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Psychology A Level > Biopsychology > Flashcards

Biopsychology Flashcards

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1
Q

What is your nervous system?

A

A network of nerve cells that send signals to and from the central nervous system to the different parts of the body

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2
Q

What is the brain needed for?

A

. Processing complex information and higher ordered thinking
. decisions made here (sometimes not even aware you are making the decisions)
. It’s functions give us consciousness
. Oversees bodily functions
. Centre of awareness

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3
Q

How is the brain split up?

A

Into a left and right hemisphere. The LH controls the right side of your body and the RH controls the left side of your body. The RH contains 4 lobes: frontal, temporal, occipital and paretal. Everything that goes on in the LH is also going on in the RH

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4
Q

What is the outer-layer of the brain called?

A

The cerebral cortex, it is more developed than any other animal

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5
Q

What is the central nervous system made up of?

A

Brain and spinal cord

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6
Q

What is the spinal cord and what is its functions?

A

A collection of nerve cells attached to the brain and run down the length of the spinal column. An extension of the brain
. Transports messages to and from the brain to the peripheral nervous system
. Responsible for reflexes (automatic behaviours, bypasses brain processing) as it contains circuits of nerve cells that allow us to bypass brain activity.
. Allows brain to regulate and monitor bodily processes

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7
Q

What structures does the peripheral nervous system (PNS) contain?

A

All nerves outside of the CNS

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8
Q

What is the PNS split into?

A

Autonomic nervous system and somatic nervous system

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9
Q

How do nerves in the PNS work?

A

Relay information via electrical impulses from the rest of the body back to the CNS and vice versa

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10
Q

What does your nervous system help parts of your body do?

A

Communicate

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11
Q

What controls your nervous system?

A

Your brain

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12
Q

How much of your BW is made up by your brain?

A

2%

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13
Q

What is the autonomic nervous system split into?

A

Sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system

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14
Q

What are two functions of the CNS?

A

. Control behaviour
. Regulate bodies physiological processes

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15
Q

How do the brain and spinal cord work together?

A

Brain receives information from sensory receptors and your spinal cord is the route for these signals to travel to muscles/glands

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16
Q

How does spinal cord and spinal nerves link?

A

Spinal cord is connected to other part of the body via pairs of spinal nerves which are then connected to specific muscles and glands

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17
Q

What happens if your spinal cord is damaged?

A

Areas supplied by connected spinal nerves will be cut off from the brain and stop working

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18
Q

What is the cerebrum?

A

Largest area of the brain, split into four lobes and into two halves (cerebral hemispheres)

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19
Q

How do cerebral hemispheres communicate?

A

Via the corpus callosum

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20
Q

What does the cerebellum control?

A

Motor skills, balance, coordinations of muscles for movement

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21
Q

What can abnormalities in the cerebellum cause?

A

Speech and motor problems
Epilepsy

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22
Q

What does the diencephalon contain?

A

The thalamus and hypothalamus

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23
Q

What is the function of the thalamus?

A

Acts as a relay station for nerve impulses coming from the senses, routing them to appropriate parts of the brain where they can be processed

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24
Q

What are functions of the hypothalamus?

A

. Regulates body temperature, hunger and thirst
. Acts as a link between the endocrine and nervous system, controlling the release of hormones from the pituitary gland

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25
Q

What are the functions of the brain stem?

A

. Regulates automatic functions for life such as breathing
. Motor and sensory neurons travel through here, allowing impulses to pass between the brain and spinal cord

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26
Q

What is the sympathetic nervous system mostly involved in?

A

Responses to deal with emergencies e.g increased heart rate/blood pressure

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27
Q

How does the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) work efficiently?

A

Slows bodily processes that are less important in emergencies, such as digestion + urination

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28
Q

Where are neurones in the SNS connected to?

A

Almost every organ and gland, preparing the body for rapid response to threat

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29
Q

What are 6 effects of SNS activation?

A

. Increased pupil size = more light in = better vision
. Increased heart rate = greater blood flow to skeletal muscles
. Glycogen stored in liver converted to glucose for energy
. Bronchial tubes in lungs dilate = greater oxygen intake
Sweat glands stimulated = more sweat
Adrenal medulla stimulated = adrenaline released

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30
Q

What is the parasympathetic nervous system sometimes referred to as?

