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Biopsychology Flashcards

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1
Q

The nervous system

A

a specialised network of cells which transmit messages around the body

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2
Q

outline the central nervous system

A

made of the brain and the spinal cord

transmits messages to and from the brain

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3
Q

role of the brain in the CNS

A

the most developed feature of the nervous system

sends messages to all other areas of the brain

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4
Q

role of the spinal cord in the CNS

A

an extension of the brain which controls reflex reactions.

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5
Q

outline the peripheral nervous system

A

made of the autonomic nervous system and the somatic nervous system
sends messages to and from the CNS

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6
Q

role of the autonomic nervous system in the PNS

A

Autonomic Nervous System (ANS). Controls bodily arousal - vital needs
The sympathetic ANS leads to increased arousal: e.g. increase in heart rate and blood pressure IE fight or flight
The parasympathetic ANS leads to decreased arousal.

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7
Q

role of the somatic nervous system

A

controls muscle movement and sends information to and from the sensory receptors

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8
Q

the role of the endocrine system

A

works with the rest of the body to instruct glands to release hormones which control bodily functions such as menstruation and growth.

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9
Q

role of glands

A

to release hormones into the bloodstream.

main gland is the pituitary gland

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10
Q

role of hormones

A

chemicals in the body which target specific organs. they are extremely powerful and work quickly

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11
Q

describe the process of fight or flight

A

the hypothalamus triggers activity in the sympathetic branch of the autonomic nervous system. ANS changes from parasympatheic to sympathetic. adrenaline is released from adrenal medulla. heart race and other symptoms of ANS is released. when threat passes, the parasympathetic state returns body to homeostasis.

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12
Q

the sensory neuron

A

messages from PNS to CNS. long dendrites and short axons

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13
Q

the motor neuron

A

connect CNS to effectors. short dendrites and long axons.

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14
Q

the relay neuron

A

connect sensory neurons to motor and relay neurons. short dendrites and short axons.

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15
Q

cell body and nucleus (structure of a neuron)

A

contain genetic information

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16
Q

dendrites (structure of a neuron)

A

carry nerve impulses towrds cell body from other neurons.

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17
Q

axon and myelin sheath (structure of a neuron)

A

carries impulses away from cell body. the myelin sheath protects the axon and speeds up transmission

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18
Q

nodes of ranvier (structure of a neuron)

A

gaps in between the axon and myelin sheath which speed up transmission as the transmission has to jump between axons.

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19
Q

terminal buttons (structure of a neuron)

A

communicate with the next neuron across the synapse.

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20
Q

describe the process of electrical transmission

A

when a neuron is activated the negatively charged cell becomes positively charged and the action potential occurs.

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21
Q

describe the process of synaptic transmission

A

occurs through chemical transmission.
when the impulse reaches the terminal button it triggers the release of neurotransmitters which diffuse across the synapse. it is then taken up by the post synaptic vesicle and converted back to an electrical signal.

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22
Q

excitation and an example

A

casuses the neuron to become more positively charged and chance of firing increases - adrenaline

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23
Q

inhibition and an example

A

causes neuron to become negatively charges and chance of firing decreases - serotonin

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24
Q

what is localisation

A

different areas of the brain are responsible for different functions.

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25
Q

location and function of motor area

A

frontal lobe

controls volntary movement.

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26
Q

location and function of somatosensory area

A

parietal lobe

representation of sensory information

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27
Q

location and function of visual area

A

ocipital lobe
left visual field goes to right hemisphere
right visual field goes to left hemisphere

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28
Q

location and function of auditory area

A

temporal lobe

analyses speach beased information

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29
Q

describe the language area of the brain

A

laguage area is only found in the left hemisphere of the brain. comprised of Broca’s area and wernicke’s area.

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30
Q

describe the function of brocas area and the result of damage.

A

Broca’s area in the frontal lobe is responsible for speech production. brocas aphasia results in slow and laborious speech

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31
Q

describe the function of wernickes area and the result of damage.

A

left temporal lobe and responsible for language comprehension.
Wernickes asphasia results in neologisms and nonsence speech.

32
Q

evaluate research into localisation of functions in the brain.

A

brain scan evidence - brain scans showing Broca being active during a reading task and wernicke active during a listening task. Also in memory we learnt that episodic and semantic memory were in different areas of the prefrontal cortex.
alternative evidence in the theory of plasticity.
Lashley and the kittens

33
Q

outline the case study of phineas gage

A

whilst working, Gage had a metal rod propelled through his cheek and through his brain taking most of the frontal lobe. he suffered a chnage in personality causing him to be angry and irritable. The part of the brain damaged in the accident was the area in the frontal cortex associated with planning, reasoning and control – Gage’s personality changed from him being mild mannered to rude and hostile.

