Biopsychology Flashcards
Define biopsychology.
The influence of our brain and body on our behaviour.
What is the hindbrain?
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What is the medulla, where is it found and what does it do?
It is found in the hindbrain: it is the first bit of the brain to appear from the spine and it contains spine to brain connection fibres.
Controls vital functions such as blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature and respiration.
What is the pons, where is it found and what do it do?
Part of the brain that sits just forward of the medulla and acts as a bridge between the medulla and forebrain.
It inter grates bodily movements as well as influencing attention and arousal rates. E.g. Attention, alertness, sleep and respiration.
What is the cerebellum, where is it found and what does it do?
Part of the brain that sits just behind the pons.
It controls breathing reflexes and maintains balance.
What is the midbrain?
A very small part of the brain that is hard to isolate as a separate structure. It is messes entisols an extension of the hindbrain: connecting the spine to the forebrain. It’s main structure is the reticular formation.
What is the reticular formation and what does it do?
A tangle of nerve cells and fibres that ascend from the forebrain.
They mostly contain motor information so control movement.
They also control sleep and Hereford arousal and alertness.
Sensory information is sent from here to the cerebral cortex.
What is the forebrain?
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What is the diencephelon?
Part of brain containing the hypothalamus and thalamus. It is found in the forebrain.
What is the thalamus, where is it found and what does it do?
The thalamus is located in the diencephalon, near the centre of the brain and is made up of 2 egg shaped thalami.
It contains relay stations for sensory input except smell and sends messages to the cerebral cortex.
What is the hypothalamus, where is it located and what does it do?
A part of the brain located in the diencephalon which sits under the thalamus.
It regulates the sympathetic nervous system.
It also maintains homeostasis, e.g. Regulating temperature, fluids and sweating.
What is the telencephalon?
Cerebral hemispheres of the brain, found in the forebrain. These include the basal ganglia, limbic system and cerebrum.
What is the limbic system, where is it found and what does it do?
Part of the brain located near the boarder between the cerebrum and hindbrain.
It is a series of structures (hippocampus, amygdala and septum) which control emotion and behaviour.
Describe research into the amygdala.
Kulver and Bucy conducted research into monkeys.
They found that damage to the temporal lobe resulted in a lack of fear, inappropriate sexual behaviour and an inability to recognise items.
They were also tamer to handle.
Damage to the amygdala therefore calmed wild monkeys.
What is the basal ganglia, where is it found and what does it do?
An area of the brain found in the telencephalon which sits under the cerebral cortex.
Dopamine is made here.
It is also responsible for muscle movement and limb coordination.
What is the cerebrum, where is it found and what does it do?
A part of the brain found in the telencephalon (therefore found also in the hindbrain). It covers other parts of the brain and 75% of neuroms are located here.
It is divided into 2 cerebral hemispheres which are joined by the corpus callosum which relays messages between the hemispheres.
Each hemisphere is divided into 4 lobes: frontal, occipital, temporal and parietal.
The surface level of the cerebrum is called the cerebral cortex. It is the most evolved part of the brain.
Describe the fight or flight process.
1) The amygdala recognises stress related emotions (e.g. Panic or fear) and sends a distress signal to the hypothalamus.
2) The hypothalamus releases the hormone CRH into the bloodstream.
3) The pituitary gland releases ATCH into the bloodstream.
4) The sympathetic nervous system prepares the body for rapid actions.
5) The adrenal cortex releases cortisol and other stress related hormones into the bloodstream. This causes an increase in heart rate and blood pressure.
6) The adrenal medulla realises adrenaline into the the bloodstream.
7) The feedback system monitors cortisol levels and inhibits ATCH and CRH levels if too high.
8) The parasympathetic nervous system dampens the response after the threat has passed.
What is acute stress?
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Describe the process of acute stress.
1) The sympathetic nervous system sends a distress signal to the adrenal medulla.
2) The adrenal medulla releases adrenaline into the bloodstream. This causes increased breathing, blood pressure and heart rate so that glucose production and transportation is released.
3) After the threat passes the parasympathetic nervous system dampens the response.
What is chronic stress?
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Describe the process of chronic stress.
1) Ongoing stress causes the HPA axis to be activated by the hypothalamus.
2) The hypothalamus releases CRH into the bloodstream.
3) The CRH arrives at the pituitary gland where ATCH is released.
4) The ATCH arrives at the adrenal glands where the adrenal cortex releases cortisol.
5) The negative effects of cortisol include heart attacks due to strain on heart, lowered immune system and impaired cognitive responses.
6) The positive effects of cortisol include quick bursts of energy and low sensitivity to pain.
Where is the frontal lobe found?
In the upper and frontal area of the cerebral cortex.
Where is the occipital lobe found?
In the bottom of the brain in the back part of the cerebral cortex.
Where is the temporal lobe found?
Within the central, lower part of the cortex, behind the temples.
Where is the parietal lobe found?
In the upper, back part of the cerebral cortex.
What does the frontal lobe do?
🔹Deals with HIGHER COGNITIVE PROCESSES, e.g. Decision making, problem solving, thinking, paying attention.
🔹Also influences our personality, behaviour and emotions.
🔹The LH side is called the Broca’s area and is in charge of forming sentences.
🔹The RH side deals with creativity.
What does the occipital lobe do?
🔹Quickly processes and makes sense of visual information so that we can understand it.
🔹 Is in charge of our spatial awareness.
🔹 Contains the visual cortex.
What does the temporal lobe do?
🔹 Receives and processes different sounds, speech and pitches which are being transmitted from the ears so that ex can understand it.
🔹 High level auditory processing.
🔹 Contains primary auditory cortex.
🔹 Plays a part in understanding smell and hearing.
🔹 LH side is called Wernicke’s areas and plays a part in understanding language.
What does the parietal lobe do?
🔹 Processes sensory information such as taste, temperature and touch.
🔹 Plays a part in understanding movement.
🔹 Also processes language and mathematics.
What is the endocrine system?
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What is the role of the pituitary gland?
It is the ‘master gland’ the primary function of which is to influence the release of hormones from other glands.
What is the role of the anterior pituitary gland and which hormones does it release?
To produce hormones which act on and target glands or cells. It produces ATCH, outright hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone.
What is the role of the posterior pituitary gland and which hormones does it produce?
To produce hormones which act and target certain glands or cells. For example oxytocin. It decreases with age.
What does oxytocin do?
It influences life processes. For example it stimulates the contraction of the uterus during child birth, is important for mother and baby bonding, aids breast milk production and maintains health and repair.
