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psychology > biopsychology > Flashcards

biopsychology Flashcards

1
Q

main functions of the nervous system

A

-to collect, process and respond to information in the environment.
-to coordinate the working of different organs snd cells in the body

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2
Q

division of nervous system

A
  1. CNS
  2. peripheral NS (separated into autonomic and somatic NS)
    autonomic divided into parasympathetic and sympathetic NS
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3
Q

CNS

A

-brain and spinal cord
-all info comes into the CNS and all info goes out the CNS

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4
Q

peripheral nervous system

A

-cranial nerves and spinal nerves
-sends info to CNS and allows communication between the CNS and rest of body

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5
Q

autonomic NS

A

-heart muscle,smooth muscle, glands
-recieves signals from sensory neurone to create involuntary responses in glands and Smooth muscles (heart beating)

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6
Q

somatic NS

A

-voluntary skeletal muscles
-recieves sensory info from the world and sends signals to skeletal muscles involved in voluntary movement.

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7
Q

parasympathetic NS

A

-rest and digest
-slows the body and rev verses the effect of sympathy branch.

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8
Q

sympathy NS

A

-active and alert
-prepares body for survival ‘fight of flight’

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9
Q

spinal cord CNS

A

responsible for reflex actions like when light acts as a stimuli the pupil of eye changes size

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10
Q

brain CNS

A

centre of conscious awareness and is composed of 3 major parts-
cerebellum
cerebrum
medulla/Brain stem

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11
Q

cerebellum

A

controls motion balance and how we learn new things

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12
Q

cerebrum

A

divides into 4 lobes that control senses imagination and thoughts.

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13
Q
A
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14
Q

what’s the outer layer of cerebellum called?

A

cerebral cortex
responsible for higher mental functions

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15
Q

4 lobes of cerebral cortex

A

frontal lobe
parietal lobe
occipital lobe
temporal lobe

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16
Q

frontal lobe function

A

-problem solving, decision making, attention and intelligence.
-contains motor cortex which is responsible for planning and co ordinating movements
-pre frontal cortex is responsible for higher level logical functions and brokas area (language)

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17
Q

temporal lobe

A

-understanding, language, memory, face recognition,perception and auditory information processing.
-left side- wernike area (language development)
-right side- memorising non verbal expression

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18
Q

occipital lobe

A

recieves sensory information from the eye retinas allows g us to assess size, depth distance and colour

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19
Q

parietal lobe

A

-intergratinh info from senses allowing us to understand world and perceive our d=bodues through somatosensory information eg. touch.

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20
Q

function of peripheral NS

A

connects CNS to rest of body

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21
Q

peripheral NS

A

-divided into the somatic NS and autonomic NS

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22
Q

sensory neurons

A

transmit signals from the body to the brain

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23
Q

motor neurons

A

transmit signals from the brain to the body

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24
Q

somatic NS

A

-controls VOLUNTARY MOVEMENT in skeletal muscles.
- it contains sensory neurons and motor neurons.

25
Q

Autonomic NS

A

-regulates INVOLUNTARY FUNCTIONS which are carried out by the body without conscious awareness.
-recieves signals from sensory neurons to create involuntary responses in CARDIAC AND SMOOTH MUSCLES to regulate functions (regulating heart rate snf secreting enzymes)

26
Q

what’s ANS split into

A

sympathic and parasympathetic NS

27
Q

sympathic NS

A

controls our responses when we are in an emergency/ threatening situation tp provide rapid energy (fight or flight)

28
Q

parasympathetic NS

A

returns our body to its normal resting state after an emergency has passed, so is referred as ‘rest and digest’

29
Q

CNS similarities

A

both Brain and spinal cord control involuntary processes
brain-breathing
spinal cord-reflexes

30
Q

CNS differences

A

-brain is responsible for multiple functions whereas spinal cord has one main function

31
Q

PNS- Somatic and autonomic similarities

A

-both respond to external stimuli.

32
Q

PNS- Somatic and autonomic differences

A

-somatic ns responsible for voluntary actions whereas the autonomic ns is responsible for involuntary actions
-autonomic ns controls internal organs whereas somatic ns controls muscle and movement.
-the autonomic ns has 2 sub compartments whereas somatic only has one

33
Q

PNS- sympathetic and parasympathetic similarities

A
  • both part of peripheral ns
34
Q

PNS- sympathetic and parasympathetic

A

sympathetic ns controls fight or flight whereas parasympathetic controls rest and digest.

