Biopsychology Flashcards
Define Genotype
The particular set of genes a person has
Define phenotype
The characteristics of an individual express through their genes but also environmental
Define evolution
A change in allele frequency in a population over successive generations
Define central nervous system
Consists of brain and spinal cord and is the origin of all complex commands and decisions
Define peripheral nervous system
Sends information to the CNS from the outside world, and transmits messages from the CNS to muscles and glands on the body
How does fMRI work
Detects changes in blow oxygenation levels as a result of neural activity in specific areas of the brain
When blood flow is directed to an active area it is known as a…
Haemodynamic response
Strengths of fMRI
Straightforward and easy to use
What sort of image does fMRI produce
Very high spatial resolution, depicting detail to the millimetre
What is localisation of function
different areas of the brain are responsible for behaviours and processes
Where is the motor area
Frontal lobe
What is the function of the motor area
Regulating voluntary movement
Where is the somatosensory area
Parietal lobe
What is the function of the somatosensory area
Processes sensory information from the skin such as heat or pressure
What makes our hand and faces more sensitive than other body parts?
More of the somatosensory area devoted to it
Half the receptors in the area devoted to hands and face
lateralisation is the idea that…
Some functions are dominated by a particular hemisphere
Generally, activity on the left hand side of the body is controlled by…
The right hemisphere
What is the Cerebral Cortex
Grey matter, outer layer of each hemisphere
The cortex of both hemispheres are sub-divided into…
Each lobe is associated with a different function
What can happen when the motor area gets damaged
May result in loss of fine movements
Where is the visual cortex
Occipital lobe
Which hemisphere would information from the right side of your visual field be sent to?
Left hemisphere
Damage to the left hemisphere could result in blindness in…?
The right of your visual field in one or both eyes
Where is the auditory area
Temporal lobes
What is the function of the auditory area
Analyses speech based information
Damage of the auditory area could result in
Hearing loss