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Psychology > Biopsychology > Flashcards

Biopsychology Flashcards

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1
Q

Hemispheric Lateralisation

A

idea that the 2 hemispheres are functionally different + certain mental processes are mainly controlled by 1 hemisphere

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2
Q

Right Hemisphere important for…

A

orientating & navigating

recognizing faces

recognizing music

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3
Q

Left Hemisphere important for…

A

producing & comprehending language

maths solving

logical thinking

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4
Q

Hemispheric Lateralisation & Split-Brain Research: Sperry & Gazzanigna split brain patients

A

split brain patients are people who undergone surgical procedure where corpus callosum connecting the 2 hemispheres is cut

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5
Q

Hemispheric Lateralisation & Split-Brain Research: Sperry & Gazzanigna (aim)

A

investigate the function of each hemisphere of the brain

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6
Q

Hemispheric Lateralisation & Split-Brain Research: Sperry & Gazzanigna (procedure)

A

studied a small number of split brain patients using a visual task. PPs presented images to the left and/or right visual fields

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7
Q

Hemispheric Lateralisation & Split-Brain Research: Sperry & Gazzanigna (findings)

A

PPs only able to name objects presented in right visual field, when asked what they saw in left field said ‘nothing’

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8
Q

Hemispheric Lateralisation & Split-Brain Research: Sperry & Gazzanigna (conclusions)

A

cannot articulate what is in the right hemisphere unless hemispheres are connected

language is in the left hemisphere only

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9
Q

Hemispheric Lateralisation & Split-Brain Research: Sperry & Gazzanigna Evaluation (strengths)

A

methodology: standardised which increases the internal validity of the procedure

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10
Q

Hemispheric Lateralisation & Split-Brain Research: Sperry & Gazzanigna Evaluation (weaknesses)

A

generalisability: only people with epilepsy - seizures may have changed brain activity so can’t

sample: very selective small sample decreases external validity

other research (Turk et al: patient damage to L hem but developed capacity to speak in R leading to ability to speak about info presented to either side of brain) (Szaflarski et al: in childhood, language is lateralised (in L hem). As we age, the R hem starts to take on some of language functions)

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11
Q

Brain plasticity

A

Brains ability to change and adapt as a result of experience

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12
Q

Research support for plasticity

A

Having skilled job: London taxi drivers have significantly large hippocampus

Playing video games: 30’ a day increases grey matter

Meditation: monks have more brain activity than visitors

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13
Q

Animal research for plasticity

A

Kempermann et a: 1 group of rats complex & enriching houses and another standard lab cages
Rats with complex environment had larger hippocampus

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14
Q

Functional Recovery

A

Regaining of abilities that have been damaged/lost as result of brain injury/disease

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15
Q

How is functional recovery achieved?

A

Neural masking
Neural recognition
Axonal sprouting

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16
Q

How is functional recovery achieved? Neural unmasking

A

Signals can be rerouted through dominant synapses TMT neural communication can continue + abilities recovered

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17
Q

How is functional recovery achieved? Neural reorganisation

A

Brain gets other locations to perform damaged function thereby recognising itself. It ca ‘recruit’ similar (homologous) regions on the opposite side of the brain to take on lost function called ‘laterality shift’

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18
Q

How is functional recovery achieved? Axonal Sprounting

A

growth of new nerve endings connecting with other undamaging nerve cells to form new neuronal pathways

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19
Q

Functional Recovery: Stem Cells

A
  1. implanting to directly replace damaged/missing cells
  2. implanting next to damaged areas so growth factor they secret can help nearby cells repair themselves
  3. using them to create pathways around damaged area, by rerouting communication to a new area which could take over function
20
Q

Functional Recovery: Evaluation

A

+ real world application: neurorehabilitation: constraint-induced movement therapy used with stroke patients whereby they practice using the affected parts of their body

21
Q

Ways of Investigating the Brain: Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)

A

Enables researchers to detect which regions are rich in oxygen/active by detecting changes in blood oxygenation + flow that occurs as result of neural (brain) activity

haemodynamic response (when brain area more active consumes more O2 to meet increased demand blood flow directly to active area)

produces 3-dimensional images (activation map) showing which parts of brain involved in particular mental processes (understanding localisation of function)

22
Q

Ways of Investigating the Brain: Electroencephalogram (EEG)

A

measure electrical activity within brain via electrodes fixed to individuals scalp using skull cap to indicate neurological abnormalities e.g. epilepsy, tumours, disorders of sleep

23
Q

Ways of Investigating the Brain: Event-related potentials (ERPs)

A

brain’s electrophysiological response to specific sensory/cognitive/motor event can be isolated through statistical analysis of EEG data

24
Q

Ways of Investigating the Brain: Post-mortem Examination

A

brain analysed after death to determine whether certain observed behaviours during patients life can be linked to abnormalities in brain

25
Q

Ways of Investigating the Brain: Evaluation - fMRI

A

+ doesn’t rely on use of radiation
+ risk-free, non-invasive, straightforward
+ very high spatial resolution proving clear picture of how brain activity localised
- expensive + only clear if still
- poor temporal resolution
- only measure blood flow in brain so difficult to tell what kind of brain activity

