Biopsychology

Question 1

What is the nervous system?

Answer 1

A specialised network of cells and our primary communication system

Question 2

What is the nervous systems 2 main functions

Answer 2

To collect, process and responded information in the environment
To coordinate the working of different organs and cells in the body

Question 3

What is the central nervous system?

Answer 3

It is made up of the brain and spinal cord
The brain is the centre of all consciousness awareness
The cerebral cortex of the brain = higher mental functions.
The spinal cord is an extension and is responsible for reflex actions
It passes messages to and from the brain and connects nerves to the PNS.

Question 4

What is the structure of the PNS

Answer 4

Sub divided into into the autonomic and somatic
Autonomic governs vital functions in the body such as heart rate and breathing
The somatic controls muscle movement and receives information from sensory receptors.
The autonomic breaks off into the sympathetic and para sympathetic

Question 5

What does the endocrine system do?

Answer 5

It controls vital functions through the use of hormones

It is slower than the CNS

Question 6

What are glands function in the endocrine system

Answer 6

Glands are organs in the body that produce hormones

Putitry gland controls all other glands and is located in the brain

Question 7

What is the hormones job in the endocrine system?

Answer 7

Hormones are secreted into the blood stream and affect any cell in the body that has a receptor for that particular hormone
Thyroxine produced by the thyroid effects cells in the heart and in the body that increase metabolic rate this effects growth hormones.

Question 8

What is the flight or fight response?

Answer 8

Stress 
Hypothalamus 
Sympathetic branch 
Adrenaline 
Increased Hr and dilation of pupils 
Threat passes
Parasympathetic branch 
Rest and digest

Question 9

What are neurons

Answer 9

They work by transmitting signals electrically and chemically these provide the nervous system with the primary means of communication
Motor neurons
Sensory neurons
Relay neurons

Question 10

What are motor neurons

Answer 10

They connect the CNS to effectors such as muscles and glands. They have short dendrites and long axons

Question 11

What are sensory neurons

Answer 11

They carry messages from the PNS to the CNS they have long dendrites and short axons

Question 12

What are relay neurons

Answer 12

They connect sensory to motor or other relay. They have short dendrites and short axons.

Question 13

What is teh structure of the neuron

Answer 13

Cell body - genetic material of the cell
Dendrites- branch like structure that protrude from the cell body. These carry nerve impulses from neighbouring neurons to the cell body.
Axon - carries electrical signals away from the cell body it is covered in a fatty layer called the myelin sheath. Gaps in the axon called nodes of ravienier speed up transmission of the impulse.
Terminal buttons - at the end of the axon communicate with the next neuron in the chain across a gap called a synapse

Question 14

What happens in electric transmission

Answer 14

When a neuron is in resting state the inside is negatively charged.
When a neuron is activated, the inside of the cell becomes positively charged for a split second causing an action potential to occur
It creates an electrical impulse to travel down the axon towards the end of the neuron.

Question 15

What is a synapse

Answer 15

Each neuron is separated from the next by a gap

Question 16

What is a chemical transmission

Answer 16

Signals between neurons are transmitted chemically across the synapse.
When the electrical impulse reaches the end of the neuron it triggers the release of neurotransmitter from the synaptic vesicles. It travels the gap and then is taken up by the post synaptic transmitters
The chemical message is then turned back into electrical impulses

Question 17

What are neurotransmitters

Answer 17

They are chemicals that diffuse across the synapse to the next neuron
They each have their own specific molecular structure that fits perfectly into the post synaptic receptor.
E.g seretonin

Question 18

What is excitation and inhibition?

Answer 18

Excitation - more positive charges, making the neuron willing to fire. E.g adrenaline
Serotonin - increases negative charge making it less likely to fire e.g seretonin

Question 19

What is summation

Answer 19

Excitory and inhibitory influences are summed and must reach a certain threshold in order for the action potential of the post synaptic neuron to be triggered.

Question 20

AO1 for localisation of function in the brain

Answer 20

The left side of the brain is in control of the right side of the body and vice versa
The cerabel cortex lines the brain and makes the brain more highly developed
There is 2 hemispheres which are then divided into 4: frontal, parietal, occipital and temporal.
Motor area
Somatosensory area
Visual area
Auditory area
Bro as area
Wernickes area

Question 21

AO1 for localisation of function in the brain - motor area

Answer 21

Back of frontal lobe

Voluntary movement

Question 22

AO1 for localisation of function in the brain - somatosensory area

Answer 22

The front of the parietal lobes

Sensory information

Question 23

AO1 for localisation of function in the brain - visual area

Answer 23

Occipital lobe at the back
Visual Feild
Opposites

Question 24

AO1 for localisation of function in the brain - auditory area

Answer 24

Temporal lobe

Analyses speech

Question 25

AO1 for localisation of function in the brain - brocas area

Answer 25

Left frontal lobe | Speech production

Question 26

AO1 for localisation of function in the brain - wrenickes area

Answer 26

Back of temporal lobe | Language comprehension

Question 27

AO3 for localisation of function in the brain

Answer 27

STRENGTH- brain scan evidence STRENGTH- research support do retry et al OCD patients, cingulate glyrus removed 1/3 didn't have OCD anymore STRENGTH - Gage, pole, change of personality LIMITATION - neural plasticity

