Biopsychology

Question 1

Nervous system A01

Answer 1

PNS = ANS / SNS (S + PS)
CNS = SC / B

• CNS
  brain / spinal cord = messages to and from brain to PNS
• PNS
  Somatic (voluntary muscle) - Autonomic (auto organ function) - includes sympathetic INCREASE = ff = blood pressure - cuts off digestion Acetylcholine for SNS / parasympathetic DECREASE = rd = slows SNS activation – homeostasis)

Question 2

Nerve cells (Types) A01

Answer 2

Sensory = PNS to CNS – long dendrites / short axons / soma on side
Motor = CNS to effectors – short dendrites / long axons
Relay = 97% of all – sensory to motor - most basic

Question 3

Nerve cells - aspects A01

Answer 3

Terminal buttons = to communicate with next neurone

Nodes of Ranvier = makes myelin sheath non-continuous – speeds up transmission

Axon = carries impulses down cell body

Myelin Sheath = protects axon

Cell body (SOMA) = genetic material of cell – nucleus

Terminals = receptor cell / dendrites – carry nerve impulses

Question 4

Synaptic transmission A01

Answer 4

I - A - PST - VNT - DS - PSR
= Action potential (fire or not) if charge is + (EX) / - (IN)
Summation = net charge

Question 5

Endocrine system A01

Answer 5

Glands = organs that make hormones e.g. thyroid gland
Hormones = chemicals that target organs
Pituitary gland = master glands – triggers release of glands
Hypothalamus = Stimulates PG – regulates endocrine system

Question 6

Endocrine system A02

Answer 6

Melatonin: sent from pineal gland – key in sleep – wake cycle
Deviation in sex – testes / testosterone + androgen / ovaries - oestrogen

Question 7

Fight or Flight A01

Answer 7

adrenal medulla release adrenaline / noradrenaline for FF
Adrenal cortex releases cortisol – stimulates glucose release
FF = stressor – amygdala LS – Hyp – sympathomedullary pathway – SNS - adrenal medulla – NT – physio changes (heartrate / breathing / blood flow / immune suppression etc)

Question 8

Fight or Flight A03

Answer 8

Limited explanation: Gray
Freeze response – alternate bio / cognitive processes that underpin human response to danger

Speisman
2C (mutilation vid) voluntary vs traumatic – differing heart rate suggests these alternate processes experimentally

Modern day maladaptive response – is this still evolutionary?

Taylor – tend and befriend
Limited application to women
Gender bias – beta bias = assumes similarity

Question 9

Lateralisation - A01

Answer 9

Visual centre = occipital lobe
Auditory centre = temporal lobe
Motor cortex = voluntary motor movements
Somatosensory cortex = postcentral gyrus
Wernicke’s = temp.
Broca’s = frontal

Question 10

Localisation A02

Answer 10

Dougherty et al: 44 OCD cingulotomy – 32 weeks = 30% success – 14% partial

Phineas Gage: case study = retained cognitive / memory + motor skills but became cantankerous – social impairment

Hetherington and Ranson

Question 11

Localisation A03

Answer 11

Good
= Gage
= PA - Dougherty
Bad
= Bavelier - ID - cultural diff / beta bias
= Lashey Holistic theory - rats - mem same

Question 12

Plasticity and functional recovery A01

Answer 12

p = brains easily shaped / folded / adaptable - youth = synapses grow
Synaptic pruning = pathways - unused = dormant
FR = axonal sprouting / neuronal unmasking - post stroke - spont. recovery

Question 13

Plasticity A02

Answer 13

Gopnik: ages 2-3 = 15,000 neural pathways

Maguire et al: taxi knowledge test – MRI – more grey matter in posterior hippocampus comp to control.

Kuhn et al: control vs 2 month trained – mario kart better performance – inc. grey matter (PFC / HIPP. / CER)

Question 14

Plasticity A03

Answer 14

GOOD
objective measure = brain scans
empiricism
PA - neurorehabilitation
eco valid - M
BAD
somewhat reliant on case studies / small sample sizes - Daniella (EB)

Question 15

Lateralisation A01

Answer 15

• lateralised = one hemisphere only = language centres (left)
• non-lateralised = all areas
• contralateralised = sight (LVF = RH)

Question 16

Lateralisation A02

Answer 16

Sperry: commissurotomy - 11 epilepsy = RVF = LH - language = LH etc.
- also stuff to do with W/B

Question 17

Lateralisation A03

Answer 17

GOOD
empirical research
objective measures
BAD
poor ecological validity - no appl.
also poor sample variance
Turk et al = oppose - articulate from either

Question 18

Brain scanning A01

Answer 18

• fMRI = blood oxygenation - 3d activation maps
• EEG = electrodes = waves
• ERP = EEG with average calc. - relative to stim
• Post mortem = brain slicing

Question 19

Brain scanning A03

Answer 19

fMRI = no rad - non-invasive - wide sample - high spat. valid
YET = low temp. res 5s - expensive

EEG = diagnoses / epilepsy - high temp. res
YET = low spat.

ERP = high temp. / cog neuro.
YET = no method standard. = demands high control

PM = brain/ broca etc.
YET = ethics - low gen. no samp.

Question 20

Circadian Rhythms A01

Answer 20

SCN
Circ = 1 day
Inf = 1+ day
Ult = 1- day
Exog = external / endeg = internal

Question 21

Circadian rhythms A02

Answer 21

Russel et al: 1G women – collect sweat daily = rubbed upper lip = synced – pheromones – exog.

Reinberg: women 3 months in a cave – small lamp cycle reduced from 28 days to 25.7

Dement and Kleitman: 9 adults – lab sleep – wake with bell – track REM – REM = 80% dream recall vs 7% non.

Question 22

Circadian Rhythm A03

Answer 22

GOOD
aided by evolu.
penton volk - aids sexual pref.
Terman SAD - PA
Shift work PA - Boraldo
BAD
ID
invasive procedure in REM = less rep. / EV