A

Your body’s rest and digestive system (energy conservation and digestion)

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31
Q

What is the function of the parasympathetic nervous system?

A

Relaxes body once an emergency has passed, slowing your heartbeat and reducing your blood pressure and influences digestion to start again

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32
Q

What does the somatic nervous system do?

A

Connects us internally to the external world

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33
Q

What is the somatic nervous system made up of?

A

12 pairs of cranial nerves and 31 pairs of spinal nerves. These nerves contain sensory and motor neurones

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34
Q

What is the somatic nervous system involved in?

A

Reflex actions without the CNS (quickly)
Where we pick up sensory information from external environment (receptors) which send signals towards the CNS

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35
Q

What can be said about the information received into the somatic nervous system?

A

It is under voluntary control (you can refuse the information)

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36
Q

How is the somatic nervous system involved in hearing a teacher speak?

A

. Impulses go to an area of the brain that deals with language (wernicka’s area)
. This language is processed and sent to the motor cortex which carry signals across motor neurones, causing you to pick up a pen and write what you heard

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37
Q

What do relay neurones do?

A

Pass information onto a motor neurone

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38
Q

What do sensory neurones do?

A

Relay messages to the CNS

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39
Q

What do motor neurones do?

A

Relay messages from the CNS to other areas of the body

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40
Q

What is the autonomic nervous system split into?

A

Parasympathetic NS: resting state, homeostasis
Sympathetic NS: fight/flight, no homeostasis

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41
Q

What is the function of the autonomic nervous system?

A

Regulate involuntary behaviours such as behaviour

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42
Q

What kind of neurone pathways does the autonomic NS take?

A

Only motor pathways (pathways containing motor neurones)

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43
Q

How is the autonomic NS involved in homeostasis?

A

To regulate internal processes

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44
Q

What two neurotransmitters are released for the autonomic NS during fight/flight?

A

. Adrenaline
. Noradrenaline

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45
Q

Why is the autonomic nervous system needed?

A

Because if you had to think about these involuntary bodily functions they would be much less efficient

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46
Q

How are both divisions of the ANS both similar and different?

A

They usually regulate the same organs but have opposite effects

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47
Q

What neurotransmitter does the sympathetic NS usually use?

A

Noradrenaline as it is stimulating

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48
Q

What neurotransmitter does the parasympathetic NS usually use?

A

Acetylcholine as it has inhibiting effects

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49
Q

Which muscles are in the autonomic NS and what are they?

A

Smooth muscles - surround your vital organs

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50
Q

Which muscles are in your somatic NS and what are they?

A

Skeletal muscles - support your bones

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51
Q

What is most of the brain made up of?

A

Glial cells and astrocytes. These cells contain neurones

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52
Q

What are neurones?

A

Specialised cells which carry electrical impulses to and from the nervous system

53
Q

How many neurones does the average human brain contain?

A

100 billion, connected to 1000 other neurones

54
Q

What are the 3 types of neurones?

A

Sensory, motor and relay

55
Q

What two places can impulses be received from?

A

. Other neurones
. Sensory receptors (for sensory neurones)

56
Q

How do sensory neurones work?

A

. Carry nerve impulses from sensory receptors to your brain + spinal cord (CNS)
. Information from sensory receptors converted to neural impulses
. Once impulse reaches brain, it is translated into a sensation you can react to
. Some sensory neurones terminate at the spinal cord, allowing reflex actions to occur quickly

57
Q

What is the most abundant type of neurone?

A

Relay neurone

58
Q

What are relay neurones also known as?

A

Interneurones

59
Q

What do relay neurones do?

A

Allow sensory and motor neurones to communicate and pass on information

60
Q

Where are relay neurones located?

A

Only in brain and spinal cord

61
Q

What is action potential?

A

The electrical signal that travels down the axons

62
Q

What are motor neurones?

A

Neurones which conduct signals from the CNS to effector organs (muscle/gland)

63
Q

How are motor neurones present in CNS and PNS?

A

Cell bodies of motor neurones may be in the CNS but have long axons which extend to form part of the PNS

64
Q

What do motor neurones form that is important?

A

Synapses (gaps) with muscles, allowing the controlling of contractions

65
Q

What happens when a motor neurone is stimulated?