34
Q

what is plasticity and what happens

A

Plasticity refers to neurological changes as a result of learning and experience. Learning and new experiences cause new neural pathways to strengthen whereas neural pathways which are used infrequently become weak and eventually die - synaptic pruning.

35
Q

describe research into plasticity regarding the cab drivers

A

Maguire et al
comparing londin cab drivers to a control group, they found that the drivershad more grey matter in their posterior hippocampus, presuambly because of the test, the knowledge, they have to take. there was a positive correlation between time in the job and the amount of grey matter.

36
Q

what is functional recovery.

A

a form of plasticity where the brain can redistribute functions after damge to certain areas. it is suggested that it slows down after several weeks.

37
Q

what happens during functional recovery

A

axonal sprouting
recrution of homologous areas
reformation of blood vessels

38
Q

Evaluate research into plasticity

A

negative plasticity - phantom limb
age and plasticity - while it has been suggested that plasticity slows with age, a study with 40 golfers aged 40 - 60 showed how advanced golfing skills was linked to a greater representation of movement.
real life application in neurorehabilitation as we know that functional recovery slows after several wees

39
Q

what is hemispheric lateralisation

A

the theory that the two halves of the brain are functionally different like language which is lateralised to the left side of the brain

40
Q

what is split-brain research

A

a series of procedures on patients with a history of epilepsy where the doctors severed the corpus callosum, which the connects the two hemispheres. this allowed them to study the two halves independently

41
Q

describe the basic procedure of Sperry’s split-brain research

A

sperry would present the participant with a word or image shown to both the left and right visual field. As the corpus callosum was severed this information was not shared between the two halves

42
Q

describe the findings of Sperry’s research describing what you see

A

images presented to the right visual field could be described by patients but ones presented to the left couldn’t

43
Q

describe the findings of Sperry’s research recognition by touch

A

when presented with an image to the left visual field patients could select a corresponding item from behind a screen. although they couldn’t describe it.

44
Q

describe the findings of Sperry’s research composite word

A

if two corresponding words were placed in front of either visual field. they would say the word presented to the right field but write the one on the left.

45
Q

describe the findings of Sperry’s research matching faces

A

when asked to match a face from a series of other faces, the face shown to the left visual field was dominant, while right visual field was rarely chosen.

46
Q

Evaluation of research into split-brain studies

A

has proved the theory of hemispheric lateralisation
used highly standardised procedures with massive scientific credibility
has prompted a theoretical debate on the subject of lateralisation.

47
Q

what are FMRIs

A

detects changes in blood oxygenation and flow that occur in the brain as a result of neural activity. when a brain area is active, it requires more oxygen and so blood flow is directed there (haemodynamic response). this produces a 3D activation map of the brain

48
Q

evaluation of FMRIs

A

does not use radiation so is virtually risk free
images are extremely accurate

very expensive compared to other techniques.
person must be extremely still to get a clear image
is not specific in terms of functions of the brain.

49
Q

what are EEGs

A

measures ekectrical activity using a skull cap with electrodes. this provides an overall account of brain activity. often used to find abnormal brain activity

50
Q

evaluation of EEGs

A

extremely useful in the diagnosis of illnesses like epilepsy. also been used in our understanding of sleep stages.

too generalised to be useful
does not distinguish between neural activity and cannot isolate events

51
Q

what are event related potentials ERPs

A

the isolation of particular sensory, cognitive or motor events in the brain through statistical analsis of EEGs

52
Q

evaluation of ERPs

A

rovide a continuous measure of neural activity in response to a stimulus. Therefore, changes to the stimulus can be directly recorded
it is much more specific than the raw data produced by EEGs

a lack of standardisation makes it hard to confirm results.
to obtain pure data the room must be free of all noise and extraneous material.

53
Q

what are post mortems

A

looking at and analysing the brain after death to establish a link between events in life and abnormalities in the brain

54
Q

evaluation of post mortems

A

Allow for detailed examinations and measurement of deep brain structures (e.g. the hypothalamus) not measurable by brain scans - we can generate general hypothesis from these

Various factors can act as confounding variables and might confuse findings/conclusions. For example, length of time between death and post-mortem, other damage caused to the brain either during death or as a result of disease, age at death, drugs given in months prior to death, etc.

55
Q

what are circadian rhythms

A

a biological rhythm which lasts about 24 hrs

56
Q

what are infradian rhythms

A

a biological rhythm which lasts more than 24 hrs (less than one in 24 hrs) like mesturation

57
Q

what ultradian rhythms

A

a biological rhythm which lasts less than 24hrs (more than one in 24hrs ) like stages of sleep

58
Q

what are endogenous pacemakers

A

internal body clocks that regulate many biological rhythms - Suprachiasmatic nucleus

59
Q

what are exogenous zeitgebers

A

external cues in our environemt which may affect our biological rhythms.

