Biopsychology Flashcards
What are the two main components of the nervous system?
Central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS)
The CNS consists of the brain and spinal cord, while the PNS sends information to and from the CNS.
What is the function of the central nervous system (CNS)?
Origin of all complex commands and decisions
The CNS includes the brain and spinal cord.
What role does the peripheral nervous system (PNS) play?
Sends information to the CNS from the outside world and transmits messages from the CNS to muscles and glands
The PNS connects the CNS to the rest of the body.
What is the somatic nervous system responsible for?
Transmits information from receptor cells in the sense organs to the CNS and directs muscles to act
It is part of the PNS.
What does the autonomic nervous system do?
Transmits information to and from internal bodily organs and operates involuntarily
It has two divisions: sympathetic and parasympathetic.
Define endocrine system.
One of the body’s major information systems that instructs glands to release hormones directly into the bloodstream
Hormones are carried towards target organs in the body.
What is a gland?
An organ in the body that synthesizes substances such as hormones
Glands play a crucial role in the endocrine system.
What are hormones?
Chemical substances that circulate in the bloodstream and affect target organs
They are produced in large quantities but disappear quickly.
What is the fight or flight response?
The way an animal responds when stressed, becoming physiologically aroused to fight or flee
It prepares the body for immediate action.
What is adrenaline?
A hormone produced by the adrenal glands involved in the body’s immediate stress response
It stimulates heart rate, contracts blood vessels, and dilates air passages.
Define neuron.
The basic building blocks of the nervous system, processing and transmitting messages through electrical and chemical signals
Neurons are essential for communication within the nervous system.
What are sensory neurons?
Carry messages from the PNS to the CNS and have long dendrites and short axons
They are responsible for transmitting sensory information.
What is the role of relay neurons?
Connect sensory neurons to motor or other relay neurons with short dendrites and short axons
They facilitate communication between different types of neurons.
Define motor neurons.
Connect the CNS to effectors such as muscles and glands, characterized by short dendrites and long axons
They are crucial for initiating movement.
What is synaptic transmission?
The process by which neighbouring neurons communicate by sending chemical messages across the synapses
It is essential for neuron-to-neuron communication.
What are neurotransmitters?
Brain chemicals released from synaptic vesicles that relay signals across the synapse
They can have excitatory or inhibitory functions.
What does excitation refer to in neurotransmission?
When a neurotransmitter increases the positive charge of the postsynaptic neuron
This increases the likelihood that the neuron will fire.
What is inhibition in the context of neurotransmission?
When a neurotransmitter increases the negative charge of the postsynaptic neuron
This decreases the likelihood that the neuron will fire.
Define localisation of function.
The theory that different areas of the brain are responsible for different behaviours and processes
It emphasizes the specialization of brain regions.
What is the motor area of the brain responsible for?
Regulating movement
It is located in the frontal lobe.
What does the somatosensory area process?
Sensory information such as touch
It is located in the parietal lobe.
What is the function of the visual area?
Receives and processes visual information
It is located in the occipital lobe.
What does the auditory area analyze?
Speech-based information
It is located in the temporal lobe.
What is Broca’s area responsible for?
Speech production
It is located in the frontal lobe of the left hemisphere in most people.
What is Wernicke’s area responsible for?
Language comprehension
It is located in the temporal lobe of the left hemisphere in most people.
Define plasticity in the context of the brain.
The brain’s tendency to change and adapt due to experience and new learning
This can involve functional and physical changes.
What is functional recovery?
The brain’s ability to redistribute or transfer functions usually performed by damaged areas to undamaged areas
It is a form of neuroplasticity.
What is hemispheric lateralisation?
The idea that the two halves of the brain are functionally different
Certain processes are mainly controlled by one hemisphere.
What is split-brain research?
Studies involving epileptic patients who had their brain hemispheres surgically separated
This research investigates the extent of brain function lateralisation.
What is functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)?
A method used to measure brain activity while performing a task using MRI technology
It detects regions of the brain rich in oxygen.
What does an electroencephalogram (EEG) record?
Tiny electrical impulses produced by the brain’s activity
It helps diagnose certain brain conditions.
What are event-related potentials (ERPs)?
The brain’s electrophysiological response to specific events isolated through EEG data analysis
They provide insight into cognitive processes.
What are post-mortem examinations?
Analysis of the brain after death to link observed behaviours to brain abnormalities
They help in understanding the relationship between brain structure and function.
Define biological rhythms.
Distinct patterns of change in body activity that conform to cyclical periods
They are influenced by internal body clocks and environmental changes.
What is a circadian rhythm?
A type of biological rhythm with a 24-hour cycle regulating processes like the sleep/wake cycle
It is an important aspect of biological rhythms.
What is an infradian rhythm?
A biological rhythm with a frequency of less than one cycle in 24 hours
Examples include menstruation and seasonal affective disorder.
What is an ultradian rhythm?
A biological rhythm with a frequency of more than one cycle in 24 hours
An example is the stages of sleep.
What are endogenous pacemakers?
Internal body clocks that regulate biological rhythms
The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) influences the sleep/wake cycle.
What are exogenous zeitgebers?
External cues that affect biological rhythms
Light is a significant exogenous zeitgeber influencing the sleep/wake cycle.
Fill in the blank: The sleep/wake cycle is a daily cycle of biological activity based on a _______.
24-hour period
It is influenced by environmental variations, such as night and day.
