Biopsychology Flashcards
Summarise how the nervous system is divided
The nervous system splits into the CNS and PNS
- CNS includes brain and spinal cord
- PNS includes somatic and autonomic nervous system
- Autonomic nervous system includes sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system
What does the brain provide and consist of?
Conscious awareness in all psychological processes, consisting of distinct regions
State the four brain lobes, their location and their function
- Frontal located at the front and associated with higher order functions
- Parietal located at the top middle which integrates information from different senses hence playing a role in spatial navigation
- Occipital at the back processing visual information
- Temporal lobe at the bottom processing auditory information
What is the role of the brain stem and spinal cord?
Brain stem connects the brain and spinal cord and controls involuntary processes such as breathing
Spinal cord transfers messages to and from the brain and is responsible for reflex actions
What is the role of the PNS?
Relay messages from receptors to the CNS and messages from the CNS to glands and muscles
What is the role of the somatic nervous system?
Facilitates communication between the CNS and outside world. It includes sensory receptors, and sensory and motor pathways
What is the role of the autonomic nervous system
The division of the PNS that plays an important role in homeostasis and the maintenance of internal processes. It only consists of motor pathways
What is the role of the sympathetic nervous system?
A division of the autonomic nervous system responsible for the fight or flight response. It transmits impulses to various organs in a dangerous situation, stimulating heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and suppressing digestion and salivation
What is the role of the parasympathetic nervous system?
A division of the autonomic nervous system which is involved in the rest and digest process. It slows heart rate, breathing, blood pressure and returns digestion and salivation to normal
What are the similarities between the brain and spinal cord?
The brain stem and spinal cord both control involuntary processes
What are the differences between the brain and spinal cord?
- The brain provides conscious awareness and allows for higher order thinking whereas the spinal cord allows for simple reflexes
- The brain consists of various regions for various functions whereas the spinal cord has one main function
What are the similarities between the somatic/autonomic and sympathetic/parasympathetic nervous system?
Both respond to external stimuli e.g preparation for fight or flight response and external stimuli
What are the differences between the somatic/autonomic and sympathetic/parasympathetic nervous system?
- The autonomic has two divisions whereas the sympathetic has one
- The somatic nervous system has sensory and motor pathways and the autonomic only has motor pathways
- The autonomic controls internal organs and glands whereas somatic controls muscles
What are sensory neurons?
Neurons that carry nerve impulses from a receptor to the spinal cord and brain (CNS)
What are relay neurons?
Also known as intermediate neurons that are found between sensory input and motor output. They are found in the brain and spinal cord
What are motor neurons
Neurons found in the CNS that control muscles movement. They release neurotransmitters that bind to muscle receptors to trigger a response
Summarise how a neurone receives and transmits and nerve impulse
- Dendrite receives signal
- Carries to cell body and then to axon
- Axon carries impulse away from cell body
- Axon terminal is where neurone ends and connects to other neuron
- Transmits impulse in a process called synaptic transmission
Summarise the process off synaptic transmission
- Action potential reaches pre synaptic end of neuron
- Causes vesicles to move to membrane and release neurotransmitter
- These diffuse across synaptic cleft
- Bind to receptors and have either inhibitory or excitatory effect on post synaptic cell
What is the endocrine system?
A network of glands that secrete chemical messages called hormones using blood and blood vessels
Where is the hypothalamus, what does it release and what is its effect?
- Brain
- No hormone release
- Stimulates and controls hormone release from pituitary gland
Where is the pituitary gland, what does it release and what is its effect?
- Brain
- Anterior releases adrenocortical trophic hormone
- Posterior releases oxytocin
- ACTH stimulates adrenal cortex and release of cortisol
- Oxytocin causes uterus contractions
Where is the pineal gland, what does it release and what is its effect?
- Brain
- Melatonin
- Responsible for regulation of important biological rhythms including sleep-wake cycle
Where is the thyroid gland, what does it release and what is its effect?
- Neck
- Thyroxine
- Responsible for regulation of metabolism
Where is the adrenal gland, what does it release and what is its effect?
- Kidneys
- Adrenal medulla releases adrenaline and noradrenaline
- Adrenal cortex releases cortisol
- Adrenaline is a key hormone in fight or flight response
- Cortisol releases glucose and suppresses immune system
Where are the ovaries, what do they release and what are its effects?
- Female reproductive system
- Oestrogen
- Controls regulation of the female reproductive system including menstrual cycle and pregnancy
Where are the testes, what do they release and what are its effects?
- Male reproductive system
- Testosterone
- Responsible for the development of male sex characteristics and promoting muscle growth
What is the fight or flight response?
The way in which an animal responds when stressed. The body becomes physiologically aroused in preparation to fight or flee
What happens when someone enters a stressful situation?
- Amygdala is activated
- Responds to sensory input and connects input with emotions associated with fight or flight
- If the situation is deemed dangerous, a distress signal is sent to the hypothalamus
- Communicates via sympathetic nervous system
- If required, sympathomedullary pathway is activated
Name and explain the psychological changes that occur in the fight or flight response
- Increase in heart rate to increase blood flow and adrenaline
- Increased breathing rate to increase oxygen
- Pupil dilation to increase light entry
- Sweat to regulate temperature
- Reduction of non-essential function to conserve energy for other essential functions
AO3: Why may the fight or flight response not be the only reaction is a stressful situation?
- Some psychologists suggest a freeze response
- Gray (1988) suggests the first response is to avoid confrontation
- During freeze we become hyper-vigilant and appraise our next action
- Possible overlooked component
AO3: Why does the fight or flight response suffer from gender bias
- Typical male response as it has been suggested that females tend and befriend
- Taylor (2000) suggested women are more likely to protect offspring and hence form alliances that fight/flee
- Fleeing for woman may also be a weakness as offspring are put in danger
- However, most research conducted on males (androcentrism) and thought to be generalisable to females
- Beta bias as psychologists assumed females responded in the same way until Taylor
AO3: Why is the fight or flight response maladaptive in modern day life?
- Useful survival mechanism for ancestors who may face genuine life threatening situations
- Stressors of modern day life activate the fight or flight system when not needed
- Negative consequence on health e.g increased blood pressure damaging heart
- Maladaptive response to modern day life
Define localisation of function
The idea that certain functions have certain locations within the brain
Define hemispheric lateralisation
The fact that the two halves of the brain are functionally different and that each hemisphere has functional specialisations
Define split brain research
Research in patients who have undergone a surgical procedure to remove the corpus callosum
Define plasticity
The brains ability to change and adapt because of experience