Question 28

Split brain research - A01

Answer 28

``` Hemispheric lateralisation Sperry - disconnected the brain in epileptic patients to sop seizures. He then ran a procedure where he projected an image or word to a patients to RVF (processing LH) and another to the LVF (RH) The information cannot be shared RVF - describes what is seen LVF- nothing there. ```

Question 29

Split brain research - AO3

Answer 29

STRENGTH- shows lateralisation STRENGTH - standardised LIMITATION - generalisation STRENGTH - started a debate

Question 30

Ways of studying the brain - AO1

Answer 30

``` Ways of studying the brain are usually used for medical purposes and diagnosis In psychology it's for localisation FMRI EEG ERPs Post Mortem ```

Question 31

ways to study the brain - FMRI

Answer 31

Detects changes in blood oxygenation and flow that occur due to neural activity in specific brain areas When a brain area is more active it consumes more oxygen and therefore blood flow is directed to the active area Produces 3D image

Question 32

- EEG

Answer 32

Measures electrical activity within the brain via electrodes using a skull cap The scan recording represents the brain wave patterns generated from millions of neurones. To show overall brain activity. Used for epilepsy

Question 33

- ERPs

Answer 33

Event related potentials are what is left when all extraneous brain activity is filtered out of an EEG.

Question 34

- Post mortems

Answer 34

A technique involving the analysis of someone's brain once they have died

Question 35

Ways to study the brain - AO3

Answer 35

STRENGTH - FMRI is non invasive, doesn't use radiation LIMITATION - FMRI is expensive STRENGTH - EEG are invaluable in diagnosing disorders such as epilepsy. STRENGTH - post mortems have always been around

Question 36

Circadian rhythms - what are they?

Answer 36

Biological rhythms are periodic activity, governed by: Internal body clock (endogenous pacemakers) External changes in the environment (exogenous pacemakers) Circadian rhythms last 24 hours

Question 37

Circadian rhythms - sleep wake cycle

Answer 37

Exogenous zeitgebers - the fact we feel drowsy when it's nighttime and alert during the day shows the effect of daylight Endogenous pacemakers - a biological clock 'left to its own devices' without the influences of external stimuli There is a basic rhythm governed by the suprachiasmatic nucleus, which lies just above the optic chiasm and receives information about light. The exogenous zeitgeber (light) can reset the SCN.

Question 38

Circadian rhythms - siffres research

Answer 38

He spent long periods of time in dark caves to examine the effects of free running biological rhythms. Two months (1962) and 6 months (1970). Siffres free running circadian rhythm settled to 25 hours He did have a regular sleep wake cycle

Question 39

Circadian rhythms - AO3

Answer 39

STRENGTH - practical application to drugs, better times they effect you. LIMITATION - small sample LIMITATION - extraneous variables, artificial light LIMITATION - individual difference, ages, morning or night person

Question 40

Endogenous pacemakers and exogenous zeitgebers - what does the SCN do?

Answer 40

The SCN is a small bundle of nerve cells in the hyperthalamus which helps maintain circadian rhythms. It lies just above the optic chiasm and receives information about light from this structure. DeCoursey et al destroyed the SCN in 30 chipmunks and then returned them to their natural habitat and observed them for 80 days. Their sleep/wake cycle and many were killed by predators. Ralph et al bred mutant hampsters with 20 hour sleep/wake cycles. SCN cells were transplanted from the feotal tissue of these hamsters to normal hamsters and they to developed 20 hour sleep wake cycles. SCN passes information on a day length to the pineal gland which increases the production of melatonin during the night.

Question 41

Endogenous pacemakers and exogenous zeitgebers - ex zeitgebers and the sleep/ wake cycle

Answer 41

Zeitgebers reset the biological clock for sleep/wake cycle and interaction of internal and external factors. Light can reset the SCN Campbell and Murphy woke 15 participants at various times and shine a light in the back of their knees - producing a deviation in the sleep/wake cycle of up to 3 hours light is a powerful ex zeitgebers detected by skin receptors and does not necessarily rely on eyes. Sleep wake cycle is pretty random in baby's up to 6 weeks

Question 42

Endogenous pacemakers and exogenous zeitgebers - AO3

Answer 42

LIMITATION - animals ethics LIMITATION - animals generalisability LIMITATION - Campbell's research hasn't be replicated there may have been extraneous light Limitation - they work together, siffres study is unrealistic, isolating them

Question 43

Infradian rhythms and ultradian rhythms - infradian rhythms

Answer 43

Menstrual cycle 28 days Less than one cycle a day so it happens in a 28 day period Stern and McClintock studied 29 women with irregular periods. Pheromones were taken at different stages of their cycle, via a cotton pad under the arm pits. This was then rubbed on the upper lips of another participant, their cycle then adapted to odour donor. Seasonal effective disorder occurs in winter months when there is a lack of light. It is circannual cycle. Melatonin more will be produced as is darker.

Question 44

Infradian rhythms and ultradian rhythms - Ultradian rhythms

Answer 44

Sleep patterns = 90 mins They happen more than a 24 hour cycle do they are more than ultradian Stage 1 and 2 is light sleep, person is easily woken, brain waves are slower. Stage 3 and 4 deep sleep, hard to wake, brain waves are even slower. Stage 5 REM sleep, fast jerky activity in eyes. Body paralysed yet brain activity speeds up.

Question 45

Infradian rhythms and ultradian rhythms - A03

Answer 45

LIMITATION - period research could be confounding variables such as diet. STRENGTH - SAD practical application, light box Strength - quality of research, REM supported by another study which links with dreaming if participants were woken they could recall dreams it is a distinct ultradian rhythm. LIMITATION - individual differences, insomnia.