35
Q

neurons

A

cells that make up the nervous system.
they conduct electrical impulses and allow communication to occur.

36
Q

structure if neuron

A
  • consist of cell body (soma) which contains a nucleus that stores the genetic code.
    -dendrites branch out from the cell body and carry electrical impulses to other neuron’s.
    -the axon projects away from the cell body and carries the signals received by the dendrites to other neurons.
    -the myelin sheath is a white fatty substance which insulates the axon and speeds up rate of conduction of signals.
    -the signal is carried away from cell body down the axon to its terminal where impulses can be transmitted to another neuron.
37
Q

types of neurons

A

motor
relay
sensory

38
Q

motor neuron structure

A
  • short dendrites and long axons
39
Q

motor neuron location

A

cell body and dendrites within the CNS
axons in the PNS

40
Q

motor neuron function

A

carries impulses from CNS to effectors (muscles and glands etc)

41
Q

relay neuron structure

A

short dendrite and short axon

42
Q

relay neuron location

A

all components in CNS

43
Q

relay neuron function

A

carry impulses from one part of CNS to another
interconnect sensory neurons to the appropriate motor neurons.

44
Q

sensory neuron structure

A

long dendrite and short axons

45
Q

sensory neuron location

A

cell body and dendrite are in PNS snd axon in CNS

46
Q

sensory neuron function

A

transmit impulses from the sensory receptors in PNS towards the CNS

47
Q

example of how neurons work

A

-sensory neruons receive impulses from receptors on. sense organs when stimuli is presented.
-carry impulse away Fromm body into CNS
where its transmitted to relay neuron.
-the neuron transmits impulse to motor neuron which carries impulse away from CNS to PNS where it is transmitted to receptors of an effector eg. muscle
-the effector carries out a response.

48
Q

synaptic transmission definition

A

refers to how neurons communicate with (transmit messages) one another.

49
Q

how synaptic transmission works

A

before an action potential occurs, the activated cell changes from its negative resting state to positive activated state.

electrical impulses travel down the axon on the pre synaptic neuron, until it reaches the terminal buttons.

this triggers the release of neurotransmitters from the vesicles.

the neurotransmitters cross the synapse and bind to receptors on the dendrite of the post synaptic neuron.

activation of the post synaptic receptors result in either excitation or inhibition of the post synaptic neuron.

some neurotransmitters may be pumped back into the pre synaptic neuron in a process called reuptake.

50
Q

summation

A

adding together excretory and inhibitory neurotransmitters, whichever has most is released

50
Q

excretory neurotransmitters

A

inc chances of post synaptic neuron to fir
on swithes
more positively charged EPSP
dopamine and noradrenaline

51
Q

inhibitory neurotransmitters

A

dec chances of post synaptic neuron being released
negatively charged
IPSP
GABA and seritonin

52
Q

Brain scanning techniques

A

post mortem
EEG
ECG
FMRI

53
Q

FMRI what it measures

A

functional magnetic resonance imaging

uses magnetic and radio waves to monitor blood flow in the brain

measures parts of the brain are most active during certain tasks compared to a baseline.

neurons that are active will be using energy in the form of glucose and oxygen which are directed to areas requiring the bloodstream.

therefore areas with most blood are most active.

54
Q

FMRI how it works

A

magnetic field applied to the brain

oxygenated blood has different magnetic quality than de oxygenated blood.

scanner generates a signal called blood oxygen level dependant contrast

revealing which neurons are currently using up most oxygen.

produces 3D image showing stiver parts of brain in colour.

55
Q

strength of FMRI

A
  • non invasive technique
  • doesn’t use radiation or involve inserting instruments into body
  • used more frequently than PET scanning, fathering out understanding of the brain.

-better spacial resolution compared to other techniques
- greater spacial resolution allows psychologists to discriminate different brain regions with greater accuracy. spacial resolution of 1-2mm
-greater accuracy of brain activity in different regions of the brain

56
Q

weakness of FMRI

A

-poor temporal resolution
-lag time of 5 seconds between the firing of the neurons and the image seen on the screen.
-psyschologists are unable to predict with a great deal of accuracy, the onset activity of the brain.

  • problems determining causation with the FMRI
  • FMRI are not able to measure neural activity in the brain, they only measure bloody flow. can’t say wether the Brain regions is responsible for particular function
    -FMRI may not be a valid tool to measure cause and effect.
57
Q
A

psychology (7 decks)

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