultradian rhythms?

Answer 40

Occur more than once a day eg. sleep-stages cycle.

Question 41

What is an example when biological rhythms are disrupted?

Answer 41

Jet lag - crossing time zones. Fatigue, concentration struggles, irritable, insomnia. Phase delay east to west is easier than phase advance west to east.

Question 42

What did Dement and Kleitman investigate?

Answer 42

Brain activity changed during sleep. 9 participants in a lab. Measured by eye movement and EEG. Woken in the night during REM or not - talk about current dream/not. REM = 80% dream recall vs 7%.

Question 43

What are evaluation points for Dement and Kleitman?

Answer 43

- self report measures - experimenter effects - longer sleepers spend longer in REM - individual differences - correlational - reliable and has been replicated - lacks generalisability