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Psychology A Level AQA > Biopsychology > Flashcards

Biopsychology Flashcards

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1
Q

The Human Nervous System

A

Provides the biological basis of psychological experience

Split into Peripheral Nervous system and CNS

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2
Q

Central Nervous System

A

Controls bodily functions and psychological processes

Splits into the Brain and Spinal Chord

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3
Q

Peripheral Nervous System

A

Transmits messages via neurones to and from the CNS

Splits into Somatic and Autonomic Nervous System

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4
Q

Somatic Nervous System

A

Carries sensory and motor information to and from the spinal chord

Conscious

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5
Q

Autonomic Nervous System

A

Transfers information to and from internal organs

This maintains breathing rate, heart rate and stress responses unconsciously

Splits into parasympathetic and symptomatic systems

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6
Q

Brain

A

Ensures that life and psychological processing is maintained
2 Hemispheres and the cerebral cortex is highly developed which distinguishes our higher mental functions

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7
Q

Spinal Chord

A

Facilitates the transferral of messages to and from the brain to the PNS

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8
Q

Sympathetic Nervous System

A

Controls fight or flight

Slows digestions, inhibits saliva production, increases hr and dilates pupils

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9
Q

Parasympathetic Nervous System

A

Rest and Digest, maintains and conserves body energy and functions

Increases digestion, increases saliva production, decreases heart rate

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10
Q

The Endocrine System

A

Instructs glands to release hormones directly into the bloodstream

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11
Q

Gland

A

an organ in the body that synthesises substances such as hormones

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12
Q

Homeostasis

A

the maintenance of a constant internal environment within the body

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13
Q

Pineal Gland

A

Produces and secretes the hormone melatonin which regulates biological rhythms such as sleep and wake cycles.

Located in the brain

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14
Q

Adrenal Glands

A

Adrenal glands release adrenaline directly into the bloodstream which prepares the body for fight or flight by constricting blood vessels to the stomach.
This inhibits digestion and increases your heart rate.

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15
Q

Pituitary Gland

A

Controls the release-of hormones from all the other endocrine glands. Also known as the master gland.

Located in the brain, below the hypothalamus (which controls it).

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16
Q

Testes

A

This facilitates the release of the male hormone- testosterone

Testosterone affects aggression, facial hair, sex drive, muscle mass.

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17
Q

Ovaries

A

this facilitates the release of the female hormones- oestrogen and progesterone

produces eggs

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18
Q

Sensory Neurone

A

Function:
Unipolar- only transmits messages in one direction

Carries messages from the PNS to the brain and spinal cord (CNS)

Length of Fibres:
Long dendrites and short axons

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19
Q

Relay Neurone

A

Function:
Multipolar neurones- send and receive messages

Transfers messages from sensory neurones to other interconnecting neurones or motor neurones

Length of fibres:
Short dendrites and short or long axons

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20
Q

Motor Neurone

A

Function:
Multipolar neurones- send and receive messages

Carries messages from the CNS to effectors such as muscles and glands

Length of fibres:
Short dendrites and long axons

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21
Q

Process of synaptic transmission 1

A

nerve impulse travels down an axon

nerve impulse reaches synaptic terminal

this triggers the release of neurotransmitters

the neurotransmitters are fired into the synaptic gap

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22
Q

Process of synaptic transmission 2

A

neurotransmitter binds with receptors on the dendrite of the adjacent neurone

if successfully transmitted the neurotransmitter is taken up by the post-synaptic neurone

the message will continue to be passed in this way via electrical impulses

23
Q

Excitatory and inhibitory Neurotransmitters

A

Neurotransmitters can be either excitatory or inhibitory
-excitation only: acetylcholine (ACh), adrenaline
-inhibitory only: serotonin, GABA

24
Q

Localisation

A

the theory that specific areas of the brain are associated with particular physical and psychological functions

25
Q

Hemispheric Lateralisation

A

the dominance of one hemisphere of the brain for particular physical and psychological functions

the right hand side is responsible for the functions of the left hand side of the body and vice versa

26
Q

Language areas of the brain

A

Broca is responsible for speech production. Wernicke plays an important role in understanding other people’s speech and for language comprehension. Language areas are only found on the left side.

27
Q

The central core

A

Regulates our most primitive and involuntary behaviours such as breathing, sleeping or sneezing

28
Q

The limbic system

A

a group of interconnected brain structures that help regulate your emotions and behavior

29
Q

The cerebrum

A
  • this regulates our higher intellectual processes
  • it has an outermost layer known as the cerebral cortex; appears grey because of the location of cell bodies (hence “grey matter”)
  • each of our sensory systems sends messages to and from this cerebral cortex
30
Q

The 4 Lobes

A

Parietal - Location for sensory and motor movements

Temporal - Location for the auditory ability and memory acquisition

Occipital - location responsible for vision

Frontal - The location for awareness (consciousness)

31
Q

Add localisation evaluations

A
32
Q

Plasticity

A

the brain’s tendency to change and adapt as a result of experience and new learning

33
Q

Add rest of plasticity, sleep stages and all of split brain

A
34
Q

fMRI scans

A

fMRI scans show brain activity:
* 3D scan providing structural and functional information
* shows changes in brain activity using a strong magnetic field and radio waves
1. more oxygenated blood flows to active areas of the brain
2. molecules in oxygenated blood respond differently to a magnetic field than those in deoxygenated blood
3. more active areas of the brain can be identified
The neurones sending electrical signal widen the blood vessels to allow more oxygenated blood to flow to the brain

Haemodynamic response (HR) allows the rapid deliver of blood to active neuronal tissues. The brain consumes large amounts of energy but does not have a reservoir of stored energy substrates
This type of brain scan produces a dynamic picture

35
Q

Strengths of fMRI scans

A

fMRI provides a high resolution moving picture of brain activity. This means that patterns of activity can be compared rather than just the physiology of the brain (localisation).

