Biopsychology Flashcards
What is the Central Nervous System (CNS)?
The CNS consists of the brain and spinal cord, which processes information.
What does the Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) include?
The PNS includes the Somatic NS for voluntary movement and the Autonomic NS for involuntary processes.
What are the two divisions of the Autonomic Nervous System?
The Sympathetic NS (fight-or-flight) and the Parasympathetic NS (rest-and-digest).
What is the role of the Sympathetic Nervous System?
It triggers fight-or-flight responses, increasing heart rate and decreasing digestion.
What is the role of the Parasympathetic Nervous System?
It restores balance by decreasing heart rate and increasing digestion.
What are the three types of neurons?
Sensory neurons, relay neurons, and motor neurons.
What is synaptic transmission?
It involves an electrical impulse leading to neurotransmitter release, which binds to receptors and generates a new impulse.
What are excitatory and inhibitory effects?
Excitatory effects (e.g., dopamine) stimulate activity, while inhibitory effects (e.g., GABA) reduce activity.
What is the function of the endocrine system?
It uses glands to release hormones as chemical messengers via the bloodstream.
What is the master gland of the endocrine system?
The pituitary gland regulates all other glands.
What triggers the fight-or-flight response?
The hypothalamus activates the Sympathetic Nervous System.
What is the role of the adrenal medulla in the fight-or-flight response?
It releases adrenaline, increasing heart rate and breathing.
What is the function of the motor cortex?
It controls movement.
What does Broca’s area do?
It is responsible for speech production.
What is the significance of Phineas Gage’s case study?
It demonstrated personality changes due to frontal lobe damage.
What is lateralisation in the brain?
The left hemisphere is associated with language and logic, while the right hemisphere is linked to creativity and spatial tasks.
What happens in split-brain research?
Severing the corpus callosum allows the hemispheres to work independently.
What is brain plasticity?
It refers to the brain’s ability to change with experience.
What is functional recovery in the brain?
It is the brain’s ability to rewire itself after damage.
What does fMRI detect?
It detects blood flow changes in active brain areas.
What are circadian rhythms?
They are biological cycles that last about 24 hours, such as the sleep-wake cycle.
What is the role of the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus (SCN)?
It is the main biological clock that regulates circadian rhythms.
What are exogenous zeitgebers?
External cues that reset biological clocks, such as light and social cues.