26
Q

Ways of Investigating the Brain: Evaluation - EEG

A

+ invaluable in diagnosis of conditions
+ contributed to understanding of stages involved in sleep
+ extremely high temporal resolution
- signal not useful for pinpointing exact source of neural activity

27
Q

Ways of Investigating the Brain: Evaluation - ERPs

A

+ excellent temporal resolution, led to widespread use
+ able to identity many types + describe precise role
- lack of standardisation, difficult to confirm findings

28
Q

Ways of Investigating the Brain: Evaluation - Post-mortems

A

+ vital in providing foundation for early understanding of key processes in brain (Broca & Wernick relied on studies in establishing links between language, brain, behaviour)
+ improve medical knowledge + help generate hypothesis
- observed damage may not be linked to deficits
- ethical issues of consent

29
Q

endogenous pacemakers

A

internal body clocks regulate biological rhythms
e.g. influence of suprachiasmatic nucleus on sleep/wake cycle

30
Q

endogenous pacemakers - suprachiasmatic nucleus

A

bundle of nerve cells located in hypothalamus in each hem

one of primary EPs in mammalian species + influential in maintaining circadian rhythms

receives information about light directly from this structure - continues when eyes closed, enabling biological clock to adjust to changing patterns of daylight whilst we asleep

master clock

31
Q

endogenous pacemakers - animal studies and the suprachiasmatic nucleus

A

DeCoursey et al: destroyed SCN connections in brains of 30 chipmunks - returned to natural habitat + observed for 80 days - sleep/wake cycle disappeared + significant proportion had been killed

Ralph et al: ‘mutant’ hamsters with 20-hour sleep/wake cycle - SCN cells of mutant transplanted into brains of normal, cycles of 2nd group defaulted to 20 hours

32
Q

endogenous pacemakers - pineal gland & melatonin

A

receives information on day length & light from SCN - during night (dark) increases melatonin (chemical that induces sleep)

33
Q

exogenous zeitgebers

A

external cues that affect (entrain) biological rhythms
e.g. light

34
Q

sleep / wake cycle

A

daily cycle of biological activity based on 24-hour period (circadian rhythm) influenced by regular variations in environment

35
Q

exogenous zeitgebers - light

A

reset body’s main EP (SCN)

indirect influence on key processes in body that control functions (hormone secretion & blood circulation)

Campbell & Murphy

36
Q

exogenous zeitgebers - light (Campbell & Murphy)

A

light may be detected by skin receptor sites on body even when same information not received by eyes

15 PPs woken various times + light pad shone on back of knees

deviation in usual cycle of up to 3 hours

37
Q

exogenous zeitgebers - social cues

A

at 6 weeks old, circadian rhythms begin + about 16 weeks most babies entrained - schedules imposed by parents likely to be key influence, including times for eating & sleeping

38
Q

EVALUATION EPS AND EZS

A
39
Q

order of the three neurons

A

sensory, relay, motor

40
Q

sensory neuron

A

carry messages from sensory receptors via peripheral NS and CNS

convert info from sensory receptors into neural impulses

long dendrites + short axons

41
Q

how do reflex actions occur

A

some of sensory neurons terminate in spinal cord allowing reflex actions to occur quickly without delay of sending impulses to the brain

42
Q

relay neurons

A

when impulses reach brain, info analysed + translated into sensations of visual input, heat, pain meaning so that organism can decide how to respond appropriately

connect with other neurons e.g. allows sensory + motor neurons to communicate

short dendrites + short axons

found within brain + spinal cord only (CNS)

43
Q

motor neuron

A

send messages via long axons from brain to muscles/effectors

when axon of neuron fires, muscles with which it forms synapses contracts - when neuron inhibited muscle relaxes

located in CNS + project their axons outside of CNS to directly/indirectly control muscles

form synapses with muscles + control contractions - when stimulated, bind to receptors on muscle and trigger a response which leads to muscle movement

short dendrites + long axons

44
Q

types of neurotransmitter

A
  1. excitatory (noradrenaline) - excitatory NT bind with postsynaptic receptor + produces excitatory postsynaptic potential TMT postsynaptic cell more likely to fire impulse
  2. inhibitory (GABA/serotonin) - responsible for relaxation and sleep - inhibitory NT binds with postsynaptic receptor + produces inhibitory postsynaptic potential TMT postsynaptic cell less likely to fire
45
Q

synaptic transmission

A

when action potential reaches presynaptic terminal triggers synaptic vesicles to release NT into synaptic gap

NT diffuse across gap between pre and post-synaptic cells

NT bind to post-synaptic receptor sites on membrane of post-synaptic neuron’s dendrite

stimulation of post-synaptic receptors converts the chemical message back to electrical impulse + process of transmission begins again in post-synaptic neuron

effects are terminated by reuptake - NT taken up by pre-synaptic neuron where they are stored in synaptic vesicles ready for later release

46
Q
A

Psychology (5 decks)

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