Non-invasive/virtually risk free

Does not rely on radiation (like X-rays

36
Q

Weakness of fMRI scans

A

Poor temporal resolution- 5 second time-lag behind the image on the screen and the initial firing of neuronal activity.

Expensive and can only capture a clear image if the person stays still.

Can only measure blood flown the brain. It cannot home in on activity of individual neurones.

37
Q

Electroencephalogram (EEG)

A

Looks for different frequency of brain waves
EEG electrodes are specific to areas of the brain

38
Q

Brain wave types

A
  • Alpha
  • Beta
  • Delta
  • Theta
39
Q

EEG Strengths

A

Invaluable in the diagnosis of conditions such as epilepsy.

Contributed to research into ultradian rhythms of sleep.

Extremely high temporal resolution can accurately detect brain activity at a resolution of a single millisecond.

40
Q

EEG weaknesses

A

The main drawback of EEG lies in the generalised nature of the information received (thousands of neurones).

Not useful for pinpointing the exact source of neural activity and does not allow researchers to distinguish between activities origination in different but adjacent locations.

41
Q

Event-related potentials (ERPs)

A

ERPs record activity in response to a stimulus introduced by the researcher.
All extraneous brain activity from the original EEG recording is filtered out leaving only those responses that relate to the specific stimuli.
Used in memory research.
Miltner et al. (2000) found that people with phobias had an ERP of a greater amplitude in response to images of the object they feared.

42
Q

Post mortem examinations

A

Involves removing the brain, preserving it, splicing it and observing where there was damage, activity etc

requires permission
Brown et al. (1986) discovered that patients who have schizophrenia had enlarged ventricles in their brains

43
Q

Circadian Rhythm

A

A biological rhythm that have a periodicity of 24 hours. Periodicity in relation to biological rhythms is the time between one peak or maximum value and the next peak or maximum value.

-Sleep-waking cycle: one period of sleep and one of waking every 24 hours

-Core body temperatures: one peak and trough every 24 hours

-Hormone production: melatonin levels peak in the dark and are at its lowest during the daylight

44
Q

Ultradian and Infradian Rhythms

A

Ultradian: a type of biological rhythm with a frequency of more than one cycle in 24 hours
BRAC: Basic Rest and Activity Cycle, Sleep stages

Infradian: a type of biological rhythm with a frequency of less than one cycle in 24 hours: menstrual cycle, SADnd lack of melatonin during winter months

45
Q

Sleep Cycle Stage 1

A

Non-REM sleep: transition from wakefulness to sleep. Last less than 10 minutes and is marked by slowing heartbeat, breathing and eye movements as well as relaxing of muscles.

Alpha brain waves

46
Q

Sleep Cycle Stage 2

A

Non-REM sleep: is the period of light sleep before you enter deeper sleep. Lasts roughly 20 minutes. Further slowing of heart rate, breathing and the brain begins to produce bursts of rapid, rhythmic brain wave activity known as sleep spindles.

Theta brain waves

47
Q

Sleep Cycle Stage 3

A

Final stage of non-REM sleep: deepest period of sleep and lasts 20-40 minutes. Your heart rate and breathing are at the lowest levels and your muscles are so relaxed that it may be hard to awaken you

Delta brain waves

48
Q

REM (Stage 4 of the sleep cycle)

A

Occurs 90 minutes after sleep onset and is much deeper sleep than any of the stages of non-REM. Defined as rapid eye movement and an almost complete paralysis of the body.

REM brain waves

49
Q

EP’s and SCN

A

Endogenous pacemakers maintain circadian rhythms and the SCN is a primary EP

50
Q

Pineal Gland and Melatonin

A

Pineal gland increases the production of melatonin at night as it induces sleep and is inhibited during periods of wakefulness

51
Q

Entrainment

A

Process of resetting the biological clock in line with external time cues

52
Q

Bugress et al. (2003)

A

Found that exposure to bright light prior to an east-west flight, decreased the time needed to readjust to local time on arrival. Participants exposed to continuous bright light shifted their circadian rhythm by 2.1 hours whereas those exposed to intermittent bright light shifted their rhythm by 1.5 hours and those exposed to dim light shifted theirs by just 0.6 hours.
As a result, participants in the first condition felt sleepier two hours earlier in the evening and woke two hours earlier in the morning, i.e. closer to local time conditions

53
Q

Social Cues

A

At 6 weeks of age, the circadian rhythm begins and by 16 weeks, most babies are entrained

The schedule imposed by parents is said to have a large influence here, including adult-determined mealtimes and bedtimes

Jet lag research found that adapting to local eating and sleeping times is an effective way for entraining circadian rhythms

54
Q

Hormones

A

Chemical substances that circulate in the bloodstream their effects on behaviour can be very powerful.

They affect target cell with receptors for specific hormones.

Psychology A Level AQA (7 decks)

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