A

. Motor neurone releases neurotransmitters that bind to receptors on a muscle and triggers the response of muscle movement
. When the axon of a motor neurone fires, it’s corresponding muscle it has formed a synapse with contracts

66
Q

What does the strength of muscle contraction depend on?

A

How quickly the axon fires

67
Q

What does inhibition of a motor neurone cause?

A

Muscle relaxation

68
Q

What is the structure of dendrites for each neurone?

A

Sensory: long
Relay: short
Motor: short

69
Q

What is the structure of axons for each neurone?

A

Sensory: short
Relay: short
Motor: long

70
Q

What are neurotransmitters?

A

Chemicals that allow neurones to communicate with each other

71
Q

How do neurotransmitters reach the next neurone?

A

They diffuse across the synapse to convert electrical signals to chemical signals before reaching the next neurone

72
Q

What is the neurone before and after synaptic transmission called?

A

Before: pre-synaptic neurone
After: post-synaptic neurone

73
Q

What is the pleasure neurotransmitter?

A

Dopamine

74
Q

How are neurotransmitters unique with the brain?

A

Each neurotransmitter has a unique pathway in the brain

75
Q

What 3 things can happen once a neurotransmitter enters a synapse?

A
  1. Some of it binds to receptors of next neurone
  2. Neurotransmitter broken down by other enzymes in the brain and removed to be used elsewhere
  3. Some of the neurotransmitters get reuptaken back into the pre-synaptic neurone, filling up the empty vesicle (like recycling)
76
Q

What are vesicles?

A

Small cellular containers that contain neurotransmitters

77
Q

What stimulated the release of neurotransmitters from a filled vesicle?

A

The action potential (electrical impulse)

78
Q

What can neurotransmitters only bind to?

A

Specific receptors for that one neurotransmitter

79
Q

Show how synaptic transmission works with dopamine?

A
  1. The information that you will get a reward is passed down the axon of a pre-synaptic neurone as an electrical impulse called action potential
  2. The end of the neurone contains vesicles with the neurotransmitter dopamine inside
  3. Dopamine is released across the synapse through diffusion. Some of the dopamine binds to receptors to gain pleasure
  4. Dopamine levels reset back to normal and some of the dopamine is ‘recycled’ back into empty vesicles
80
Q

What is the endocrine system?

A

A network of glands throughout your body that make and secrete hormones

81
Q

What is another word for hormones?

A

Chemical messengers

82
Q

What do the endocrine system and nervous system work together to do?

A

Regulate the physiological process of the human body

83
Q

How does the endocrine system deliver hormones to target sites in the body?

A

Using blood vessels rather than nerve impulses

84
Q

What does the hypothalamus control?

A

The pituitary gland

85
Q

What do the adrenal glands trigger?

A

Fight or flight

86
Q

What do endocrine glands do?

A

Produce and secrete hormones

87
Q

What are hormones?

A

Chemical substances that regulate the activity of cells or organs in the body and are carried to target sites in the body.

88
Q

What are the three main endocrine system glands?

A

. Pituitary gland
. Adrenal glands
. Reproductive organs (testes and ovaries)

89
Q

What kind of process is the processes of the endocrine system part of?

A

A negative feedback loop

90
Q

Explain how hormones are released and carried within the endocrine system (negative feedback loop)?

A
  1. Signal sent from hypothalamus to pituitary gland in the form of a ‘releasing hormone’
  2. Pituitary gland secretes a ‘stimulating hormone’ into the blood
  3. This hormone signals the target gland e.g adrenal gland to release its hormone
  4. As levels of this hormone increase in the blood, the hypothalamus shuts down the secretion of the releasing hormone and the pituitary gland shuts off the secretion of the stimulating hormone
  5. Secretion of target gland’s hormone slows down and a state of homeostasis for that hormone is released
91
Q

What Greek word does the word hormone come from and what is its significance?

A

Hormao (‘I excite’) - shows each hormone stimulates a part of the body

92
Q

What are target cells?

A

The group of cells which a hormone affects

93
Q

What do target cells contain?

A

Receptors for their unique hormone

94
Q

What happens once enough receptor sites are stimulated by a hormone?