60
Q

outline the sleep/wake cycle

A

light is an important exogenous zeitgeber as it is important in determining when we wake and sleep. there is some evidence, however, that light is not so important - Siffre

61
Q

outline Siffre’s cave study

A

studied the effects of a lack of light and other external cues on his own biological rhythm by secluding himself in a cave for 2 months.
His biological clock settled to a rhythm just longer than 24 hrs even without exogenous zeitgebers

62
Q

Outline Aschof and Wevers bunker study on the effects on circadian rhythms

A

convinced a group of participants to spend 4 weeks in a ww2 style bunker, deprived of light.
All but one of the rhythms settled to between 24 and 25 hrs.

63
Q

evaluate research into circadian rhythms

A

lack of control in most studies - Siffre had a torch which he had on until he slept
hard to generalise due to case studies and small samples
practical application in shift work and drug treatment.

64
Q

outline the menstrual cycle as an infradian rhythm

A

governed by monthly changes in hormones
anywhere between 24 and 35 days
increasing oestrogen causes growth of the egg and then the lining to shed. progesterone then helps it grow back. if o pregnancy the egg is reabsorbed and shed again

65
Q

outline research into the menstrual cycle

A

Stern and McClintock suggested that periods are not purely a biological rhythm. they can be affected by things like other women’s periods.
29 women with a history of irregular periods. samples of pheromones from 9 women were taken and treated with alcohol and rubbed on the upper lip of the other 20. 68% of women synced closer to the period of the women whose pheromones were used.

66
Q

outline seasonal affective disorder as an infradian rhythm

A

triggered during the winter months when the hours of darkness is longer.
characterised by low moods and lack of activity
is technically a circannual rhythm

67
Q

outline the stages of sleep as an ultradian rhythm

A

5 stages of sleep which are cumulatively about 90 minutes.
1 & 2 = light sleep, theta waves
3 & 4 = deep sleep, delta waves
5 = REM sleep, correlated with dreaming

68
Q

evaluate research into infradian rhythms

A

the menstrual cycle may also be evolutionary and not based on biological rhythms
the menstruation study lacks internal validity as cycles can be changed by many things, such as stress, and so findings are not valid and may be a fluke.

69
Q

evaluate research into ultradian rhythms

A

support for distinct sleep stages. in a study of the sleeping patterns of 9 participants using EEGs, REM sleep was highly correlated with dreaming and when woken during stage 5 participants could often recall their dreams.

70
Q

what is the suprachiasmatic nucleus

A

A primary endogenous pacemaker. often called our master clock. The SCN is just above the optic nerve and thus receives information about light and has a fundamental role in governing many circadian rhythms.

71
Q

outline the DeCoursey et al chipmunk study

A

destroyed the SCN connection in the brains of 30 chipmunks and returned them to their natural habitat.
their sleep/wake cycle disappeared and most were killed by predators as they were awake when they were vulnerable.

72
Q

outline the Ralph et al study mutant hamster study

A

bred mutant hamsters with a 20hr sleep/wake cycle.

he then transferred the SCN from the mutant hamsters to a control group and their cycle also defaulted to 20hrs

73
Q

describe the effects of the pineal gland and melatonin as endogenous pacemakers on the sleep/wake cycle

A

SCN passes information to the pineal gland. when it is dark, the pineal gland increases melatonin production, which helps us sleep. in the day, melatonin production is decreased so we feel more awake.

74
Q

outline the Campbell and Murphy study into light as an exogenous zeitgeber

A

15 participants were woken at various times and had a light pad shone on the back of their knees.
the researchers deviated their sleep/wake cycle up to 3hrs in some cases.
showed that light does not rely on the eyes it is so powerful

75
Q

outline social cues as an alternative explanation to the sleep/wake cycle

A

in infants, the sleep schedule, while at first random, is entrained by parents who enforce their own cycle which the babies learn to follow.
certain cultures also adopt different ways of living, like in Spain where they eat and sleep later due to the hot temperatures being inconvenient at the normal time of eating and working.

76
Q

evaluate research into endogenous pacemakers and exogenous zietgebers

A

reserch support from animal studies - DeCoursey and Ralph - however, generalisation.
there is too much research into the SCN and there may be other endogenous pacemakers acting independently - peripheral oscillators found in lungs, liver, pancreas and skin - changing eating pattern of mice changed circadian rhythm of the liver for up to 12 hrs leaving SCN unaffected.
the role of exogenous zeitgebers is overstated - blind man had 24.9hr cycle and needed sedatives at night and stimulants in morning.

psychology (11 decks)

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