A

A physiological reaction takes place in the target cell

95
Q

What two things about hormones are critical for normal functioning?

A

. Timing of hormone release
. Level of hormone released - too much/too little = dysfunction of bodily systems

96
Q

What can too much cortisol cause and what are it’s symptoms?

A

Cushing’s syndrome - causes high blood pressure and depression

97
Q

What is the most common cause of having excess cortisol?

A

A tumour in the pituitary gland which creates too much ACTH hormone which stimulates adrenal gland to make excess cortisol.

98
Q

What does the pituitary gland do?

A

Produces hormones which mainly cause the release of hormones from other glands, regulating many bodily functions. Can sometimes directly cause changes to physiological processes

99
Q

What is the role of the hypothalamus?

A

Receives information from many sources about the basic functions of the body,and then helps regulate these functions

100
Q

What is a negative feedback loop in terms of the endocrine system?

A

When hormone levels are too high so the hypothalamus and pituitary gland stop this hormone being secreted so levels don’t get too high and reach a state of homeostasis

101
Q

What are the two main parts of the pituitary gland?

A

Anterior (front) pituitary
Posterior (back) pituitary

102
Q

What is the main difference between the two parts of the pituitary gland?

A

Release different hormones which target different areas of the body

103
Q

What does the anterior pituitary release?

A

ACTH in response to stress
LH (luteinising hormone) and FSH (follicle-stimulating hormone)

104
Q

What does ACTH do?

A

Stimulates adrenal glands to produce cortisol - calms you down

105
Q

Is cortisol a hormone?

A

Yes

106
Q

What does LH and FSH do in men and women?

A

Men: stimulates testes to produce testosterone and sperm
Women: stimulates ovaries to produce oestrogen and progesterone

107
Q

What does the posterior pituitary release?

A

Oxytocin

108
Q

What does oxytocin do?

A

Stimulates the contraction of uterus during childbirth and important for mother-infant bonding

109
Q

What happens to oxytocin levels with age?

A

They decrease

110
Q

How many adrenal glands are there and where are they?

A
  1. Both sit on top of kidneys
111
Q

What are the two parts of the adrenal glands?

A

Adrenal cortex and adrenal medulla

112
Q

What is the adrenal cortex?

A

Outer part of the adrenal gland and hormones released from here are necessary for life

113
Q

What is the adrenal medulla?

A

The inner region of the adrenal gland, hormones released from here not necessary for life

114
Q

What two hormones are produced by the adrenal cortex?

A

Cortisol and aldosterone

115
Q

What does cortisol do?

A

Regulates and supports many bodily functions such as cardiovascular functions. More cortisol is produced during stress to suppress it and calm you down

116
Q

What does low cortisol cause?

A

Low blood pressure, inability to deal with stress, poor immune functioning

117
Q

What is aldosterone for?

A

Responsible for maintaining blood volume and blood pressure

118
Q

What hormones are produced by the adrenal medulla?

A

Adrenaline and noradrenaline (both involved in fight/flight)

119
Q

What do adrenaline and noradrenaline do?

A

Adrenaline - helps body respond to stressful situations
Noradrenaline - constricts blood vessels, increasing blood pressure

120
Q

What are ovaries responsible for?

A

The production of eggs and the hormones oestrogen and progesterone
Responsible for development of secondary sexual characteristics in females

121
Q

What has progesterone been unusually associated with?

A

Heightened sensitivity to social cues that indicate a social opportunity/threat that would be significant during pregnancy

122
Q

What does oestrogen do?

A

Stimulates development of secondary sexual characteristic and prepares womb for pregnancy

123
Q

What is good about oestrogen being used in hormone replacement therapy?

A

It may lead to a reduction in the risk of Alzheimer’s disease

124
Q

Do women have testosterone?

A

Yes, in smaller amounts than men

125
Q

What do testes do?

A

Produce testosterone

126
Q

What does testosterone do?

A

Causes development of secondary sexual characteristics (puberty changes)

127
Q

What is the production of testosterone controlled by?

A

The hypothalamus and pituitary gland

128
Q

What 4 things does testosterone play roles in?

A

. Sex drive
. Sperm production
. Maintenance of muscle strength
. Associated with better overall health in men

Psychology A Level (17 decks)

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